This is one of my favorite dishes in the world, and way at the top of my list of recommended regional Yucatan meals. The ultimate soup, with a perfect balance of flavours and textures. I made it this week and it was a big hit. My friend Manon calls it the Mexican pho. and I guess it’s a good way to describe it. But better yet – here is the recipe!
Sopa de lima (serves 8)
Prepare the chicken stock by boiling 2 litres of water with 300g of chicken breast, 1 clove of garlic, a pinch of dried origano, one branch of fresh coriander (cilantro), and salt. Remove the chicken and put aside to cool.
In a frying pan, sauté one big white onion, one green pepper, and 2 roma tomatoes finely chopped – until well softened. Add this to the chicken stock, with the juice of 4 to 5 limes (to taste), and concentrated chicken stock if needed. Let it boil for 10to 15 minutes, and filter the stock through a sieve (I also press with a spoon to get the most of the flavourful liquid).
With a fork or just with your fingers, carefully shred the chicken breasts in fine long strings, keep warm with some stock. Cut the corn tortillas in wide juliennes, and fry them in vegetable oil, put aside. Steam the carrots, turnips and zucchini.
While the vegetables are steaming, cut one lime in thin slices, and slice one avocado length wise.
In each bowl, put a good amount of stringed chicken and cover with hot stock. Garnish with a mound of steamed veggies in the centre of the bowl, top with one or 2 slices of avocadoes, and sprinkle the crisp corn tortillas around the veggies, and one slice of lime. Enjoy!
Somewhere between Izamal and Sudzal, Yucatan.
Friday, December 31, 2010
December 30 - Chichen Itza and Cenote Ik Kil
Dec.30 - Bonne fête Claire et Céline! xoxoxo
Woke up at 6am to prepare a big breakfast for everyone - scrambled eggs with all the fixings, bacon and all, and a delicious cantalope. Manon and Richard packed a lunch for everyone, and the gang was ready to go by 7:15am. We left for our big day in Chichen Itza at 7:30m. A one hour drive - so we arrived well before the swarm of tour busses from Cancun and the so called Riviera Maya - perfect!
I remember going to Chichen Itza for the first time in 1986. Climbing on all the structures was allowed back then, and my Cancun friends and I even went in the passage under the pyramid. A dark passage with narrow stairs, leading up to a sacred room with the painting of a jaguar on the wall. The access to that passage was closed in 1990 I believe. I also remember climbing the pyramid a few times over the years – no longer possible. It is a very steep and dangerous flight of stairs, and it’s probably much better this way. Except for the multiplication of the crafts merchants on the site, it has not changed of course : ) Chichen Itza used to be such a great multicultural metropolis for such a very long time, very interesting to try to imagine what is was like to live there. We saw all the main structures and the cenote, and the kids were great all along.
By 11am we got back to the cars and went to eat our picnic lunch in the central square the nearby town of Piste. We had planned to go to the cenote Ik Il for a swim, and by then we were tired and reconsidering… but it was so hot that we decided to give it a shot. Glad we did, it was amazing! We all jumped in the pristine clear blue water of the cenote, and the kids had a blast jumping in from the high platforms – what a great afternoon we had!
Drove back to the ranch, the kids played in the pool, decorated for new year’s eve, while the adults drank cold beer. A very good day in Yucatan!
Woke up at 6am to prepare a big breakfast for everyone - scrambled eggs with all the fixings, bacon and all, and a delicious cantalope. Manon and Richard packed a lunch for everyone, and the gang was ready to go by 7:15am. We left for our big day in Chichen Itza at 7:30m. A one hour drive - so we arrived well before the swarm of tour busses from Cancun and the so called Riviera Maya - perfect!
I remember going to Chichen Itza for the first time in 1986. Climbing on all the structures was allowed back then, and my Cancun friends and I even went in the passage under the pyramid. A dark passage with narrow stairs, leading up to a sacred room with the painting of a jaguar on the wall. The access to that passage was closed in 1990 I believe. I also remember climbing the pyramid a few times over the years – no longer possible. It is a very steep and dangerous flight of stairs, and it’s probably much better this way. Except for the multiplication of the crafts merchants on the site, it has not changed of course : ) Chichen Itza used to be such a great multicultural metropolis for such a very long time, very interesting to try to imagine what is was like to live there. We saw all the main structures and the cenote, and the kids were great all along.
