Sopa de Fideo (Vermicelli Soup)

The fideo,  or vermicelli I grew up with was more of a Tex-Mex version my mom and grandma prepared for us.  It is served as a side along with frijoles and whatever the meat of the day was, whether it be picadillo, carne guisada, or tacos.  It is simple delicious  food, fideo being the pasta of choice for us when we want to stay in our “comfort” zone.  Our family’s version, called sopa seca de fideo, is on my list to make for a post.  Another way is to make it more of a soup.  The basic traditional method is to brown the vermicelli in oil and add a puree of raw tomatoes, onions, and garlic.  It is then simmered in broth with desired spices until the vermicelli is done.  Meat or vegetables may be added as an option.  For this version,  I’m adapting techniques for making salsas.  It is well worth the extra effort in roasting the tomato,  garlic,  and dried chiles to get that extra depth of flavor.  Since I’ve been keeping on a vegetarian path,  I’m adding  additional roasted vegetables to make it more of a complete meal.  Vegetarian Tex-Mex is something of an oxymoron isn’t it?

As I was working on this, Sonal from simplyvegetarian777 posted the very tasty looking Savory Vermicelli/Namkeen Jawe ,  her comfort food version of vermicelli.  It was an eye-opener for me to see it flavored with Indian spices!

 

This recipe makes about 5-6 cups of soup.

2# Tomatoes

1 small onion (about 8 ounces)

3 medium unpeeled garlic cloves

1 small bay leaf

3/4 teaspoon dried oregano

1 ancho chile

1/2 (dry)chipotle chile

8 cups vegetable stock (or water with vegetable bouillon)

5 ounces fideo (vermicelli)

salt to taste

 

Optional vegetables:

eggplant

Mexican squash (or other favorite squash)

ear of corn

carrots

 

Optional fresh herbs to garnish:

Cilantro

Oregano

Epazote

 

Roast the vegetables:

Slice the tomatoes in half lengthwise and put them cut side up on a lightly oiled baking pan.  Roast them in a 350 degree oven for about 30 minutes. They should lose some volume and turn a slightly darker color.  Remove and let cool.

Slice the onion  lengthwise in 1/4″ to 1/2″ thick pieces.  Place them on a heavy skillet or comal that is heated over a low-medium fire.  Let them slowly pan roast, turning them from time to time.  They should soften and perhaps slightly char in some spots.  Remove and let cool.  Do the same with the garlic cloves.  They will also soften up.  Peel them when they are cool enough to handle.

Remove the seeds from the dried peppers.  Put them on the heavy skillet and press  down with a metal spatula to toast them. With a hot skillet it should take only seconds. Turn them over to toast the other side.

Place the tomatoes,  onion,  and garlic in a blender.  Pour enough of the vegetable broth to cover the vegetables.  Puree,  adding more broth as  necessary to make a smooth mixture.  Pour it into deep pan,  add the rest of the broth,  and bring to a boil.  Immediately lower to a simmer.  Add the bay leaf and dried oregano and continue to simmer until it reduces by about 1/3.  It should still have enough liquid to boil the pasta.

While the soup is simmering,   heat a pan over medium heat and add a couple of tablespoons of oil.  Lightly brown the fideo and remove from the pan. Drain if necessary. You may have to work in 2 batches.

At this point you can also roast the optional vegetables.  The vegetables in my list are just suggestions.  You may have other ideas.  Cut them into small dice and toss with olive oil,  salt and pepper.   Lay them on a baking pan and roast in a 400 degree oven until done.  You may also choose to simply sauté the vegetables in a pan.  If using corn,  roast with the husk on until done. Don’t let it overcook to the point of wrinkling.  Slice the kernels from the cob.

Put the cooled down vermicelli into the readied soup and simmer until the pasta is cooked al dente,  about 15-20  minutes.  If the soup is too thick, you can add more broth. Season with salt.

To serve, ladle the soup in an individual bowl,  add the roasted vegetables and garnish with chopped cilantro,  oregano,  or epazote.   Crumbled Mexican cheese is optional but I’m keeping this vegan.  Serve with Mexican bread rolls,  French bread or a similar nice crusty loaf.

Epazote is a distinctive pungent herb that is used in Mexican cooking.  It is often used for example in black bean or tortilla soups.  Many like to simmer it in the soups.  I like the pungency of the fresh epazote  and so use it as garnish.  Look for it in a Latin supermarket.   It is an herb that readily grows wild,  but I have yet to see it in my  neighborhood.  There is no substitute for its flavor.

Even though there are only a few ingredients,  the method of cooking brings out a very rich and hearty flavor.  This is a warm and satisfying soup.

If you prefer to spice it up differently,  you can use comino,  chile powder, jalapeno pepper or other types of dried chile.  Those 2 peppers I included gave it a good amount of heat.

Be sure to use a nice well balanced vegetable stock.  Sometimes I will add a vegetable bouillon cube or two if necessary.

A nice thing about this sopa is that it is well suited for individual interpretations, depending on what you have on hand.

I think I’ll be joining the nice folks at the Fiesta Friday hosted by  Angie (aka The Novice Gardener), who is really not a novice at gardening or cooking.

 

 

 

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