Sopa Seca de Fideo - Spicy Mexican Noodles #FoodieExtravaganza

A deliciously spicy noodle dish with roots in Mexico, this sopa seca de fideo or dry noodle soup is made with fine vermicelli, Mexican chorizo, chipotle peppers and tomato sauce.

Once upon a time in the plazas around San Antonio, Texas there were street vendors who sold deliciousness called the chili queens. They specialized in down home Mexican cooking, just like Mama used to make. Despite living for many of my formative years just three hours’ drive away in Houston, I first learned about the chili queens from an article in the Houston Chronicle in 2006, almost 20 years after I had moved away. The recipe was shared as Fideos Mexicanos and looked simple and tasty so I found it online then copied and pasted it into a Word doc, determined some day to try it. Ten long years later, that day has come!

Before I started cooking, I did a little more research about the chili queens of San Antonio and discovered that the beginning of their reign dates back almost 150 years and their pots of chili, tamales, beans and other wholesome cooking were the draw that made plazas of San Antonio come alive at night. They were accompanied by wandering troubadours and the wide mix of customers were there as much for the spectacle and community as the food. If you’d like to learn more about the tradition and history of the chili queens, I recommend this link from University of the Incarnate Word – San Antonio and this story on NPR.

Further research also revealed that there are many recipes for Mexican fideos, also known as sopa seca (dry soup) de fideos (of noodles). Since I had some homemade Mexican chorizo leftover from this enchilada callejera recipe (which, coincidentally, is also street food from a cookbook by San Antonio residents) and some chipotle peppers in the freezer, I mixed and matched a few to come up with this dish. It’s not only tasty but it’s perfect for this month’s Foodie Extravaganza party where we are celebrating noodles. Make sure to scroll down to see all the noodles dishes my fellow members are sharing.

Ingredients
2 tablespoons olive oil
About 10 1/2 oz or 300g Mexican chorizo
8 oz or 227g vermicelli (about 2 1/2 cups)
1 small onion
1 1/2 teaspoons cumin seeds
1 garlic clove
1 can (8 oz or 227g) tomato sauce (not paste)
2 teaspoons chipotle in adobo
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
Optional to garnish: sprig cilantro

Method
Chop your onion, garlic and chipotle peppers and set them aside.

Pan-fry your chorizo in one tablespoon of the oil, breaking it up into small pieces as it cooks, until it is crispy and brown. Remove the chorizo with a slotted spoon and set aside.

Add the other tablespoon of the oil to the same frying pan and heat over medium-high heat. Add the noodles to the pan, stirring constantly to prevent them from burning. Cook for 2 to 3 minutes until brown. I did that flipping thing with the noodles, like you see chefs do on television. If you can do that without losing all the noodles, it really keeps them moving and browning evenly.

Add the onions, cumin seeds and garlic to the browned noodles and cook for a few more minutes, stirring or tossing regularly to soften the onions.

Add in the tomato sauce, chipotle peppers and 2 cups or 275ml water. Stir well.

Cover and simmer for five minutes. Add the crispy chorizo back into the pot.

Stir well and cook, covered, for another few minutes or until the noodles are soft. Add salt and pepper to taste.

Enjoy!

Do you have favorite noodle dish or are you looking for new inspiration? I've got some for you!

• Bacon and Beer Mac & Cheese by Sew You Think You Can Cook
• Green Bean and Squash Laksa by Caroline's Cooking
• Haluski (Fried Cabbage & Noodles) by Making Miracles
• Homemade Chinese Noodles by Fearlessly Creative Mammas
• Homemade Noodles by Our Good Life
• Kakaós Tészta (Hungarian Cocoa Noodles) by Tara's Multicultural Table
• MiMi's Baked Ziti by Cooking With Carlee
• Parmesan Garlic Noodles by From Gate to Plate
• Soft Noodles with Veggies and Poached Egg by G'Gina's Kitchenette 
• Sopa Seca de Fideo - Spicy Mexican Noodles by Food Lust People Love
• Spicy Shrimp with Peanut Noodles by cookinandcraftin
• Tortellini and Tomato Salad by The Freshman Cook
• Tossed Homemade Macaroni Noodles by A Day in the Life on the Farm

Foodie Extravaganza celebrates obscure food holidays or shares recipes with the same ingredient or theme every month.

