Sopa de Fideo

Sopa de Fideo

One of the best things about moving from New England to the Southwest is I am being acquainted with a new culture, traditions, food, and people.  So different and yet we are still so much alike!  The mind and the waistline are expanded, grins.

Fideo is like the Italian vermicelli and the vermicelli can be substituted if your grocery does not have a well-stocked Hispanic food section.  The vermicelli just needs to be broken up into small pieces and you're good to go.

It seems to me that a lot of Mexican style food is pretty spicy, with the addition of different chili peppers, cumin, turmeric and oregano.  And no question, we have acquired spicy taste buds and will crave wonderful, warm (hot!) deliciousness. But then there is this little soup.  Very simple to make and delicate in flavor as written.  I belong to a Hispanic cooking site on Facebook and one of the ladies recommended adding pinto beans and hamburg; it's the way she makes it in her home.  I love that she shared that with me, and I think that would be good as well.  Make pinto beans as if for refried beans but pull some out before they are mashed and just add them to the soup towards the end to heat through since they'll already be cooked.

This would be a great soup when you aren't feeling tip-top but need to eat something.   The one thing I really liked about this soup is that it uses fresh tomatoes and with some nice buttery avocado.  Very farmers' market.

SOPA DE FIDEO

2 tablespoons vegetable or olive oil
6 Roma tomatoes, roasted
1 thick slice of white onion
1 large clove garlic or 1/2 teaspoon jarred minced
3 cups chicken broth
1 cup of fideo noodles
salt and pepper to taste
garnishes:  avocado, cilantro, lime juice

Oil a boiler proof pan and roast the tomatoes on both the top and the bottom until the sides have blacked slightly.

Add the tomatoes, the onion and the garlic to a blender or food processor and blend until pureed.

In a medium skillet heat some oil and add the uncooked fideo.  Cook the fideo over medium heat until golden brown. Add the chicken broth and the tomato mixture.  Bring to a boil and then reduce heat to medium and cook for 7 or 8 minutes or until the fideo are almost done.  Add the cilantro, if using, and cook an additional two minutes or until the fideo are done.  The fideo will continue to expand upon cooling.

Serve in bowls with diced avocado or other garnish of choice.