Sopa de Pan 1964 (Bread Soup) -

Las Senadoras Suelen Guisar, ([Mexico City?], México: Instituto Nacional de Protección a la Infancia, 1964), 36-37

Las Senadoras Suelen Guisar (1964) was edited by Carmen Toscano de Moreno Sánchez, one of a number of senators’ wives who socialized together in the late 1950s and early ‘60s. She and her compatriots decided to compile a cookbook of recipes from all the various states that their spouses represented in the senate. The result was a cookbook that showcases the rich and varied cuisine of Mexico, although as bibliographer Christina Barros notes, the coverage is somewhat uneven and idiosyncratic. For example, Sonora’s section features twenty-nine recipes, while Chihuahua is represented by only three. [1]

The cookbook’s prologue was written by Salvador Novo, author of Historia de la Cocina Mexicana, and a number of themes he explores in more depth in his Historia appear in shortened form here – the integration of new ingredients and methods during the colonial era, the 19th century French influence, and the greater awareness of regional cuisines that emerged from the Mexican Revolution in the 20th century. [2] Also featured are numerous illustrations by Mexican artist Alberto Beltrán. Although he worked in paint and murals as well, Beltrán is best remembered as a printmaker and illustrator. From 1945-1959, he was associated with the Taller de Gráfica Popular in Mexico City, a printmaking workshop in Mexico City known for its populist and nationalist political positions.[3] While this cookbook is not an overtly political text, it clearly emerges from a milieu invested in fitting the diverse puzzle-pieces of Mexico together into a unified nation.

The recipe below for Sopa de Pan is one of several recipes featured in Las Senadoras Suelen Guisar from Colima, a state on the Pacific coast, bordered by Jalisco and Michoacán. In addition to Sopa de Pan, other traditional dishes from this region include chilayo, a rice and pork dish, cocada, a type of coconut candy, and various atoles prepared with ingredients such as coconut, pineapple, or tamarind. Sopa de Pan is frequently prepared for celebrations such as weddings, and for that reason is sometimes also known as sopa de fiesta or sopa de boda [4].

Previous recipes from Las Senadoras Suelen Guisar featured on La Cocina Histórica include Enchiladas Tapatias and Atole de Fresa, both from Jalisco.

Detail of Colima chapter illustration. Las Senadoras Suelen Guisar, ([Mexico City?], México: Instituto Nacional de Protección a la Infancia, 1964), 33.

Sopa de Pan

12 bolillos grandes rebanados
1 gallina cocida
150 gramos de garbanzo remojado
3 zanahorias
3 papas grandes
1 taza de chícharos
1 taza de ejotes picados
10 bolas de chorizo
1 taza de fruta en vinagre, picada
2 plátanos machos, rebanados y fritos
½ litro de jitomate molido con un pedacito de cebolla
2 naranjas agrias
100 gramos de aceitunas
100 gramos de almendras, remojadas y peladas
100 gramos de pasas sin semilla
Unas pocas de semillas de cilantro tostadas

Manera de hacerse

La mitad del pan rebanado se fríe en manteca y la otra se dora en el comal. Las verduras, tiernas, se cuecen en agua con poca sal. El chorizo se fríe; la gallina se cuece; el recaudo con el jitomate se guise, añadiéndole 2 ½ litros de caldo de gallina, dejándole hervir, para que sazone. Aparte, se tuestan las semillas de cilantro, procurando que no se quemen, y se muelen en el metate con un poco del mismo caldo de la gallina. Cuando todo ha hervido bastante se le agrega el jugo de naranja agria (debe ser agria porque es el sabor que se necesita), y se le pone un poco de azúcar y sal al gusto. Este caldillo es el que da el sabor especial a la sopa.

Detail of Michoacán chapter illustration. Las Senadoras Suelen Guisar, ([Mexico City?], México: Instituto Nacional de Protección a la Infancia, 1964), 139.