Posting day is always the first Wednesday of each month. If you are a blogger and would like to join our group and blog along with us, come join our Facebook group Foodie Extravaganza. We would love to have you!

If you're a reader looking for delicious recipes, check out our Foodie Extravaganza Pinterest Board! Looking for our previous parties? Check them out here.

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Prawn and Curry Leaf Muffins #MuffinMonday

Aromatic curry leaves, fried till crispy in butter, perfectly complement the butter-fried prawns in these delicious savory muffins. 

I have an editorial calendar where I keep track of upcoming blog posts and what I am planning to cook or bake for different group themes. I penciled in Muffin Monday on the 22nd of February and started thinking about what to bake. If you’ve been reading along here for a while, you know that the new Muffin Monday doesn’t have a theme or prescribed ingredients. We are free and easy on the last Monday of each month. But then I discovered that this was a leap year so the last Monday of the month is actually February 29th. How did I get all the way to the middle of February and just find that out? Seems like it would have come up at some point in December or January at least, right?

Soooooo, I had an idea: A leap of faith muffin. We’d each use an unusual ingredient, one we’ve never used before, at least not in a muffin. I proposed it to the group and, good sports that they are, they all agreed. Make sure you scroll down and check out the link list of muffins. Some of them may look normal to you, but I can assure you that the Muffin Monday bakers have stretched themselves this month!

One of my favorite dishes when we lived in Malaysia was something called Butter Prawns. I’ve only made them myself once because they are a bit of a faff but, dear me, they are divine! Crispy curry leaves, crispy prawns and lots of bits of buttery crumbs. I didn’t do the crumbly part for these muffins but all the butter, curry leaves and prawns still gave me the right flavor I was looking for.

My one attempt at butter prawns

Ingredients
10 medium-sized prawns or shrimp, already cleaned and shelled (Mine weighed 5oz or 140g.)
1/2 cup or 115g unsalted butter
Generous handful fresh curry leaves
2 1/2 cups or 315g flour
1 tablespoon baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
Black pepper
1 cup or 240ml milk
2 eggs

Method
Preheat oven to 350°F or 180°C and prepare your 12-cup muffin pan by generously greasing with butter, oil or non-stick spray.

Chop the prawns into three or four pieces and put them in a bowl handy to your stove or cooktop.

Melt two tablespoons of the butter in a small frying pan and then fry the curry leaves briefly.

Remove them quickly with a slotted spoon when they get crispy and are just starting to brown.

Lower the fire and tip the prawns into the browning butter you've left behind.

Cook them till just pink. Remove the whole pan from the heat, add in the rest of the butter and set aside so the additional butter can melt and the prawns can cool.

Combine flour, baking powder and salt together in a large mixing bowl with a few generous grinds of fresh black pepper.

In another bowl, whisk together the milk and eggs.  Once the prawns are cool enough not to cook the eggs, add them along with the melted butter and stir well.

Add all the milk/egg/prawn mixture to flour bowl.

Gently fold a few turns then add in the crispy curry leaves. Continue folding just until the dry ingredients are moistened.

Divide the batter between the muffin cups in your prepared pan.

Bake in your preheated oven for 20-25 minutes or until muffins are golden.

Remove from oven and let cool for a few minutes before removing muffins from tin.

Enjoy!

Take a leap of faith with us this month – Bake some muffins! Many thanks to all the Muffin Monday bakers for playing along.

• Berry Mango Swirl Muffins from Farm Fresh Feasts
• Brown Sugar, Pistachio and Garam Masala Muffins from Karen's Kitchen Stories
• Carrot Muffins from Kelli's Kitchen
• Lemon Poppy Seed Muffins with Cardamom Browned Butter from The Spiced Life
• Marmite Muffins from Passion Kneaded
• Prawn and Curry Leaf Muffins from Food Lust People Love
• Rosewater Banana White Chocolate Muffins from Making Miracles
• Spinach, Bacon and Cheese Breakfast Muffins from A Day in the Life on the Farm

#MuffinMonday is a group of muffin loving bakers who get together once a month to bake muffins. You can see all our of lovely muffins by following our Pinterest board.

Updated links for all of our past events and more information about Muffin Monday, can be found on our home page.

