Ingredients:
What constitutes “comfort food”? Is it a warm memory that ties you to the smell and flavor of it? Does it remind you of a simpler time in your life? Does it evoke memories of a loved one that made you feel safe, understood and embraced? Wherever we come from, we all have comfort foods – and whatever the reason for which we consider them comfort foods, they matter to us and resonate deeply. Now that I have my grandbaby girls, Mia and Catherine (aka, “Kitty”), I like sharing these comfort foods with them, hoping that in them, they will someday find my memory and a sense of comfort. In my case, one of these comfort foods is sopa de fideo. It’s not complicated, and it is, well, comfortingly consistent from household to household due to its simplicity. It’s best served unadorned, with a dollop of crema fresca and a pinch of oregano on top and you’re done. Young or not, all is well in the world when sopa de fideo is on the menu. Here's how you do it – enjoy!
- 4–5 Roma tomatoes
- 1 1/2 onions (small to medium)
- 3 garlic cloves
- 8 cups of stock
- 1/3 pound fideo noodles (or thin spaghetti)
- 1/2 teaspoon salt (or to taste)
- Freshly cracked black pepper
- 1/2 teaspoon Mexican oregano (optional)
- Vegetable
- Mexican crema fresca (optional)
- Freshly chopped cilantro (optional)
Preparation:
Start by roasting 4–5 tomatoes in the oven at 400 degrees for 20 minutes or so. Sauté 1.5 roughly chopped onions and 3 whole, peeled garlic cloves in a dollop of oil over medium heat. When the onion starts to turn brown (approx. 6–8 minutes), add the mixture to a blender or food processor, along with the roasted tomatoes. Combine well. Add the noodles to a saucepan, along with a dollop of oil. Cook the noodles over medium heat for 3–5 minutes or until some of them are turning darker brown. Add the tomato-onion mixture from the blender and combine well with the noodles. Let this mixture cook for a couple minutes and then add 8 cups of stock. When using homemade stock, add at least 1/2 teaspoon of salt and some freshly cracked black pepper at this point. Bring the soup to a boil and then reduce heat to a simmer and let it cook for 10–20 minutes, or until the noodles are cooked through. Take a final taste for seasoning, adding more salt if necessary. You can optionally add a dollop of Mexican crema fresca (or crème fraiche) and a pinch of Mexican oregano at this point. Depending on where you live, it might be hard to find fideo noodles in your local markets, but you can always use thin spaghetti cut into inch-long pieces. Sprinkle with cilantro if desired. Serves 6.