By 11am we got back to the cars and went to eat our picnic lunch in the central square the nearby town of Piste. We had planned to go to the cenote Ik Il for a swim, and by then we were tired and reconsidering… but it was so hot that we decided to give it a shot. Glad we did, it was amazing! We all jumped in the pristine clear blue water of the cenote, and the kids had a blast jumping in from the high platforms – what a great afternoon we had!
Drove back to the ranch, the kids played in the pool, decorated for new year’s eve, while the adults drank cold beer. A very good day in Yucatan!
Tuesday, December 28, 2010
We've got Company!
Manon, Richard, Leo and Camille arrived at the ranch on Monday morning - yay!
The children are happy to have friends to play with, and we are delighted to have excellent company. We made plans for a great week, in Izamal today - tour of the market, the Convent, lunch, and back at the ranch very soon. Tomorrow will be their horse back riding family adventure, and Thursday we are all going to Chichen Itza.
They are amazing, this is a very long way out of the beaten path... It's good to have crazy friends!
I will be making sopa de lima tomorrow, stay tuned!
The children are happy to have friends to play with, and we are delighted to have excellent company. We made plans for a great week, in Izamal today - tour of the market, the Convent, lunch, and back at the ranch very soon. Tomorrow will be their horse back riding family adventure, and Thursday we are all going to Chichen Itza.
They are amazing, this is a very long way out of the beaten path... It's good to have crazy friends!
I will be making sopa de lima tomorrow, stay tuned!
Our Mexican Christmas
Christmas eve was excellent, Christmas day was just perfect. The kids woke up with the roosters (yes, that's before 6am...) and were very excited to discover that Santa had found us here in Mexico. Quite a guy that Mister Claus! The magic of Christmas is in their hearts, no matter where they are. Stockings filled with goodies, and a coconut instead of the usual orange (although it is orange season here in Yucatan, but we don't want to ask too amny tricky questions...).
Had breakfast, opened presents, and went for a horse ride. It was pretty mellow, until Tim's horse took off runnning... and I mean Grand Gallop! Tim was screaming 'wo, Wo, WOOOO' as the horse ran faster and faster - it was sooo funny! Then the horse turned onto a path and we could not see him anymore (but we could hear Tim!), and it was not so funny anymore. Victoriano tied the boys horses to a nearby fense and ran to catch up to Tim. Thankfully, he came back nice and slow, with Tim behind him. He was fine. Pale and quiet, but fine. (the running scene still makes me crack up though...).
A simple Christmas dinner, roasted chicken and mashed potatoes with carrots, and gravy. I baked a 'renverse a l'ananas' for dessert, yummy. It was a beautiful Christmas, Amen.
Had breakfast, opened presents, and went for a horse ride. It was pretty mellow, until Tim's horse took off runnning... and I mean Grand Gallop! Tim was screaming 'wo, Wo, WOOOO' as the horse ran faster and faster - it was sooo funny! Then the horse turned onto a path and we could not see him anymore (but we could hear Tim!), and it was not so funny anymore. Victoriano tied the boys horses to a nearby fense and ran to catch up to Tim. Thankfully, he came back nice and slow, with Tim behind him. He was fine. Pale and quiet, but fine. (the running scene still makes me crack up though...).
A simple Christmas dinner, roasted chicken and mashed potatoes with carrots, and gravy. I baked a 'renverse a l'ananas' for dessert, yummy. It was a beautiful Christmas, Amen.
Friday, December 24, 2010
Tried and True Guacamole
Back at the ranch on Tuesday afternoon, organised the food situation (freezer is full!). The kids were very excited to wrap presents on Wednesday morning. They also had fun filling the piñata with all kinds of candies, and I hung it in the kitchen, it will stay there until New Year’s eve (up high and much safer!).
