My Mexican Kitchen

My usual routine here in Mexico City is that on Sundays I buy produce at the "tianguis" (outdoor market) that is held each week just around the corner from my apartment.  Then on Monday I go to the supermarket down the street to pick up any other groceries that I need.

This past Monday, after returning from the supermarket, I spent much of the day in the kitchen.  First I made a batch of salsa using my "molcajete", the stone mortar and pestle that I bought for my kitchen a couple trips ago.   Then I made some "frijoles refritos" (refried beans).  I didn't do it the easy way... opening a can.  I bought a bag of dried black beans, rinsed them, put them in a kettle of water with some onion, garlic and a chipotle pepper, and then cooked them for several hours.  Then I fried them in a skillet with olive oil (traditionally they were fried in lard), and mashed them with a wooden spoon.  (Often refried beans are pureed into a smooth paste, but I prefer mine to have some texture.)  I also melt in some shredded cheese into the mixture.

While the beans were cooking I also experimented with creating a  recipe for "poblano" soup.  I got the idea for the recipe on my last trip when I made a "poblano" sauce to serve over chicken.  I thought that if I used more chicken broth, it would make a good soup.  It is really quite easy to make, and since "poblano" peppers are available in many supermarkets in the U.S., it is something that I could make at home.  "Poblanos" are large, shiny, green peppers that are only mildly spicy.

I chopped a half of an onion, a clove of garlic, and three "poblanos", and sautéed them in olive oil in a kettle.  Then I added two boxes of fat-free chicken broth and let it simmer until the peppers were soft.  Then I put it all in the blender, and added about a third of a package of Philadelphia cream cheese. (Yes, Philadelphia brand is quite popular here in Mexico.)  I set the blender on high and pureed the mixture until it was smooth.  Pour the soup back into the kettle and reheat it before serving.  It was really very tasty.  Alejandro approved of it.