Aside from my belief that I was Evita Peron in a previous life, my gift for cooking up delicious Latin meals cannot be underestimated, even if the color of my white skin hints otherwise.
Don't ask me how I came up with this soup, but here is what I think happened: I happened to be in a local health food store in the freezer section, I suddenly had a craving for meatballs but didn't want to make them myself (nothing ruins my appetite like sticking my fingers in raw beef), I had fresh cilantro at home that I needed to use pronto, and it was a chilly evening and I needed warming up (my husband was working so there went that idea).
The result: Mexican Meatball Soup. I don't know why it's Mexican instead of, say, Guatemalan, but I do know when I was sipping it I was thinking of our neighbors directly to the south and wishing I was with them.
And my meatball craving? Problem solved when I came across a box of frozen organic meatballs (organic meaning that my cow ate grass before giving up the ghost, and wasn't pumped up with a bunch of antibiotics).
How easy is this: I prepared the soup and then just plopped the frozen meatballs in to cook for 20 minutes. I'm thinkin' that if you are a vegetarian, just make the soup and skip the cow, no problema!
Here's what I did for the soup, and let me tell you how there is no better way to spend a chilly evening than sippin' on a delicious sopa (I'm gonna keep throwing out a bunch of Spanish words here, since I'm hoping I might learn a few when it's all over).
Mexican Meatball Soup:
Saute whatever veggies you want in a bit of olive oil (my choice: squash, onions, carrots, celery, leek) and then add a bit of white wine (I usually use about 1/2 a cup, but on a bad day I'll double it). Pour in as much chicken broth as you want depending on the size of your fiesta. I used 5 cups of broth and 1 cup of water. But for all you vegetarians feel free to use vegetable broth.
Throw in a cup or so of rice (basmati, long grain, whatever) and it'll cook along with the soup.
I added a pinch of chili flakes (like the kind at pizza parlors) and a dash of cayenne pepper for a little spice, and then salt and pepper to taste. The true beauty of the soup, however, comes in the fresh cilantro you add at the very end (approx. 2 tablespoons).
Feel free to throw in some frozen corn niblets too if you so desire. After all, this is your rodeo.
If you are using meatballs, and making them yourself (but whyyyy would you do that when there are perfectly delicious and organic and frozen meatballs available to use?) then you'll have to fry them up separately and plop them into the soup once cooked.
Okay, that's it! The soup can simmer for 20 minutes (especially if you need to cook the meatballs) or longer, depending on what else you're making. I happened to be in a hurry the night I made this, and whipped out the entire meal in half an hour. Not bad for a white girl!
Cheers, Salute, Prost, Hip Hip Chin Chin....here's to you in any language!
Suzanna Quintana, Holistic Health Coach & Certified Foodie
Looks fantastic. Will try it.
ReplyDeleteyes, its true.....her husband
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