It might be counter-intuitive to think of a hot soup coming from a region where the weather is never cold, but that’s the case with Sopa de Lima, a classic concoction served widely on Mexico’s Yucatan peninsula. Based on lime juice, pasilla peppers, onions and garlic, it is one of many “sopas” that incorporate crisp baked tortillas.
At Sonoma’s Maya Restaurant, Chef Manny Arjona’s version is a regular menu favorite, priced to sell at $8 a bowl.
“It’s what you’d find throughout the Yucatan and southern Mexico,” said Denny Lane, who co-owns Maya with Arjona. “Manny’s is a little heartier – a little rice, some tomatoes and avocado – and it’s colorful.”
Arjona is from the Yucatan – from a place he says is about three hours into the jungle from Merida, the largest city in the area. The oldest of seven brothers, he didn’t cook much as a youngster – his grandmother fed the family – but nonetheless grew up to become a professional chef.
Like most of the ingredients used at Maya, those in Sopa de Lima come either from California or from the Yucatan, which is the source for the ancho chili paste, banana leaves and similarly hard-to-find specialties. However, anyone who wants to make this particular soup can find everything needed right here in the Sonoma Valley.
Including the chilly nights.
Maya’s Sopa de Lima
(Makes 4 servings)
Ingredients
4 6-inch flour tortillas, cut into
¼-inch strips
1 medium tomato, halved
2 garlic cloves, unpeeled
1 teaspoon corn oil
4 medium dried pasilla peppers, seeded and torn into pieces
1 ½ cups chopped onions
1 tablespoon dried oregano
¼ cup cooked rice
4 cups light chicken broth
4 ounces skinless, boneless cooked chicken breast, sliced
2 teaspoons fresh lime juice
¼ medium avocado peeled,
pitted, sliced
1 lime, quartered
Instructions
Preheat oven to 325°F. Spray baking sheet with nonstick cooking spray. Place tortilla strips in a single layer on baking sheet: bake 20-25 minutes, until golden brown and crisp. Set aside.
Preheat broiler. Line baking sheet with foil: spray foil with nonstick spray. Set tomato halves, cut-side down, and garlic on prepared baking sheet: broil 4 to 6 inches from heat, turning as needed, until garlic is browned and tomatoes are blistered and browned. Transfer to medium bowl. Set aside to cool.
In medium nonstick saucepan, heat oil: add peppers. Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, for 1 minute. Transfer peppers to another medium bowl: add boiling water to cover. Let stand, covered, 20 minutes: drain and set aside.
Meanwhile, in same saucepan, cook onions over medium heat, stirring frequently, 10 minutes until golden brown. Remove from heat; set aside. Place reserved peppers in food processor or blender. Peel garlic: add to food processor. Add tomatoes and a few spoonfuls of broth; puree until smooth.
Place medium sieve over saucepan with onions. Strain pepper mixture through sieve, pressing with back of wooden spoon: discard solids. Stir remaining broth into onion mixture: bring liquid to a boil. Reduce heat to low; simmer 20 minutes.
Add chicken, oregano and rice to broth mixture; simmer 5 minutes, until heated. Stir in juice. Serve and top with fresh slices of lime, avocado and tortilla strips.
