SOPA DE POLLO CON ARROZ (CHICKEN AND RICE SOUP)

Sopa De Pollo Con Arroz (Chicken and Rice Soup) image

This Mexican soup recipe cheerfully stolen from: Mario's La Fiesta Mexican restaurant in Berkeley, CA.

Provided by Zenster

Categories Chicken

Time 4h

Yield 2 Quarts, 4-8 serving(s)

Number Of Ingredients 15

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Ingredients

1 whole chicken
1 large russet potato
2 carrots
1 large tomatoes
2 stalks celery (with leaves)
2 garlic cloves
1 tablespoon salt (or more)
1/2 white onion (do not use red onion)
1/2 cup rice, washed
1/4 head cannonball cabbage
1/8 cup chopped cilantro
1/8 teaspoon ground cumin
1/8 teaspoon white pepper
1 dash Crystal hot sauce
1 -2 quart water or 1 -2 quart chicken stock

Steps:

Extract giblets from chicken and remove the liver.
Place chicken in a pot of water just large enough to hold it.
Cover with 1-2 quarts of water and add the giblets.
Add salt and bring to a boil, skimming off any foam.
Reduce heat, cover pot, and simmer for 20 or more minutes.
Chicken should fall apart after cooking.
Completely bone out the cooked chicken.
Separate white meat for use in the finished soup.
Crack the bones and return them to the stock with the skin.
Add all other non-meat parts of the chicken back to the stock.
Bring stock and giblets back to a fast simmer.
Cook stock for 1/2-1 hour longer.
Begin washing rice.
Strain stock and remove most, but not all of the fat.
Peel the potato, tomato and carrots.
Bring stock to a boil and reduce heat.
Cut carrots into coins, dice potato into 1/2" cubes and add with cabbage cut into 1" chunks.
Chop onion coarsely and add along with pressed or finely minced garlic.
Remove strings by breaking the top of the stalk backwards and pulling down to strip them out, slice celery into medium pieces and add.
Peel and seed tomato, strain tomato juice from seeds and add with chopped cilantro leaves.
Chop some of the celery heart's leaves and add with diced chicken white meat in 1/2" chunks.
Finish washing rice and add to soup.
During last half hour of cooking add all other spices.
Adjust salt to taste (this recipe can take a lot of salt).
Avoid adding too much cumin, it will spoil the flavor.
DO NOT let the soup boil, it will turn to mush.
DO NOT use the chicken liver in the soup.
When the rice begins to "bloom" turn off the heat.
Elbow macaroni, stars or alphabet pasta may be used.
If using pasta, omit or reduce the amount of rice.
If the stock is made right it will gel when chilled.
Note: This recipe took years to figure out.
DO NOT use chicken bullion cubes or paste when making this.
They will cloud the soup and destroy its delicate bouquet.
Tinned broth is acceptable but will not compare to using the stock described above.