Sopa Tarasca

Published on March 18, 2019 | By
Sopa Tarasca

Although we learned to make this soup in San Miguel D’Allende, this simple “sopa” originated in the Mexican state of Michoacan. Marilau’s Mexican Ancestry Cooking School in San Miguel adheres to a long tradition and history of authentic Mexican cuisine. Marilau is passionate about using only techniques and ingredients that are indigenous to her culture and inherited from her family.

Soups and “salsas” or sauces are thickened and flavored with a variety of chiles, nuts and seeds. Wheat and flour are not part of the authentic Mexican cooking experience. Tomatoes, onions, corn, chiles, nuts and seeds (pumpkin, peanuts, pecans, almonds) fruit, cinnamon, vanilla, oregano and cumin are used as a foundation and as part of the layering of complex flavors and textures. Every bite is a surprise and bursting with flavor. Discover authentic Mexican cuisine with this simple and tasty recipe.

    • Prep Time
    • Minutes
    • Cook Time
    • Minutes

Ingredients

  • 1 cup cooked black beans, drained
  • 1 cup broth from cooked beans
  • 4 plum tomatoes
  • 2 garlic cloves
  • 1 medium onion, quartered and 1/3 cup onion diced
  • 1 tsp Mexican dry oregano
  • 1 TBSP vegetable oil and 1 cup of vegetable oil for frying tortilla strips
  • 2-3 cups chicken broth, preferably homemade or a vegetable broth or water for a vegetarian version
  • salt to taste
  • 6 white corn tortillas, dried one day and cut into small squares
  • 1/2 cup Oaxaca or cotija cheese, grated or crumbled
  • 4 TBSP Mexican crema or creme fraiche or sour cream

Instructions

  1. You can either cook dried black beans or use canned black beans if you are in a hurry. For dried black beans, place 1 cup of beans in a pot, add water to cover, 1 medium quartered onion and 1 garlic clove smashed for seasoning. Boil until soft. Remove beans and reserve 1 cup of broth. For canned black beans, drain and rinse. Set aside.
  2. In a blender or a food processor, puree beans and oregano. Slowly add 1 cup of bean cooking liquid or water if you used canned beans, while blending. Pour bean puree into a bowl.
  3. Rinse the blender. Add roughly chopped tomatoes, diced 1/3 cup onion and 1 garlic clove and blend until pureed. Strain the tomatoes to remove seeds and skin by pushing through a sieve into a bowl. Heat 1 TBSP oil in a pot. Add the tomato mixture to the pot and cook for 25 -30 minutes over medium to high heat until the tomatoes are reduced in half. Stir frequently while cooking.
  4. While the tomatoes are reducing, cut the dried corn tortillas into small squares. These will be used to garnish the soup. Heat 1 cup of vegetable oil, or lard as they prefer to use in Mexico, in a heavy skillet. Fry, stirring constantly with a slotted spoon, until golden. May take 5-10 minutes. Remove tortilla squares from the oil with a slotted spoon and drain on a plate with paper towels.
  5. Whisk the blended beans into tomato reduction. Add 21/2 cups of chicken broth and combine with a whisk until smooth and creamy. Continue to cook for 10 minutes.
  6. Grate or crumble the cheese. Pour crema into a small bowl with a spoon. Ladle the soup into individual bowls, garnish with a handful of golden, crisped tortillas. Pass the cheese and crema for additional garnishes.
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