A Lighter, Brighter Hen Soup
If you happen to love rooster tortilla soup, you’ve gotta strive its brighter, citrusy cousin from the Yucatán. ♡
Sopa de lima (“lime soup”) is a standard Yucatecan soup made with a deliciously mild, fragrant broth that I completely adore. Whereas it’s related in some methods to Mexican tortilla soup — shredded rooster, tomatoes, plus crispy tortilla strips sprinkled on prime — sopa de lima is a bit lighter, with extra delicate spices (together with a shock trace of cloves!), and the citrus undoubtedly takes heart stage.
The normal model is made with quite a lot of limes referred to as limas agrias (“bitter limes”), which have a extra advanced, barely bitter citrus taste than the Persian limes most of us cook dinner with right here within the States. However since they’re laborious to search out exterior the Yucatán, I take advantage of a mix of recent lime juice plus a splash of orange juice as an alternative, which comes fairly near the soup’s basic taste.
Principally, I like this soup as a result of it’s tremendous straightforward to make in about half-hour, and refreshingly mild and flavorful with out weighing you down. My girlfriends all raved about this one and requested for the recipe the final time we made it, so I hope you’ll take pleasure in it too!
Recipe Suggestions
Listed here are just a few fast ideas to verify your sopa de lima seems excellent:
- Toast the cumin briefly. Warming the bottom cumin for just some seconds brings out its aroma and provides further depth to the soup.
- Go light with the cloves. Entire cloves are highly effective — two or three is lots for delicate heat with out overpowering the broth. Or if you happen to’re anti-cloves, you may simply go away them out.
- Use good rooster inventory. Since this soup is broth-forward, a flavorful inventory actually issues right here. (I’m keen on Dealer Joe’s rooster inventory!)
- Add citrus off the warmth. Stirring within the lime and orange juice on the finish retains the flavors vivid and recent as an alternative of bitter.
- Season on the very finish. The citrus modifications how salty the soup tastes, so at all times modify salt after the lime juice goes in.
Recipe Variations
Listed here are some extra twists you’re welcome to strive with this recipe:
- Add sliced zucchini or chayote throughout the simmer for further veggies, or chopped kale on the very finish.
- Swap in shredded turkey as an alternative of rooster, which is definitely the extra conventional manner this soup is made within the Yucatán.
- Stir in corn kernels close to the tip for a contact of sweetness and texture. (I like the roasted frozen corn from Dealer Joe’s.)
- Prime with crumbled queso fresco for a salty, creamy distinction.
FAQ
The soup itself freezes nicely, however I like to recommend freezing it with out the citrus. Add recent lime and orange juice after reheating for the perfect taste.
An Anaheim pepper or poblano pepper is the perfect substitute, or you should utilize a candy bell pepper if that’s what you’ve gotten readily available. Genuine sopa de lima is made with a pepper referred to as chile x’catic, which is delicate, fragrant, and gently candy reasonably than spicy. Because it’s laborious to search out exterior the Yucatán, these milder peppers are a good way to maintain the flavour balanced with out including an excessive amount of warmth.
Sure! Genuine sopa de lima is made within the Yucatán utilizing limas agrias (“bitter limes”), which have a extra advanced taste than common limes — brighter and extra acidic, with delicate bitter and orange-like notes. Since bitter limes aren’t out there in most grocery shops right here, this recipe makes use of a mix of recent lime juice and a small splash of orange juice to try to come nearer to the unique taste.
Freshly fried strips are wonderful (I simply sliced corn tortillas and fried them in avocado oil till crispy). However be happy to make use of store-bought tortilla chips (normally discovered within the salad dressings part) or you may simply crumble up some corn tortilla chips.
Description
Sopa de lima is a standard Yucatecan rooster soup made with tomatoes, heat spices, and plenty of recent citrus, completed with crispy tortilla strips.
- 2 tablespoons impartial oil (akin to avocado oil or olive oil)
- 1 medium white onion, finely diced
- 1 banana pepper, seeded and diced
- 2 (15-ounce) cans fire-roasted diced tomatoes, drained
- 6 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 teaspoon floor cumin, calmly toasted
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- 3 complete cloves
- 2 bay leaves
- 8 cups good-quality rooster inventory
- 3 cups cooked shredded rooster (rotisserie or leftover works nice)
- fantastic sea salt, to style
- 1/4 cup freshly squeezed lime juice (about 2 limes)
- 2 tablespoons recent orange juice
- toppings: fried corn tortilla strips, lime wedges, chopped recent cilantro, sliced avocado
- Sauté the aromatics. Warmth the oil in a big soup pot over medium warmth. Add the diced onion and sauté for 4–5 minutes till softened and calmly golden. Add the banana pepper and cook dinner one other 2 minutes. Stir within the fire-roasted tomatoes and garlic, and cook dinner for about 5 minutes, stirring sometimes, till the combination reduces barely and smells wealthy and candy.
- Construct the broth. Stir within the toasted cumin, oregano, complete cloves, bay leaf, and a beneficiant pinch of salt. Pour within the rooster inventory, scraping up any browned bits from the pot. Deliver to a delicate simmer and cook dinner uncovered for 10–quarter-hour to let the flavors meld.
- Add the rooster. Stir within the shredded rooster and simmer for five extra minutes, simply to heat by. Take away and discard the bay leaf and cloves.
- End with citrus. Take away from warmth and stir within the lime and orange juice. Style and season with extra salt as wanted — the broth ought to style vivid and balanced.
- Serve. Place a handful of fried tortilla strips in every bowl. Ladle the soup over prime, then garnish with lime slices, cilantro, and diced avocado if desired. Serve instantly.
