Recipe: Alex And Garry's Sopa De Limon

ALEX AND GARRY'S SOPA DE LIMON

"Yucatan faces the Caribbean sea so it comes as no surprise that all the spices and herbs used in this soup are more indigenous to the islands than to the cooking ingredients we associate with Mexico."

12 cups chicken stock (homemade or canned)
1 sprig mint
8 allspice berries
15 black peppercorns
1 cinnamon stick, 3-inches long
5 whole cloves
6 cumin seeds
2 small garlic heads, halved horizontally
2 small yellow onions, peeled and halved
2 whole chicken breasts, skin and bone left on
1 tablespoon chopped fresh cilantro
1 whole fresh guero or habanero hot chile pepper
3 lemons, cut into eighths
2 large ripe tomatoes, peeled, seeded and chopped
salt (to taste)
1 lemon, sliced paper thin
chopped fresh hot chile peppers (such as guero or jalapeno, seeded and finely diced)
2 to 3 avocados, peeled and diced

In a large nonreactive soup kettle, bring the stock, mint, allspice, peppercorns, cinnamon, cloves, cumin, garlic, and onions to a boil. Reduce the heat and simmer for 20 minutes.

Add the chicken breasts, cilantro, whole chile pepper, and the cut lemons and continue to simmer until the chicken is cooked, approximately 15 minutes.

Remove the chicken and let cool. Skim the soup and strain into a clean kettle. Return the soup to the heat and continue cooking over low heat. When the chicken is cool, remove the skin and bones and shred.

Add the shredded chicken and chopped tomato to the soup and bring to a boil. Add salt to taste.

Pour the soup in a warm tureen and float the lemon slices on top. Serve the chopped chile and avocado on the side.

Makes 10 servings
Source: Lemons: A Country Garden Cookbook by Christopher Idone