Caldo de Queso Sonorense

Ingredients

• 3 Anaheim or Hatch green chillies
• 1 tbsp pork lard or vegetable oil
• 1 white onion, sliced thinly
• 2 plum tomatoes, chopped
• 700 g waxy potatoes, peeled and cut into 2 cm cubes
• 1.2 litres chicken or vegetable stock
• 300 ml whole milk
• 250 g queso fresco or panela, cut into 1.5 cm cubes
• 1 tsp dried Mexican oregano
• 1 tsp fine salt
• 6 dried chiltepin chillies, crushed
• 8 flour tortillas

Before you cook

• Char the green chillies directly over a gas flame or under a hot grill for 8 minutes, turning until blackened all over.
• Seal the charred chillies in a bowl covered with a plate for 10 minutes to steam.
• Rub the blackened skins off the chillies, then pull out the stems and seeds and slice the flesh into strips.
• Peel the potatoes and cut them into even 2 cm cubes.
• Cut the cheese into 1.5 cm cubes and leave it at room temperature.

Steps

1. Melt the lard in a heavy pot over medium heat.
2. Add the sliced onion and cook it for 5 minutes, until soft and translucent.
3. Add the chopped tomato and cook for 3 minutes, until it slumps.
4. Stir in the strips of roasted green chilli and cook for 1 minute.
5. Add the potato cubes and turn them in the fat.
6. Pour in the stock and add the oregano and salt.
7. Simmer for 15 minutes, until the potato is tender but still holds its shape.
8. Pour in the milk and bring the soup back to a bare simmer without letting it boil.
9. Taste and adjust the salt.
10. Turn off the heat and drop the cheese cubes into the pot.
11. Leave the soup to stand for 2 minutes so the cheese softens without melting away.
12. Ladle the soup into bowls, making sure each one gets cheese and chilli strips.
13. Serve with crushed chiltepin on the side and warm flour tortillas.