Sopa de Molcajete ( A Mexican Soup) aka - Guisado

By UncleDick

Wonderful filling Mexican Soup with rich with flavors. Molcajete is the stone used to grind chilies and make salsas and guacamole. Some restaurants serve this soup in a large, heated, Molcajete Stone. This recipe was inspired by Azteca Restaurants.

Ingredients

• GARNISH:
• 4 chicken legs or thighs
• 8 ounces beef, cut to strips
• 1 thick slice of bacon
• 1 1/2 teaspoon vegetable oil
• 3 cups boiling water
• 2 cubes Knorr beef boulion
• 1 tablespoon Ancho chili powder**
• 1 (15 ounce) can tomato sauce**
• ( ** My version, you may substitute last two ingredients with 2 cups sauce made from dried ancho chilis onions, garlic, cumin and tomato sauce, boiled and blended. See below)
• 1 pound mushrooms, cut in half
• 2 zucchinis, halved and sliced (my version)
• 2 stalks celery, cut on bias (my version)
• 1/2 sweet onion, chopped
• 2 teaspoons garlic, minced
• 1 teaspoon cumin
• 1 teaspoon cocoa powder
• 1/4 teaspoon cidar vinegar
• 1 teaspoon dry sherry
• 1/2 teaspoon butter
• 1/2 teaspoon frank's or Tobasco
• Salt and pepper
• Queso Fresco or Jack cheese, chopped green Onions, Jalepenos, Avocado and dried Oregano.

Preparation

Step 1

Prepare Chili sauce. (if using)

Fry bacon, remove and chop.

Add oil to bacon grease, brown chicken and beef.

Add boiling water and everything else. Cook 10 minutes, or simmer longer.

Garnish and serve.

*ANCHOI CHILI SAUCE:

Place 6-8 dried, seeded, Ancho chili’s in 2 cups water with 1/2 onion quartered, 3 cloves garlic, 1 teas. cumin seed, salt and pepper. boil 10-15 min. Remove peppers and onions to blender/processer. Add 1, 15oz can tomato sauce and 1 teas. Cumin seed. Blend till smooth. and use 2 cups sauce as base for soup! More work but makes a richer soup!