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Cauliflower Cheese Pie with Grated Potato Crust

A crispy potato crust is filled with all the comfort food goodness of cauliflower and cheese, making this the perfect pie for a still chilly February evening. Or anytime really.

When I was growing up, one of my favorite ways to eat cooked cauliflower was with a side of mayonnaise in which to dip it. I got some funny looks outside my home, where mayo and cauliflower was normal, a given. I thought everyone ate it that way. That winning combo was rivaled on my plate only by cauliflower with cheese sauce. I remember one special family occasion – not sure if it was Christmas or Thanksgiving or possibly even Easter – but there was a platter of cauliflower and broccoli arranged most artistically by my youngest aunt, all smothered in thick cheese sauce. I could have eaten the whole thing by myself but had to share. More’s the pity.

I discovered as I began to travel and learn about other cultures and traditional recipes that the British make a dish called cauliflower cheese for special occasions as well. The cauliflower is steamed or boiled whole then drained. A cheese sauce is created by making a béchamel or white sauce to which sharp cheddar is added, perhaps with a little dried mustard powder. This is poured over the whole cauliflower, some breadcrumbs are often sprinkled on top and then the whole thing is baked until golden brown and bubbling. Heaven, I tell you! It's one of my husband's favorite dishes so it's on regular rotation at our house.

Which brings me to today’s cauliflower cheese pie. It combines my love of cauliflower and cheese, with his baked British favorite and bonus, puts it all in a crunchy potato crust. Hope you love it as much as we do.

Make sure to scroll down to the bottom where my Sunday Supper friends are sharing All The Pies, sweet and savory, with many thanks to our host today, Erica of The Crumby Cupcake.

This recipe is adapted from "Moosewood Cookbook" by Mollie Katzen.

Ingredients
For the crust:
Drizzle olive oil for greasing 9in or 23cm pie plate and brushing crust during baking
1 egg white, lightly beaten
1lb 10oz or 740g potatoes
1 small onion (2 1/3 oz or 65g)
1/2 teaspoon salt

For the filling:
1 medium-sized cauliflower (Mine weighed about 2lbs 3oz or 980g.)
1 tablespoon butter
1 medium onion (about 3 oz or 85g)
3 cloves garlic
1 hot chili pepper - optional but recommended
1/2 teaspoon salt
Freshly ground black pepper
Several sprigs fresh thyme
1 1/4 cup (packed) or 100g cheddar cheese
2 large eggs
1 egg yolk
1/4 cup milk
2 teaspoons cornstarch
Paprika or cayenne for the top

Method
Preheat the oven to 400°F 200°C. Grease a 9in or 23cm pie plate with a drizzle of olive oil.

Grate the cheese and set it aside. (I used my food processor but you can do it by hand, of course.)

Whisk your egg white with the salt and a good few grinds of fresh black pepper. Peel and grate your potatoes. (Once again, I used the food processor.) Squeeze the liquid out and stir the grated potatoes into the egg white immediately to stop them from discoloring.

Grate your onion and add it to the potato mixture, stirring well to combine.

Pour the grated potato mixture into the prepared pie plate and use your fingers to pat it down evenly to make a crust. It's going to seem quite wet, despite your squeezing the liquid out of the potatoes but don't worry. The moisture bakes away and the crust does get crunchy in the hot oven.

Bake the crust for 30 minutes in your preheated oven, then brush just up to the brown edge with a little olive oil (about 1 teaspoon) and bake for 10 more minutes.

Remove the crust from the oven and turn the temperature down to 375°F or 190°C.

While the crust is in the oven, you can get on with the filling. Remove the leaves and hard stem from the head of cauliflower and cut the florets into bite-sized pieces.

Chop your onion, mince the garlic and pepper and strip the leaves off of the fresh thyme sprigs. Save one sprig for garnish, if desired.

Melt the butter in a large skillet. Add the onion, garlic, chili pepper, salt and thyme with a few good grinds of fresh black pepper, and sauté over medium heat for about 5 minutes.

Add the cauliflower, stir, and cover. Cook until tender, stirring occasionally - about 8 to 10 minutes.

When the baked crust is ready, sprinkle half the grated cheese onto it.

Spoon the sautéed vegetables on top, then top with the remaining cheese.

