Sopa de Lima

THE BROTH
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Place the wings and carcasses in four quarts of cold water. If they are not covered, add water to cover. Season with the salt, more or less depending on your personal taste, and boil. Remove the scum as it forms on the surface of the broth.

Three ways to prepare the spices (garlic, peppercorns, allspice, oregano, cinnamon, cloves, and cumin seeds). If you are using dried oregano no need to roast or toast.

1. Toast lightly in a toaster oven or regular oven, taking care not to burn them. Toast the garlic with the spices. It is done when the garlic is a light to medium golden color.
2. Roast them in a cast iron skillet. You will know they are done when the cumin seeds begin to pop and a delicious aroma is wafting off them. Take care not to burn or over-roast.
3. I own a spice roaster. Basically a mesh basket which I can hold over an open flame and shake to roast the spices.

Grind the spices, without the garlic, until you have a medium powder. You can use a spice grinder, I prefer a mortar and pestle. If you are using dried mint you should add it to this spice bag as well. Put into a 4” square of doubled cheesecloth and tie off with the bag ties or string.

At any time, add the onions, garlic, spice bag, lime and mint to your broth. Reduce over a low heat to about 10 cups. This should take about one hour.

When done, strain the entire mixture through a sieve or cheesecloth. Discard the bones, spice bag & vegetables. Cool and skim grease from surface. You now have salpimentado broth! This can be kept and served as a broth or used for the second half of our menu...


THE SOUP
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Roast the tomatoes in the oven at about 400 degrees. When the skin begins to split and the tomato smokes a bit, pull away the skin. Remove the seeds with the aid of a teaspoon, fry the tomato into a puree and season with salt and pepper.

Peel and section the limes.

Toast the habanero and guero / chilaca chilies in the oven until the skin is a medium brown. The best habaneros are orange, they are riper.

Boil the turkey or chicken breasts in the broth with the lime sections, the guero/chilaca chili, tomato puree, cilantro and epasote. Dried ingredients are okay to use, just reduce the amounts accordingly. Fresh epazote is almost impossible to buy in the US.

When the meat is cooked, remove from the broth and allow to cool. Reduce the heat on the other ingredients and allow to simmer.

While this is boiling, cut the tortillas into strips and either fry in a bit of oil to make them crispy or bake in the oven.

When the meat is cool to your touch shred into small strips and add back to the broth. Bring back to a boil.

Add the tortilla strips to the soup just prior to serving.