In lieu of a Christmas tree the kids have chosen one of the outdoor plant, and decorated it. It looks pretty good, and they carefully placed the presents under it. The magic of Christmas is in there heart, no matter where we are!
Late afternoon on Thursday, time to prepare dinner and the boys have enjoyed contributing from time to time. Dylan is an expert at making guacamole now, I thought him when we were in Xcalak. It’s the way I learned to make it when I lived in Cancun, and to me the ultimate guac is made like this :
Mash 3 avocados with a fork (or the good old fashion way… with your hands!), squeeze in the juice of half a lime, add about ¼ cup of each white onion and roma tomato very finely chopped – and salt to taste. You may add cilantro and finely chopped hot peppers to taste if you wish (I don’t).
My golden rule about guac – which I have verified many times with different people in different areas of Mexico is… No garlic please!
The best chips to enjoy a good guac are ‘totopos’, a brand very well known here, not sure if they are available in Toronto. They are basically unsalted deep fried corn tortillas, the ultimate corn chips.
We are enjoying some market food now, and one yummy finding to me are the local ‘salbutes’. It’s a thick hand made corn tortilla, topped with some salsa, grilled meat (usually turckey), shaved raw cabbage and pickled red onions. A typical market fair, and oh so delicious!!! The hand made tortillas make all the difference. On the food front, I am still on the lookout for the best sopa de lima, and I think that I may have found the perfect concoction in a Merida restaurant last Monday. I will try to make it, and share the recipe if I am successful.
Christmas eve already… Happy Christmas to all !!!!
In lieu of a Christmas tree the kids have chosen one of the outdoor plant, and decorated it. It looks pretty good, and they carefully placed the presents under it. The magic of Christmas is in there heart, no matter where we are!
Late afternoon on Thursday, time to prepare dinner and the boys have enjoyed contributing from time to time. Dylan is an expert at making guacamole now, I thought him when we were in Xcalak. It’s the way I learned to make it when I lived in Cancun, and to me the ultimate guac is made like this :
Mash 3 avocados with a fork (or the good old fashion way… with your hands!), squeeze in the juice of half a lime, add about ¼ cup of each white onion and roma tomato very finely chopped – and salt to taste. You may add cilantro and finely chopped hot peppers to taste if you wish (I don’t).
My golden rule about guac – which I have verified many times with different people in different areas of Mexico is… No garlic please!
The best chips to enjoy a good guac are ‘totopos’, a brand very well known here, not sure if they are available in Toronto. They are basically unsalted deep fried corn tortillas, the ultimate corn chips.
We are enjoying some market food now, and one yummy finding to me are the local ‘salbutes’. It’s a thick hand made corn tortilla, topped with some salsa, grilled meat (usually turckey), shaved raw cabbage and pickled red onions. A typical market fair, and oh so delicious!!! The hand made tortillas make all the difference. On the food front, I am still on the lookout for the best sopa de lima, and I think that I may have found the perfect concoction in a Merida restaurant last Monday. I will try to make it, and share the recipe if I am successful.
Christmas eve already… Happy Christmas to all !!!!
More catching-up
DECEMBER 21
We went horseback riding a couple of days ago - first time for the kids, and first time in many years for Tim and I. Victoriano, our guide and one of the rancheros who helps around the house - also Daniela's dad and Samuel"s brother - took us for a short one hour tour. No instructions... which made it a bit tricky for me as my fellow riders were not always close enough for me to share what Victoriano was telling me. Dylan's horse was stalling, and we later discovered that he did not move because Dylan was giving his horse the signal to stop instead of going... Also, Tim's horse almost took him to the cow's field... they do have BIG horns and were all looking at Tim. So bow that we have learned the basics, the next ride will be longer and probably better - looking forward to it!
