Our next destination took us into the Yucatan region of Mexico and it’s capital city of Merida. The Yucatan peninsula has often regarded itself as separate from Mexico and indeed many of the modern roads connecting them to the central regions were only built in the 60’s. It comes as little surprise then, that yucatecan cuisine has as much in common with continental Europe and Northern Africa as it does the rest of Mexico. Flavours are richer, dishes are sometimes heavier and the spicing is more delicate. I tasted many great dishes in Merida, but my travel weary stomach was craving something lighter and fresher. This is when I discovered my favourite regional dish, the delicious Sopa de Lima or Lime Soup. A restorative meal that was as beneficial as a swim in the crystal clear waters of the sacred cenotes.
The delicate, cloudy chicken broth is punctuated with fresh tomatoes and tender shredded chicken. It is made appealingly astringent through the addition of fresh lime juice. Garlic, onion and aromatic herbs provide a flavourful backbone to this dish, while the addition of warming spices and a hint of chilli give the requisite warmth. And just in case you forget you are still eating Mexican food, the garnishes of smooth avocado and crisp fried strips of tortilla, leave you in no doubt as to the dishes true origins.
I prefer to use chicken thighs here with their bones in, as this provides most flavour to the stock. But skinless, boneless thighs are admittedly less bother to deal with and you can steer clear of flabby, waterlogged chicken skin. So feel free to make your own choice, just please stay away from chicken breast which can easily become tough.
Level: low
Skills: sautéing, simmering
Time: 1 hour 15 minutes
Makes: Serves 6
Ingredients
4-5tbsp oil for frying
6 corn tortillas, sliced into cm wide strips
1 large onion, diced
3 cloves of garlic, minced
1 Scotch bonnet chilli, seeded and very finely chopped
1/4tsp ground cinnamon
Small pinch of ground cloves
400g tomatoes, peeled, deseeded and chopped
2 litres of good quality chicken stock
1tsp dried oregano
1tsp salt
600-800g chicken thighs
juice of 4 limes
1 small bunch of coriander, roughly chopped
2 avocados, stoned, peeled, and roughly chopped for garnish
Method
1. Preheat the oven to 130C. Pop the tortilla strips into the oven for 2-3 minutes. This will dry them out and prevent them from absorbing too much oil.
2. When ready, pour some oil into a large, heavy-based saucepan. Bring up to a medium heat, then working in batches fry off the tortilla strips until they begin to go golden. Transfer to a plate lined with kitchen paper to drain.
3. Add the onions to the remaining oil and cook until translucent, about 5 minutes.
4. Add the garlic, minced habanero, cinnamon, and ground cloves and cook a few minutes longer.
5. Next add the peeled chopped tomatoes followed quickly by the stock, oregano, and chicken. Season with a pinch of salt.
6. Bring to a low simmer. Cover and cook for 20 to 25 minutes, until the chicken is just cooked through.
7. Remove the pan from the heat and carefully Remove the chicken with tongs or a slotted spoon. Allow to cool briefly then, using two forks, shred the chicken.
8. Return the chicken to the soup. Stir in the lime juice.
9. Serve topped with the diced avocado and a generous mound of fried tortilla.
Mastication / Destination 