Sonora Cheese Soup Recipes

CALDO DE QUESO (MEXICAN CHEESE AND POTATO SOUP)

Steps:

• Wash throughly the green chilli peppers, roast them with the technique you prefer (in the oven, directly on the stove's fire or on a comal or pan).
• Put them in a plastic bag or container and then wrap them in a kitchen cloth. Let them sit for 10-15 minutes.
• Remove the skin from the peppers, cut them in half, remove all the seeds and remove the veins. Cut them into strips and set aside.
• In a large saucepan, heat the oil over medium heat. Add the onion and sauté for 4 minutes over low heat until transparent and tender.
• Add the garlic and sauté for a minute stirring constantly to release its aroma.
• Add the tomato and cook, stirring from time to time for about 5 minutes or until the tomato has released its juices and you'll have a thick sauce.
• Pour the broth, add the cilantro and season with salt and pepper (READ NOTES). Raise the heat and bring to a boil. Let everything simmer for 1 minute.
• Add the potatoes and cover the pan. Cook until the potatoes are tender (about 25 minutes).
• Uncover the pan and add the chillies and milk. Mix carefully and let the potato soup cook for 2 minutes.
• Turn off the heat and immediately add the cheese. Mix and let stand 5 minutes before serving

CHEESE SOUP - CALDO DE QUESO

Steps:

• Toast the flour (no oil, no grease, just add the flour to a medium hot pan and move it until the flour color goes from white to golden or light brown) take the flour out of the pan and clean the pan with a napkin,
• Add oil to the pan and when the oil is hot add the potatoes to brown them, (the potatoes in pieces 1inch aprox) add some salt. You don't want the potatoes fully cooked because you are going to add them to the soup later, but you want them sealed.
• Take the potatoes out, then add to the same pan the garlic and the onion finely chopped, for like 2-3 minutes and add there the anaheim green peppers (if you have a gas stove you can take the peel out of the chilis if you don't nevermind) the green peppers should be finely chopped also, and mix them with the onion and garlic.
• At the end add the tomato finely chopped also, and mix it with the onion, garlic and green chiles.
• Add the toasted flour and mix.
• Add the boiling water and the chicken bouillon, salt, pepper.
• Add the potatoes and the milk, and as soon as it boils, add the cheese pieces (1 in approx) let it boil for like a minute and turn it off. (Because the cheese falls to the bottom of the soup pan and it is hard to fish for it ;) I add it to each plate at the end but thats up to you).

SONORAN-STYLE POTATO, CHEESE, AND TOMATO SOUP

Steps:

• Heat oil in a large Dutch oven or other heavy pot over medium. Cook red onion, chile, and 1 tsp. Diamond Crystal or ½ tsp. Morton kosher salt, stirring with a wooden spoon, until starting to soften, about 3 minutes. Stir in garlic and tomato paste, breaking up paste so it coats vegetables, then add squash, potatoes, and broth. Increase heat to medium-high and bring broth to a simmer. Reduce heat to medium and cook until potatoes are almost falling apart, 15-20 minutes.
• Add cherry tomatoes to pot and cook until warmed through but not bursting, about 3 minutes. Stir in oregano and vinegar and simmer 2 minutes to allow flavors to blend. Remove from heat and stir in milk (if using). Taste soup and season with more salt if needed.
• Divide queso fresco among bowls and ladle soup over, stirring to prevent cheese from clumping.