Having been a military wife, I have friends with different backgrounds all over the world. I’ve always found it very easy to make friends. I believe this is because of two things. One is that my parents raised me to believe that all people are equal and to treat people like I’d like to be treated. The second one is my love of foods. We have a rule in my house that all foods must be tasted with three bites. There’s no “ewww I don’t like the way that looks!” And, it’s a lot of fun to have dinner with friends and ask for their favorite recipes!
So, imagine my surprise when I went over to a neighbor’s house for a chat about our girls’ school and I watched her prepare supper. It was a simple soup but the preparation was fairly easy, quick and uncomplicated. I had to have the recipe! Plus, the soup is very nutritious. Just add some nacho chips and guacamole or flour tortillas and a small salad. With Cinco de Mayo coming soon, you might just want to give this a quick try and perfect your cooking methods before May 5.
Carne en su Jugo Soup
A delicious combination of beef, tomatillos, beans and bacon blend together for a traditional Mexican soup straight from Guatemala, Mexico!
Ingredients:
4-5 fresh tomatillos, husk and wash, dice
1-2 serrano chile peppers, seed and chop finely (The more peppers –the more heat.)
2 cloves of garlic, peeled and chopped
3 cups of water
6 slices of wright’s thick cut bacon, cut into bite size pieces
2 pounds of skirt steak, cut into ½ inch squares/bite size
4 teaspoons of chicken bouillon (I use “Better than Boullion” brand)
2 cans (15.5 oz. each) of pinto beans
½ of a medium onion, chopped finely
6 Tablespoons of fresh cilantro
Black pepper to taste
1 lime cut into wedges
Sour cream
Combine the tomatillos, peppers, garlic and water in a small heavy saucepan over medium heat and bring to a boil. Cover and turn down to simmer for about ten minutes. Remove the saucepan from the heat, set aside to cool. (Now is a great time to fix a pitcher of margaritas!) After the mixture cools, pour into a blender and blend until smooth. Set aside. (And you can taste the margaritas!)
Next, cook the bacon in a large, deep skillet over medium heat until bacon is crisp. While bacon cooks, line a plate with paper towels to drain bacon on. After draining and cooling, crumble bacon up.
Now, place a heavy non-stick skillet over medium high heat and cook the steak until it is browned. Pour the tomatillo mixture over the beef and bring to a boil. Stir in the bouillon and turn your heat to low medium Stir in pinto beans with liquid and bacon bits. Cover and simmer until meat is tender…about thirty minutes or turn temperature a little lower and simmer for an hour. Pour soup into 4-6 bowls and garnish with onions, cilantro, and lime wedges. Delicious!
