Tomato Poblano Soup

[lentil]

We had the best soup the other night in a restaurant. I was quizzing the server about the ingredients until my husband said, "In case you haven't figured it out, my wife is stealing your recipe." She immediately returned with the list of ingredients. Since I am a recipe thief and not a pest, I thanked her, but didn't press her to bug the chef for the amounts. I just made the soup for tomorrow's lunch special, but something isn't right. Mine has no depth and I'd like to pester you people for help with the recipe.

It's called Tomato Poblano and was very spicy without being very hot. Here's what I have in the amounts I've used:

2 onion
2t garlic
2 whole roasted and peeled poblano peppers
1 whole roasted and peeled jalepeno
1/2 can guinness
1T worcestershire
1 can v-8
tabasco
2t oregano
1t cumin
1t thyme
1/4 c flour
1/2 c bleu cheese
1c cheddar
1cparmesan

I sauteed the veg and spices, added the flour, tomatoes, beer,v-8 then cheeses. Their soup wasn't cheesy, so I don't want to go heavy on the cheese, but I need flavor. It isn't even very spicy, although when my immersion blender spit some of it in my eye, it seemed pretty hot.... I'm letting it sit overnight in hopes the flavors will mature.

What do you think!

 

[happyfood]

Pork shoulder.

Brown a whole shoulder in a large pot with some pure olive oil. Then add your veggies and other ingredients.

Braise or roast the pork to use in some posole.

 

[cape chef]

First glance, you need more poblanos, also charr ripe tomato over coals (if you can) If not roast them.I nice vegetable stock would help, use instead of V8. Make frica with the parm and a compound butter with the cheddar and bleu. Add the butter at the end and monte with your stick blender

 

[lentil]

Thanks, Happy Food, but no go. It's the veg choice for tomorrow.

Cape Chef, I wondered about the poblanos. I've never used them before so I was hesitent to add too many. I'll give your ideas a go. Thanks!

 

[marmalady]

I'm with cape chef on using roasted tomatoes instead of V8. Also, dry fry your spices instead of sauteeing them in with the onion. The spice measurements - are they teaspoons or tablespoons? I'd be using at least a tablespoon of cumin and oregano in a soup with these proportions. I'd also lose the bleu and parm cheeses, but that's just me. Maybe serve it with fried tortilla strips, cilantro and avocado garnish?

 

[boar_d_laze]

Poblanos are pretty mild; not much hotter than bell peppers in fact. The big distinction between those two is that poblanos taste more like chili -- even though they're not very hot; while bell peppers taste a little grassy.

Actually, poblanos and bell peppers balance one another nicely; and I imagine that part of the appeal of the soup -- when it's perfected, anyway -- is the way the bell peppers in the V8 plays with the poblanos.

Anyway, the chili presence is how you taste test for "enough" poblanos. If it tastes enough like chili (heat aside), you've got enough poblanos, but if it could use more chili -- then bump up the poblanos.

Jalapenos have a similar flavor profile to poblanos, but are a bit hotter.

Looking at your recipe, I get the feeling that you could keep the onion down to about a cup (you said 2 onions -- could be 1/2 cup, could be 2 cups), add another tsp of garlic (making it a full tbs), go to a full can of Guinness, switch to Mexican oregano (if you're not already using it -- or increase the amount by a tsp to a tbs), and knock down the amount of parmesan to 1/2 cup (Actually, I'd use cotijo, but that isn't the recipe). Nearly everything in your recipe wants a fair bit of salt, so be sure the soup is well seasoned.

The bleu, cheddar, parmesan mix in chili/tomato is a very nice conceit. It's not hard to imagine a very good soup.

If you can call or write ahead and manage to visit the restaurant at some time other than crush, you might very well be able to get quantities. You'll probably have to reduce them by a factor of 6 or so... but it couldn't hurt.

Good luck,
BDL

 

[lentil]

Boar d laze, Thanks, I'll add more poblanos and salt as well as oregano and garlic. I think the soup is on it's way, but just needed some professional help.

I'll email the restaurant and see if they can be more specific with amounts.

Mama Healthy, please let me know how yours turns out- and the recipe you use would really help, too!

 

[allanmcpherson]

Hi Lentil,

The first thing that jumps to my mind when I read your procedure is your use of the beer. If it depth of flavour that you feel is missing I would consider a hard reduction of the beer after you've de-glazed your aromatics. Cook it down to almost a syrup, then de-glaze with your juice and/or a veg stock.

The other thing that sticks out is a lack of acid. Now, I haven't had V-8 since I was child so I could be wrong, but I think a hit of lime or cider vin (or even sumac) might help bring it around.

Cheers,

Allan

 

[lentil]

Good point, Allan. Too late for this batch for the reduction, but next time for sure. I don't think lack of acid was a problem because I just added a little sugar to soften the flavors.

Letting it sit overnight in the fridge did wonders, though! Still I added the rest of the Guinness, more spice, more poblanos, jalapenos , and a touch of sugar. I wasn't in during lunch, so I'll have to wait until tomorrow to get any feedback.

Thanks for all the help! Again.....