Beat the eggs, egg yolk, milk and cornstarch together making sure the cornstarch has dissolved and pour this over the top.

Dust lightly with paprika or cayenne.

Bake for 35 to 40 minutes or until set. If you feel the edges are getting too brown before the pie is cooked through, cover them with some foil.

Serve hot or warm.

Enjoy!

I've got a bunch of pies I'm sure you'll love here:
Elle's Fresh Blueberry Pie
Sausage Apple Onion Tart
Brown Sugar Nectarine Tart
and these special Portuguese custard tarts, baked in honor of our Sunday Supper leader, Isabel, just to name a few.

But make sure you don't miss this fabulous link list to the #SundaySupper Pies: Sweet & Savory!

Sweet As Pie

• Apple Browned Butter Tart by The Chef Next Door
• Banana Cream Pie from Recipes Food and Cooking
• Blood Orange Pie from The TipToe Fairy
• Brown Sugar Pie from Hezzi-D's Books and Cooks
• Cherry Chocolate Brownie Pie from Sew You Think You Can Cook
• Chocolate Macadamia Nut Tart from Desserts Required
• Chocolate Pudding Pie from The Bitter Side of Sweet
• Coconut Cream Pie from Family Foodie
• Easy Lemon Pie from Basic N Delicious
• Fresh Lemon Hand Pies from From Gate to Plate
• German Sweet Chocolate Cream Pie from Meal Planning Magic
• Gluten-Free Chocolate Cherry Pie from NinjaBaker
• Gluten Free Mini Irish Cream Chocolate Mousse Pies from Cupcakes & Kale Chips
• Grapefruit Pie from Culinary Adventures with Camilla
• Homemade Oatmeal Creme Pies from Pies and Plots
• Irish Cream Coffee Mud Pie from The Crumby Cupcake
• Leaf Topped Apple Pie from That Skinny Chick Can Bake
• Magic Cookie Bar Pie from Moore or Less Cooking
• Mixed Berry Hand Pies from My Imperfect Kitchen
• No Bake Blueberry Cheesecake Pie from Feeding Big and More
• No Bake Blueberry Mini Filo-Pies from Hardly A Goddess
• No-Bake Mixed Berry Cream Cheese Tart from Magnolia Days
• Orange Meringue Pie from Cindy's Recipes and Writings
• Paifala (Samoan Pineapple Half Moon Pies) from Tara’s Multicultural Table
• Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Pie from Sweet Mornings
• Perfect Manhattan Pie from The Texan New Yorker
• Pineapple Meringue Pie from A Day in the Life on the Farm
• Quick Swiss Apple Pie from Confessions of a Cooking Diva
• Raspberry Cheesecake Pudding Pie from Flour On My Face
• Strawberry Mascarpone Tart from Taste And See

Mealtime Pie

• Beef & Red Wine Pie from Wholistic Woman
• Cauliflower Cheese Pie with Grated Potato Crust from Food Lust People Love
• Chard and Parsnip Galette from Caroline’s Cooking
• Chicken Tamale Pie from Rants from my Crazy Kitchen
• Cornish Pasties from Palatable Pastime
• Homity Pie (British Potato Leek Pie) from Curious Cuisiniere
• Italian Cheesy Artichoke and Asparagus Phyllo Pie from La Bella Vita Cucina
• Italian Hand Pies from Brunch-n-Bites
• Irish Shepherd's Pie from The Freshman Cook
• Jamaican “No-Beef” Patties from What Smells So Good?
• Mini Swiss Quiches from Family Around The Table
• Mushroom Swiss Quiche from Renee’s Kitchen Adventures
• Pizza Rustica from Monica’s Table
• Salmon Pot Pie from Bobbi’s Kozy Kitchen
• Savory and Spicy Mincemeat Pie from eating in instead
• Shepherd’s Pie Hand Pies from Our Good Life
• Skillet Shepherd’s Pie from Life Tastes Good
• Spaghetti Pie from Grumpy’s Honeybunch
• Spicy Korean Cottage Pie from kimchi MOM
• Taco Hand Pies from Kitchen Gidget
• Weeknight Chicken Pot Pie from Books n' Cooks

• Plus: Baked Puerto Rican Meat Pies and More Pie Recipes from Sunday Supper Movement

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