The exact origins of Caldo Tlalpeño are somewhat unclear, but it is believed to have originated in the mid-19th century. Tlalpan, the area from which the soup takes its name, has a long history dating back to pre-Hispanic times when it was inhabited by indigenous peoples. Over the centuries, Tlalpan grew into a significant colonial town and later became absorbed into the urban sprawl of Mexico City.
In the mid-19th century, when Caldo Tlalpeño likely originated, the use of indigenous ingredients such as Xoconostle would have been common in the region. Today, while not universally included in every rendition of Caldo Tlalpeño, the use of Xoconostle serves as a reminder of Mexico's rich culinary heritage and the ongoing innovation within its gastronomic culture.
Ingredients
For the Chicken Broth
1.5 liters (18 cups, or 4.5 quarts) of filtered water
1.5 pounds boneless chicken breast
3 large garlic cloves
3 laurel leaves
3 tablespoons "Better than Bouillon" chicken concentrate
1 celery stick, optional
1 teaspoon salt
¼ white onion, with root intact
Tomato Sauce
2 tablespoons light olive oil oil
1/2 onion, roughly chopped
3 steak tomatoes, peduncle removed and tip cut into a cross for easy peeling
2 cloves of garlic, minced
2 canned Chipotle peppers in adobo, about 1 tablespoon, or more to taste
1/4 teaspoon Mexican oregano
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
Vegetables
3 large carrots, about 1 pound, peeled and sliced into 1/4-inch, bit size slices
1 10-oz bag of frozen green beans (Bird's Eye), microwaved for 2 minutes less than the instructions indicate
1 can 15-5 oz garbanzo beans, ready to cook, drained
To Finish the Soup
6 cilantro sprigs
3 to 4 sprigs of epazote
Knorr powdered chicken bouillon, to taste
To Serve
1 lime, cut into wedges
8 cilantro sprigs, finely cut into
1/4 onion, finely chopped
1 avocado, cubed into 1/3-inch cubes
4 oz. Mexican Cheese, such as Panela, or Oaxaca, cut into 1/3-inch cubes. The Sanborn's recipe lists Gouda cheese
Mexican white or red rice, cooked ahead and warm
Tortillas, warm
Canned chiles Chipotles
Directions
Read the recipe before beginning to cook, as some steps are done simultaneously.
Cook the Chicken
1. In a large pot, combine the filtered water, boneless chicken breast, garlic cloves, laurel leaves, "Better than Bouillon" chicken concentrate, celery stick (if using), salt, and quartered white onion.
2. Bring the mixture to a boil over high heat, then reduce the heat to low and let it simmer for about 25-35 minutes, depending on the size of the chicken breasts. To ensure thorough cooking, remove the chicken from the broth and use two forks to separate it in the middle. Confirm that the chicken meat is uniformly white with no traces of pink remaining.
3. Once the chicken is cooked, remove it from the broth and allow it to cool. Once cooled, shred into bite-size pieces. Set chicken aside.
4. the broth through a fine-mesh sieve or cheesecloth to remove the solids. You'll be left with a clear, flavorful chicken broth.
5. While the chicken is cooking, prepare the vegetables.
- Remove the stem (peduncle) from the tomatoes. Then, using a sharp knife, create a small cross-shaped incision on the tip of each tomato. This method facilitates easier peeling later on. Add the tomatoes to the water in which the chicken is boiling and cook them until the skin begins to peel away from the tomatoes naturally. Once the skins start to loosen, remove the tomatoes from the water and set them aside to cool. Once the tomatoes are cold enough to handle, peel them and coarsely chop them. Set aside.
- Peel and slice the carrots into 1/4-inch thick slices. Set aside.
- Microwave the frozen green beans for 1 minute less than the instructions indicate to partially cook them. Set aside.
- Rinse and drain the canned garbanzo beans. Set aside.
Prepare the Tomato Sauce
6. In a separate saucepan, heat the light olive oil over medium heat. Add the roughly chopped onion and some salt and cook until softened caramelized. Add the minced garlic and cook for another minute until fragrant. Stir in the chopped tomatoes and cook for about 4 minutes or until the tomatoes change color into a pale orange.
7. Add the cooked ingredients to a blender. Add the canned chipotle peppers, Mexican oregano, 1 teaspoon chicken bouillon or salt, and freshly ground black pepper and liquify.
Finish the Soup
8. Using a colander, add the blended liquid to the chicken broth, and add the canned chipotle peppers, epazote, or cilantro sprigs. Cook the mixture for about 10-15 minutes until the tomatoes break down and the flavors meld together.
9. Add the desired amount of chicken bouillon or salt to enhance the flavor of the sauce. Start with 1 teaspoon and adjust to taste.
To Serve
1. Ladle the chicken broth into serving bowls. Add the Mexican cooked rice.
2. Serve the soup with lime wedges, finely chopped cilantro, finely chopped onion, cubed avocado, Mexican cheese cubes, and warm tortillas on the side.
Notes
Wade and Ryan would rather have quesadillas on the side. I objected to this because this is not how the traditional dish is served. Ryan submitted that change and improvement are good. I leave this matter to future historical events.
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