When it comes to cooking up Mexican recipes, I often tend to wonder, “Is this authentic, or another recipe that has been Americanized?”. Let’s get real about American food, it basically came about from other countries and cultures that immigrated to North America. Nowadays, mainly in extremely large metropolises, purely ethnic communities can be found and you will get the real deal when it comes to their country’s cuisine.
Mexican food can be found from the smallest town to the largest city, but even restaurants have to cater to the awkward taste of the typical born and raised American. Take, for example, fajitas; you will not be finding them served in Mexico City, Guadalajara (Gustavo’s of Monticello does have them on their menu), Oaxaca or even Tijuana. Why? Their origin is Texas, The Lone Star State, where cowboys from Mexico taught the American West cowboy how to eat better. This is an example of fusion cooking, where the cuisine of Texas combined with Mexican cuisine, and a new recipe was born. Don’t think this is true, then I’ll quote myself from November 2016, “A historical piece called “Fajitas, South Texas Style”, done at Texas A&M University by Mary K. Sweeten and Homer Recio, established that this could be traced as far back as the 1930’s in Texas; hence the beginning of what is called “Tex-Mex” cuisine. (Go to: https://oaktrust.library.tamu.edu/bitstream/handle/1969.1/147901/Bull1500a.pdf?sequence=9&isAllowed=y for the full story.)”. A whole study done on Tex-Mex cuisine, and fajitas; now would I lie to you?
Let’s take on another popular recipe which, again, has its origins in Tex-Mex, Taco Soup. Alright, don’t be getting your knickers in a twist, no way will I be disillusioning tacos. Taco soup is actually derived from a more traditional Mexican soup, Tortilla soup. It combines traditional Mexican flavors, like those found in tacos and chili, with ingredients easily available in American supermarkets, such as taco seasoning, diced tomatoes with green chilies, and a variety of beans.
In my search for a taco soup recipe worth creating, I found one in a Paula Deen cookbook; however, it ended up being the consistency of chili, and tasting exactly like that. Doing more searching, I was amazed that most of the recipe sites that mentioned taco soup had "cooks" with Paula's recipe listed word for word; yet they listed the recipe as their own "original" recipe. So, I have "cooks" in quotes to show my sarcasm as they aren't real cooks, just copycats who don't have the manners to give credit where credit is due. The recipe I will be giving is highly influenced by Paula Deen, but tweaked enough to be considered an original, not a copycat. It has a creamed soup texture, not thick like a standard chili, and the ranch dressing gives a mild flavor that does not overpower the concept of tacos.
Taco Soup
Ingredients:
1 lb. ground beef (85% lean), browned, drain excess grease
1 (28 oz.) crushed tomatoes
1 (14.5 oz.) can diced tomatoes with green chilies
1(14.5 oz.) can beef broth
1 (15 oz.) can great northern (white) beans
1 (15 oz.) can whole black beans
1 (11 oz.) can Mexican style whole kernel corn
1 (1.25 oz.) packet taco seasoning mix
¼ cup bottled original ranch dressing, not buttermilk
Preparation:
Set 4-quart crock pot on low; spray with nonstick cooking spray. Put in all items from ingredients list; do not drain beans or corn. Cover and cook for 4 hours.
Makes 10 (2 cup) servings.
Garnishes:
Chopped fresh cilantro
Avocado slices
Diced red onion
Sour cream
Shredded Mexican cheese blend
Crumbled Queso Fresco cheese
Tortilla chips or strips
Now for that authentic Mexican soup I mentioned earlier, Tortilla Soup aka Sopa Azteca aka Sopa de tortilla. The origin of tortilla soup is traced to pre-Columbian Mexico, where the use of corn tortillas in soups was a natural way to utilize leftover tortillas. The dish evolved from indigenous practices in Central Mexico, incorporating ingredients like corn, tomatoes, and chiles, and later adding European influences like onion, garlic, and chicken broth. While the exact moment of creation is unknown, the combination reflects ancient Mexican culinary traditions. Tortilla soup's foundational ingredients were staples in the diet of indigenous peoples in Mesoamerica, including the Aztecs, long before the arrival of the Spanish. It is an iconic meal that is comforting and resourceful at the same time.
Besides chicken broth, my recipe also incorporates chicken meat, so hence the name, chicken tortilla soup. The soup is colorful from the ingredients, flavorful from the seasonings and a mild warming sensation from the chilies exemplified the essence of comfort. The tortilla chips? I wondered about them, basically why put something crunchy in a soup, just so it can get soggy? I was surprised though; the softened tortilla chips gave the illusion of noodles (tortilla strips) or dumplings (tortilla chips) enhancing the feeling of comfort overall.
Chicken Tortilla Soup
Ingredients:
6 boneless, skinless chicken breast halves
1 (15 oz.) can black beans, do not drain liquid
1 (15 oz.) can pinto beans, do not drain liquid
2 (11 oz.) cans Mexican corn, do not drain liquid
1 (14.5 oz.) can diced tomatoes with green chilies
1 Tbsp. dried cilantro
½ tsp. dried oregano
½ tsp. ground cumin
¼ tsp. ground black pepper
2 (14.5 oz.) cans chicken broth
Tortilla chips
Preparation:
Set a 6-quart crock pot on low; place inside the ingredients in order of listing. Cook for 6 hours; remove chicken and shred. Return chicken to crock pot and mix thoroughly. Line bottom of soup bowl with tortilla chips; ladle soup over chips.
Makes 12 servings.
Garnishes: sour cream, shredded cheese, avocado, chopped fresh cilantro
Considering the stormy weather we are currently having, a hot bowl of either of these soups will warm body and soul up quite nicely.
Mary Cokenour
