A slice of lime floating among the other garnishes hints at the
generous use of tangy lime juice in this Mexican chicken-vegetable soup. - LIFESTYLE MEDIA GROUP/Universal Press Syndicate
LIMES, LIKE lemons, are culinary catalysts, their acidic juice and aromatic oils promoting great chemistry among a mix of flavours in a dish. They're valued for their flavouring and tenderising qualities, and for retarding browning in fruits that oxidise rapidly when cut.
More colourful and tangier than lemons, limes are extensively used in Mexican and South American cuisines, where they often appear again and again on menus either as an ingredient or garnish. Mexican cooks use them in appetisers, soups, salads, sweets, and with many vegetable and seafood dishes. Lime wedges traditionally accompany tropical fruits and the fruit drinks known as licuados, as well as margaritas, beer and
tequila.
Good-quality limes feel firm, solid and heavy for their size. Because commercially-grown limes are valued primarily for their acidic quality, they're usually picked green. Persian limes should be fully green, but some yellow colour is acceptable for Mexican varieties. Limes with mostly yellow rinds (indicating low acid content) or ones with blackened, hard or shrivelled rinds should be avoided. At home, limes keep best in the refrigerator, where their quality will be good for up to a month.
SUCCESS TIP:
To increase the yield of juice from fresh limes, warm them in the microwave oven for 30 seconds before squeezing or juicing them.
Mexican Lime-Chicken Soup
This dish from Mexico's Yucatan Peninsula is traditionally made with a lime-like citrus fruit known in Spanish as 'limas agrias' (sour lemon). Because this fruit is not readily available here, use a mix of limes and lemons. Fried tortilla triangles are the traditional garnish for this soup, but they can be omitted, if desired.
6 to 8 day-old soft corn tortillas, cut into wedges (optional)
Salt (optional)
Vegetable oil, 1/4 inch deep, for frying (optional)
4 chicken breast halves
8 cups defatted chicken broth
1 white onion, quartered
3 cloves garlic, coarsely chopped
6 peppercorns
1/2 tsp. thyme
1 tbsp. olive oil
Half a white onion, chopped
2 large mild green chillies (fresh or canned), seeded and chopped
2 fresh tomatoes, peeled and chopped or 2/3 cup canned diced tomatoes
1/2 to 1 tsp. salt
6 limes or 3 large limes
1/3 cup finely-chopped cilantro
1 large or 2 medium pears, for garnish
Cilantro sprigs, for garnish
METHOD
1. To prepare tortilla triangles, if used: Cut day-old tortillas into wedges to form triangles (fresh tortillas will not work for this recipe). Spread in single layer on a baking sheet; allow to dry at room temperature or in a 200-degree oven for 20 minutes. Lightly salt tortilla triangles; fry in hot oil (400 degrees) until hardened, but not crispy and brown. Drain on paper towels and set aside.
2. In a large soup pot, place chicken breasts, broth, the quartered onion, garlic, peppercorns and thyme. Bring almost to a boil, reduce heat, cover, and simmer 20 minutes. Allow chicken to cool in the broth.
3. Remove chicken from the pot. Discard skin and bones; shred the meat, using 2 forks or a food processor. Strain broth into a separate container.
4. In soup pot, heat the one tablespoon oil and sauté the chopped onion and chillies over medium heat; cook until onion is soft. Add tomatoes; cook until soft.
5. Return the broth to the soup pot, add salt, and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and add the juice of 3 or 4 of the Mexican limes, plus a squeezed lime half. Simmer for 20 minutes.
6. Remove and discard the lime half, add the shredded chicken, and simmer 10 minutes. Stir in the chopped cilantro. Reheat tortilla wedges in a 350-degree oven for 10 minutes.
7. Cut avocado(s) in half, seed, peel and cut into slices. Cut remaining limes into halves; cut one of the halves into very thin rounds for garnishing; cut remaining halves into wedges to accompany soup.
8. Ladle soup into serving bowls. If desired, drop several fried tortilla triangles into each bowl. Float one or two avocado slices and one of the lime rounds in each bowl. Pass lime wedges separately.
Serves 8.
