Guest Author - Susan Stewart

The cookng of the state of Puebla, known as Cocina Poblana, is popular throughout Mexico. Located in a valley surrounded by volcanoes, the rich soil has given the local inhabitants a wealth of vegetables, herbs, and spices to work with. Due to its high altitude, it experiences cooler weather than most of Mexico, and chilies are used less often. For those who love Mexican food but can’t take the heat, these two dishes are surprisingly mild, yet still full of flavor. And, as always, if you want to heat things up, just add salsa to your plate!

Pueblan Soup – Sopa Poblana – Serves 6 to 8
A rich meat and vegetable soup.

2 tablespoons oil
½ pound boneless pork, in small cubes
1 white onion, minced
1 can (15 oz.) sweet corn kernels
3 small zucchini, cubed
1 can (15 oz) green chilies, chopped (or 2 chiles poblanos, roasted, peeled and deveined)
1 can (15 oz.) tomato puree
8 cups chicken stock
salt and pepper to taste
2 avocadoes, peeled and cubed (sprinkle with lime or lemon juice to prevent discoloration)
1/2 cup shredded mild white cheese, such as Monterey Jack

In a large, heavy pan, heat the oil until very hot. Add pork, and cook, stirring, until lightly browned. Cover and cook on low for about 15 minutes. Add the onions, corn, zucchini, and chilies to the pan. Stir together, then add tomato puree and stock. Season to taste. Simmer, covered, until the vegetables are tender.
Serve with the avocado and cheese as a topping.

Chicken with Onions – Serves 4

This uses a lot of nutmeg, but the slow cooking brings out a marvelous aroma and taste!

4 tablespoons oil
1 fryer chicken, cut up
3 large onions, chopped
1 clove garlic
2-3 cups water
1 tsp. crushed dried thyme
1 bay leaf
1 sprig cilantro
1 tsp. salt
pinch of ground black pepper
1 whole nutmeg

In a large, heavy pan, heat oil very hot and add chicken. Brown on all sides and remove from the pan. Lowerthe heat, and add the onions and garlic to the pan and cook about 15 minutes, stirring frequently, until golden-brown. Return the chicken to the pan and add water, thyme, bay leaf, cilantro, salt, and pepper. Grate the whole nutmeg over the chicken. Cover, and let simmer about 1 and a half hours. (Or it could be transferred to a crockpot and cooked about 4 hours). The chicken should be tender with a dark, rich sauce. Serve with white rice.