Luego, en una cazuela untada de manteca, se ponen unas tortillas, para evitar que la sopa se queme. En el fondo se acomoda una capa de pan, tanto del frito como del tostado; se le riega verdure de toda, chorizo frito, garbanzos, rebanadas de huevo cocido y pedacitos de gallina. En seguida, otra capa de pan, y así sucesivamente hasa terminar con todo, procurando ponerle encima el caldillo, y se somete a fuego lento.

Cuando está lista se adorna con aceitunas, pasas, almendras y huevo.

Bread Soup

Yield: ~12 servings
Preparation time: ~30 min
Cooking Time: ~1 h (does not include time to cook chicken)

Detail of Sinaloa chapter illustration. Las Senadoras Suelen Guisar, ([Mexico City?], México: Instituto Nacional de Protección a la Infancia, 1964), 209

12 large rolls sliced
1 cooked chicken
¾ cup soaked chickpeas (may substitute canned)
3 carrots
3 large potatoes
1 cup peas
1 cup chopped green beans
10 links of chorizo sausage
8 cups chicken broth
2 plantains
4 ¼ cups crushed tomatoes with a bit of onion
2 sour oranges (also known as bitter orange, Seville orange)
A few coriander seeds, toasted
4 hardboiled eggs, sliced
1 cup of pickled vegetables, chopped (cauliflower, carrots, etc)
37 green olives
Just under 1 cup of blanched almonds
2/3 cup seedless raisins
sugar and salt, to taste

Manner of Preparation

Detail of Chihuahua chapter illustration. Las Senadoras Suelen Guisar, ([Mexico City?], México: Instituto Nacional de Protección a la Infancia, 1964), 61.

Fry half the bread in lard, and toast the other half in a dry skillet over the heat. Set aside.
Slice and fry the plantains. Set aside.
Cook the carrots, potatoes, peas, and green beans in lightly salted water till just tender. Set aside.
Hard boil eggs, peel, and slice.
Fry the chorizo. Set aside.
If not already cooked, rinse and cut-up the chicken, and cook it. Then, stew the chicken pieces in the crushed tomatoes, and up to 8 cups of chicken broth. Let simmer to develop flavor for at least 15 minutes.
Add the sour orange juice (must be sour, not sweet oranges) to the chicken, as well as sugar and salt to taste.
Meanwhile, toast the coriander seeds, taking care not to burn them, and grind in a mortar and pestle with a little chicken broth. Add to the simmering chicken broth.
Grease an ovenproof dish. In the bottom, layer some tortillas to prevent the soup from sticking. Then, place a layer of bread in the dish, equal parts fried and toasted; then a layer of cooked vegetables, fried chorizo, chickpeas, strips of hard boiled eggs, and pieces of chicken. Then, add another layer of bread, vegetables, etc., and repeat until everything has been used up.
Pour the tomato-chicken broth over everything and cook over low heat for 10-15 minutes. Can also bake in an oven at 350*F. for 10-15 minutes.
When ready garnish with olives, raisins, almonds, pickled vegetables, and any remaining hardboiled egg slices.

References

[1] Cristina Barros, Los Libros de la Cocina Mexicana (Mexico, D.F.: Consejo Nacional para la Cultura y las Artes, 2008), 302-303.

[2] Ibid.

[3] Louise Noelle. “Beltrán, Alberto.” Grove Art Online. Oxford Art Online. Oxford University Press, accessed January 14, 2013, https://www.oxfordartonline.com/subscriber/article/grove/art/T007751; Leonor Morales. “Taller de Gráfica Popular.” Grove Art Online. Oxford Art Online. Oxford University Press, accessed January 14, 2013,https://www.oxfordartonline.com/subscriber/article/grove/art/T083174.

[4] Muñoz Zurita. Ricardo. Diccionario Enciclopédico de Gastronomía Mexicana (México: Editorial Clío : Fundación Herdez, 2000), 532.