We are now in Merida, arrived yesterday and spent the night. This is our Christmas holiday shopping expedition, and let me tell you that shopping in the downtown Merida public market could very well qualify as an extreme sport... After that, the Eaton Centre on December 23 pushing a stroller, carrying a bouquet of balloons and a pair of skis would be a breeze! We found some interesting things, it was a fun and memorable experience. This morning I took the boys to a piñata store - what a great place! There should be one of these in Toronto... is there? The ceiling filled with beautiful colorful piñatas, and aisles of sweets, candies of all kinds, and little loot bag surprises, it was great. We have a beautiful piñata for our new year celebration with Manon, Richard and their kids - it will be fun! They will land in Cancun on December 26, and arrive at the ranch on December 27.
Tim went walking around town on his own while I was out with the boys, and when he come back tot he hotel we will head back to the ranch, stopping at a mega grocery store on the way - also stocking up on food for our merry guests.
Unfortunately we do not have internet access at the ranch, we have to go to Izamal in one of the internet cafes there - there is no wi-fi in Izamal. However there is a spot by the pool at the ranch where there is cell phone reception and I can get my email once in awhile using my iphone (I don't want to know how much this will cost....). This allows me to check for important emails and assess our need to go to town to connect. Better than nothing!
Happy Christmas preparations to all of our dear friends in Toronto - we miss you!
We went horseback riding a couple of days ago - first time for the kids, and first time in many years for Tim and I. Victoriano, our guide and one of the rancheros who helps around the house - also Daniela's dad and Samuel"s brother - took us for a short one hour tour. No instructions... which made it a bit tricky for me as my fellow riders were not always close enough for me to share what Victoriano was telling me. Dylan's horse was stalling, and we later discovered that he did not move because Dylan was giving his horse the signal to stop instead of going... Also, Tim's horse almost took him to the cow's field... they do have BIG horns and were all looking at Tim. So bow that we have learned the basics, the next ride will be longer and probably better - looking forward to it!
We are now in Merida, arrived yesterday and spent the night. This is our Christmas holiday shopping expedition, and let me tell you that shopping in the downtown Merida public market could very well qualify as an extreme sport... After that, the Eaton Centre on December 23 pushing a stroller, carrying a bouquet of balloons and a pair of skis would be a breeze! We found some interesting things, it was a fun and memorable experience. This morning I took the boys to a piñata store - what a great place! There should be one of these in Toronto... is there? The ceiling filled with beautiful colorful piñatas, and aisles of sweets, candies of all kinds, and little loot bag surprises, it was great. We have a beautiful piñata for our new year celebration with Manon, Richard and their kids - it will be fun! They will land in Cancun on December 26, and arrive at the ranch on December 27.
Tim went walking around town on his own while I was out with the boys, and when he come back tot he hotel we will head back to the ranch, stopping at a mega grocery store on the way - also stocking up on food for our merry guests.
Unfortunately we do not have internet access at the ranch, we have to go to Izamal in one of the internet cafes there - there is no wi-fi in Izamal. However there is a spot by the pool at the ranch where there is cell phone reception and I can get my email once in awhile using my iphone (I don't want to know how much this will cost....). This allows me to check for important emails and assess our need to go to town to connect. Better than nothing!
Happy Christmas preparations to all of our dear friends in Toronto - we miss you!
Monday, December 20, 2010
Catching-up - December 16
We made our way from Playa del Carmen to the ranch in the little Yucatan community of Sudzal yesterday. 40 minutes from Playa to Tulum and turn inland towards Coba. 40 minutes from Tulum to Coba, stopped on that road to buy a couple of pieces of pottery - there is a roadside shop with an impressive inventory of glazed ceramics, you just can't miss it, and whenever I visit the area I make sure to stop there. Then another 40 minutes from Coba to Valladolid, a beautiful colonial town and it was nice to see their Christmas decorations. From Valladolid to Sudzal was about one hour, going through some great little pueblos with beautiful old colonial churches. Each turn we had to make was onto a smaller road, in the beautiful Yucatan countryside - farm land and cattle country. Once again we were pressed by the looming sunset, wanting to get to destination before dark. When we finally found the dirt road to the ranch - the gate was locked! Luckyly, the ranchero across the road has a key and kindly opened it for us, and locked it after we passed... Did I say we were in the middle of nowhere in Xcalak? Well, I take it back. 2km on that little dirt road with the gate locked behind us... hoping it was leading to where we wanted to go and... yes! There was the house. Phew, and a half!!! (Tim had lost his glimpse of adventurous spirit by then...). Samuel and Daniela greated us, and we came in to see the permises. It's soooo BIG... our giggles of awe echoed through the house, which made me giggle even more!
