Guadalajara Soup Recipes

Steps:

• Cut the meat from the beef bones into about 1/2 inch pieces, leaving some on the bones.
• Heat a heavy soup pot over medium-high heat until very hot. Add the oil, tilting the pan to coat the bottom. Add the meat and bones, and season with salt and pepper. Cook and stir until thoroughly browned.
• Add 1 onion, and cook until onion is also lightly browned. Stir in the tomatoes and broth. The liquid should cover the bones by 1/2 inch. If not, add enough water to compensate. Reduce heat to low, and simmer for 1 hour with the lid on loosely. If meat is not tender, continue cooking for another 10 minutes or so.
• Pour in the water, and return to a simmer. Add the carrot and 1/4 cup cilantro, and cook for 10 minutes, then stir in the potato, corn and chayote. Simmer until vegetables are tender. Push the cabbage wedges into the soup, and cook for about 10 more minutes.
• Ladle soup into large bowls, including meat vegetables and bones. Garnish with jalapenos, minced onion, and additional cilantro. Squeeze lime juice over all, and serve with radishes.

Steps:

• Pull off and discard the stringy beards from the mussels. Scrub the mussels as necessary and drain them well. Set aside.
• Shell and devein the shrimp. Reserve both the shrimp and the shells. Cut each shrimp into three pieces. Set aside.
• Cut the tomatoes into small cubes. There should be about two cups. Set aside.
• Peel the potato and cut it into one-quarter-inch cubes. There should be about one and one-half cups. Cover with cold water and set aside.
• Put the mussels and shrimp shells in a kettle and add the four cups of water. Bring to the boil and cook one minute or until the mussels open. Drain well, reserving both the broth and the mussels and discarding the shrimp and mussel shells. Strain the broth through a fine sieve. There should be about five cups. Set aside.
• Heat the oil in a kettle and add the onions and garlic. Cook briefly, stirring, until onions are wilted. Add the celery and cook, stirring, one minute.
• Add the tomatoes and cook, stirring, about three minutes. Add the reserved broth, salt and pepper and bring to the boil. Cook 10 minutes.
• Drain the potato cubes and add them. Cook 10 minutes or until potatoes are tender.
• Add the shrimp and reserved mussels and cook about 10 seconds. Remove from the heat and serve immediately.
• To serve, spoon one or two tablespoons of the salsa cruda with avocado in each of six or eight hot soup bowls or, preferably, earthenware mugs and fill the bowls or mugs with soup. Sprinkle cilantro over all. The remaining salsa cruda with avocado may be added according to individual appetite.

Steps:

• Cook the bacon in a large, deep skillet over medium-high heat until crispy, about 10 minutes. Drain on a paper towel-lined plate. Crumble the bacon and set aside.
• Combine the tomatillos, serrano peppers, garlic, and water in a small saucepan over medium-high heat; bring to a boil, cover, and simmer for 10 minutes. Remove the pan from the heat and allow to cool. Transfer the contents to a blender and blend until smooth. Set aside. You can skip the simmering step and blend all the ingredients raw with a few pieces of browned flank steak if you like.
• Place a non-stick skillet over medium-high heat; cook the flank steak in the hot skillet until completely browned. Pour the tomatillo mixture over the beef and bring to a boil. Stir the chicken bouillon into the mixture, and reduce heat to medium. Cover the skillet and simmer until tender, at least 30 minutes and up to 1 hour.
• Meanwhile, heat the pinto beans in a saucepan over medium heat until warm; reduce heat to low to keep warm until needed. Stir the bacon and pinto beans into the flank steak mixture; divide the mixture between 6 bowls. Garnish each with onion, cilantro, black pepper, and a lime wedge.

Steps:

• Prepare the meatballs: In a large bowl, combine the beef, pork, rice, mint, garlic, salt and pepper. Using your hands, gently mix until well combined. Pinch off 2-ounce portions and gently roll between your palms to form golf ball-size rounds, transferring rounds to a sheet pan. (You should have about 28 meatballs.)
• In large pot, combine the olive oil, onion, carrots, celery and potato; season with salt and pepper. Cook over medium-high, stirring occasionally, until slightly softened, about 5 minutes. Add the tomato paste, garlic, bay leaves, oregano and cumin, and cook over medium, stirring frequently, until fragrant and tomato paste starts to caramelize, about 3 minutes. Add the chicken stock and tomato sauce and bring to a simmer over high.
• Once the stock begins to bubble, reduce the heat to medium-low. Carefully add the meatballs, one by one, distributing them evenly in the pot until they're all submerged. If necessary, reduce the heat to reach a low simmer (this will keep the meatballs tender), and cook until the meatballs and rice are cooked through, about 40 minutes. (Resist the urge to stir for the first 20 minutes, otherwise you risk breaking the meatballs apart before they've firmed up.) Skim any impurities from the surface as the soup simmers.
• Season to taste with salt. Divide the soup among bowls, about four or five meatballs per portion, and set out bowls of whatever garnishes you like.