Mexican cuisine · Soups & Stews

Caldo de Zorra

Bean soup from Puebla, thickened with masa and deeply seasoned with chipotle, epazote and avocado leaf.

Ingredients · for 4 servings

• 400 g black beans (canned)
• 80 g masa harina (corn flour for tortillas)
• 2 chipotle chiles in adobo
• 3 tomatoes
• 1 white onion
• 4 cloves garlic
• 2 avocado leaves (or 1 tsp anise seed)
• 2 sprigs epazote (or oregano)
• 1.2 l vegetable broth
• 100 g queso fresco (or feta)
• 3 tbsp oil
• Salt, pepper

Instructions

1. Rinse the beans, purée finely with 300 ml of the broth and set aside; toast the avocado leaves in a dry pan for 30 sec. per side, until they smell aniseed.
2. Purée the tomatoes, onion and garlic with the chipotle chiles and pass the sauce through a sieve.
3. Heat the oil in a pot and reduce the tomato sauce uncovered for 8 min., until it turns dark red and the oil separates at the edge.
4. Add the bean purée and the remaining broth, tuck in the avocado leaves and epazote, and simmer over low heat for 15 min., stirring occasionally so nothing sticks to the bottom.
5. Stir the masa harina smoothly into 200 ml cold water, whisk it in slowly and simmer for 10 min. more, until the soup thickens noticeably and turns velvety; remove the avocado leaves and epazote.
6. Season with salt and pepper, ladle into bowls and serve hot, sprinkled with crumbled queso fresco.