We have enjoyed a great friendship over the last 14 years with our gardener, Miguel, and his family. We have always been fans of good Mexican food, but since Josh spent 2 years in southern Texas he has introduced us to many more dishes that have expanded our palate. One of them is Caldo de Pollo. Translated it means mexican chicken soup. Now this is NOT tortilla soup or enchilada soup. It is different than those.
I'm a pretty good cook and I've tried making it several times, but for some reason it just doesn't taste like it does when Maria (Miguel's wife) makes it! Whenever Josh comes in to town, Maria makes a HUGE pot of it with homemade salsa (that will scald your insides forever) and homemade corn tortillas and mexican rice. OHHHH--it is to die for.
Saturday Miguel was over checking on a broken sprinkler for me and asked when Josh would be coming next. (They like to speak in spanish together) I told him, to which he promptly said he would be bringing the caldo. Christine was standing there and said rather matter-of-factly, "Well Miguel, WE like it too you know." It registered with him quickly and then he asked when we would be done with our church meetings on Sunday and they would have a pot ready and waiting for us. They live by the church so we were supposed to swing by and pick it up, hot and ready to go.
We did and the whole car was in Caldo heaven with the aroma. You take the rice and put some in the bottom of your bowl. Add the Caldo, then as much salsa as you can take. You roll up the tortillas and dip them in the broth and eat them as you would bread. If you want you can put the chicken and vegetables in the tortilla. You pick the bones out as you eat. I know that might sound inconvenient, but it adds to the experience. We sat at the table and savored every bite!
Here is the recipe, but like I said, it never turns out like Maria's! She has the knack! I think one of the things to love about it besides the taste is the texture. All the veges are left in big pieces so you can break/cut them yourself. It has such a rustic feel to it all and is healthy! Maria's rice is loaded with peas and carrots and corn. So yummy.
I'm a pretty good cook and I've tried making it several times, but for some reason it just doesn't taste like it does when Maria (Miguel's wife) makes it! Whenever Josh comes in to town, Maria makes a HUGE pot of it with homemade salsa (that will scald your insides forever) and homemade corn tortillas and mexican rice. OHHHH--it is to die for.
Saturday Miguel was over checking on a broken sprinkler for me and asked when Josh would be coming next. (They like to speak in spanish together) I told him, to which he promptly said he would be bringing the caldo. Christine was standing there and said rather matter-of-factly, "Well Miguel, WE like it too you know." It registered with him quickly and then he asked when we would be done with our church meetings on Sunday and they would have a pot ready and waiting for us. They live by the church so we were supposed to swing by and pick it up, hot and ready to go.
We did and the whole car was in Caldo heaven with the aroma. You take the rice and put some in the bottom of your bowl. Add the Caldo, then as much salsa as you can take. You roll up the tortillas and dip them in the broth and eat them as you would bread. If you want you can put the chicken and vegetables in the tortilla. You pick the bones out as you eat. I know that might sound inconvenient, but it adds to the experience. We sat at the table and savored every bite!
Here is the recipe, but like I said, it never turns out like Maria's! She has the knack! I think one of the things to love about it besides the taste is the texture. All the veges are left in big pieces so you can break/cut them yourself. It has such a rustic feel to it all and is healthy! Maria's rice is loaded with peas and carrots and corn. So yummy.
- 1 medium head cabbage, cut into wedges
- 1 1/2 lbs. chicken (you can use breasts only or a cut up fryer. Just be sure you use parts with the 'bones'. They add a lot of flavor.)
- water to cook chicken. Enough to cover.
- 4 potatoes peeled and cut into quarters
- 4 carrots, peeled and cut into 3rds or quarters
- 1 onion, cut into quarters
- 3-4 zuchinni, washed, stemmed, and cut into quarters
- 1 14 1/2 oz. can stewed tomatoes, undrained
- salt and pepper to taste
- fresh cilantro to taste
Cook the chicken over medium heat in a large dutch oven until it is tender. Add water as needed to keep the chicken covered. When the chicken will come apart with a fork, add the carrots to the chicken and broth. Bring to a boil; cover, and simmer 15 minutes, then add the rest of the vegetables and simmer until the potatoes are tender.
Add cilantro about the last 10 minutes.
Serve with salsa and tortillas. (Some people in Texas also add corn on the cobb broken into small ears in the broth)
We have leftovers and guess what dinner will be tonight? Yep.
No comments:
Post a Comment