Sopa Picante del Tomate (Spicy Tomato Soup)
1 1/2 Tbs whole cumin seeds
3 - 4 Tbs olive oil
2 large onions, chopped (about 4 cups)
6 large garlic cloves, peeled and minced
2 tsp achiote paste
1/4 tsp ground allspice
2, 28-ounce cans of tomatoes with basil (diced, crushed or whole) with juice
1 quart low-sodium chicken stock or broth
1, 4-inch Guajillo chile, stemmed, seeded and coarsely chopped
Kosher Salt
Fresh Ground Black Pepper
Sour Cream
In a 4-qt or larger saucepan, toast cumin seeds over medium heat until the aromas begin to release and the seeds start to turn brown and pop. Remove and allow to cool, then grind to a fine powder in a spice mill. Set aside.
In the same saucepan over medium heat, sauté the onions in the olive oil until soft and translucent, stirring occasionally. Add the garlic, achiote paste and allspice and cook one minute more, stirring to dissolve the achiote paste.
Add the chicken stock and stir well to completely dissolve any remaining clumps of achiote paste. Add allspice, tomatoes and Guajillo chile. If using whole tomatoes, crush them between your fingers as you are adding them to the pot to break them up. Stir well and bring to a hard simmer over medium heat. Reduce heat to low, cover and simmer for 20 minutes.
Stir in 1 1/2 tsp of ground toasted cumin. Process soup in batches in a blender or food processor until smooth, or use an immersion stick blender to make a thick and smooth soup. Adjust seasoning with salt and pepper and ladle into bowls. Top with a dollop of sour cream and a light sprinkle of more ground toasted cumin if desired.
Note: Guajillo chiles can be found in most Latin markets and many major supermarket chains. If you cannot find them locally, you can order them online from Pendery's or Penzey's.
This soup is spicy with a nice back heat without being overly hot for most palates. You can increase the heat level if desired by adding more stemmed, seeded and chopped Guajillo chile.
3 - 4 Tbs olive oil
2 large onions, chopped (about 4 cups)
6 large garlic cloves, peeled and minced
2 tsp achiote paste
1/4 tsp ground allspice
2, 28-ounce cans of tomatoes with basil (diced, crushed or whole) with juice
1 quart low-sodium chicken stock or broth
1, 4-inch Guajillo chile, stemmed, seeded and coarsely chopped
Kosher Salt
Fresh Ground Black Pepper
Sour Cream
In a 4-qt or larger saucepan, toast cumin seeds over medium heat until the aromas begin to release and the seeds start to turn brown and pop. Remove and allow to cool, then grind to a fine powder in a spice mill. Set aside.
In the same saucepan over medium heat, sauté the onions in the olive oil until soft and translucent, stirring occasionally. Add the garlic, achiote paste and allspice and cook one minute more, stirring to dissolve the achiote paste.
Add the chicken stock and stir well to completely dissolve any remaining clumps of achiote paste. Add allspice, tomatoes and Guajillo chile. If using whole tomatoes, crush them between your fingers as you are adding them to the pot to break them up. Stir well and bring to a hard simmer over medium heat. Reduce heat to low, cover and simmer for 20 minutes.
Stir in 1 1/2 tsp of ground toasted cumin. Process soup in batches in a blender or food processor until smooth, or use an immersion stick blender to make a thick and smooth soup. Adjust seasoning with salt and pepper and ladle into bowls. Top with a dollop of sour cream and a light sprinkle of more ground toasted cumin if desired.
Note: Guajillo chiles can be found in most Latin markets and many major supermarket chains. If you cannot find them locally, you can order them online from Pendery's or Penzey's.
This soup is spicy with a nice back heat without being overly hot for most palates. You can increase the heat level if desired by adding more stemmed, seeded and chopped Guajillo chile.
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