Shortly after we unloaded the car the owners came to welcome us. There was Carlos - whom I was in touch with via email to rent the house, and both his parents. They seem to be a very respectable family, they carry themselves with the typical grace and formality of Mexican upper class - with the warmth of Yucatan folks. They live in Merida, and based on the old photos on the walls here at the ranch house, they are probably one of the Yucatan families that have enjoyed the golden age of this Mexican state.
Yucatan was once one the wealthiest state on the planet, with a booming economy based on the heniquen (also called sisal) plantations. This is a plant that resembles a giant aloe vera, and yields a strong fibre similar to cotton - but much stronger. In the 30's, the striving Yucatan economy was killed by the raising popularity of a new fibre : nylon. The beautiful haciendas that we see throughout the Yucatan countryside are mostly abandoned, and the land is used to grow other crops and raise cattle. Some haciendas have been restored and turned into exclusive little hotels. One of these is the Hacienda San Antonio (google it!), which is next door to the ranch house we are renting.
We had a great night of sleep, despite the big dead scorpion we found in our bedroom... and woke up with the sound of the roosters, the birds, and Samuel the cowboy taking the herd out. I got up and Dylan was right behind me. He looked at me and said 'hey, did you hear that horse?' So we look out the kitchen window and there was Indio, one of the horses, running on the little road in front of our house - looking beautiful and happy, saddle free. We had a moment of perfect happiness - high fived each other and hugged. Later today on that same road, Samuel brought back the herd of cows, and another farmer took out is herd of goats.
The kids jumped in the pool, which is bigger than I thought, and to Tim's delight we will be able to swim lenghts in there. The boys already played a few games of billiard too - in the huge dining room. And Tim discovered the beautiful reverb with the violin and the guitar, and he already wrote a new piece this morning. This place is... beyond words!
We are now in Merida with a wireless connection - More catching-up coming soon...
Shortly after we unloaded the car the owners came to welcome us. There was Carlos - whom I was in touch with via email to rent the house, and both his parents. They seem to be a very respectable family, they carry themselves with the typical grace and formality of Mexican upper class - with the warmth of Yucatan folks. They live in Merida, and based on the old photos on the walls here at the ranch house, they are probably one of the Yucatan families that have enjoyed the golden age of this Mexican state.
Yucatan was once one the wealthiest state on the planet, with a booming economy based on the heniquen (also called sisal) plantations. This is a plant that resembles a giant aloe vera, and yields a strong fibre similar to cotton - but much stronger. In the 30's, the striving Yucatan economy was killed by the raising popularity of a new fibre : nylon. The beautiful haciendas that we see throughout the Yucatan countryside are mostly abandoned, and the land is used to grow other crops and raise cattle. Some haciendas have been restored and turned into exclusive little hotels. One of these is the Hacienda San Antonio (google it!), which is next door to the ranch house we are renting.
We had a great night of sleep, despite the big dead scorpion we found in our bedroom... and woke up with the sound of the roosters, the birds, and Samuel the cowboy taking the herd out. I got up and Dylan was right behind me. He looked at me and said 'hey, did you hear that horse?' So we look out the kitchen window and there was Indio, one of the horses, running on the little road in front of our house - looking beautiful and happy, saddle free. We had a moment of perfect happiness - high fived each other and hugged. Later today on that same road, Samuel brought back the herd of cows, and another farmer took out is herd of goats.
The kids jumped in the pool, which is bigger than I thought, and to Tim's delight we will be able to swim lenghts in there. The boys already played a few games of billiard too - in the huge dining room. And Tim discovered the beautiful reverb with the violin and the guitar, and he already wrote a new piece this morning. This place is... beyond words!
We are now in Merida with a wireless connection - More catching-up coming soon...
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)