Sopa de lima

Yucatán Turkey and Lime Soup

Sopa de lima is the soup of Yucatán: a clear turkey or chicken broth sharpened with lime juice and zest, with charred peppers, tomato and crisp tortilla chips floating on top. The broth tastes of the lime and the char, and it is lighter than it looks.

Both recipes make a poultry broth with garlic, spices and oregano, add charred peppers and onion, tomato and lime juice, and serve with fried tortilla. One uses a turkey leg simmered in stock and adds courgette and squash; the other builds a broth from chicken wings and pork bones over 2 hours and uses sour limes.

Ingredients

For the broth

  • 1 turkey leg (about 600 g), skin removed, split at the joint
  • 960 ml chicken or turkey stock
  • 4 garlic cloves, unpeeled
  • 3 black peppercorns
  • 1 bay leaf
  • 2 tsp fine sea salt
  • 1 tsp dried Mexican oregano

For the soup

  • 2 banana peppers or other mild long peppers
  • 1 green pepper
  • 1 yellow onion, halved
  • 1 tbsp vegetable oil
  • 400 g tin chopped tomatoes
  • 60 ml lime juice, plus the zest of 3 limes
  • 1 tbsp lemon juice, plus the zest of 1 lemon
  • Fine sea salt

To serve

  • Tortilla chips or fried tortilla strips
  • Coriander leaves
  • Thin lime slices

Method

  1. Make the broth Put the turkey in a saucepan with the stock, 2 of the garlic cloves, peppercorns, bay, salt and oregano. Simmer gently for 55 to 60 minutes, until the meat is tender. Lift out the turkey, cool, and shred the meat, discarding bones. Strain the broth.
  2. Char the vegetables Heat a dry frying pan over a medium-high heat. Char the peppers, onion and the 2 other garlic cloves for 20 to 30 minutes, turning, until blackened in places. Peel the peppers and garlic, remove the seeds and slice the peppers and onion.
  3. Cook the base Heat the oil in a saucepan and cook the charred vegetables for 10 minutes. Add the tomatoes and cook for 5 to 8 minutes.
  4. Finish Return the shredded turkey and the broth to the pan. Add the lime and lemon juices and zest and simmer for 5 to 10 minutes. The turkey must be piping hot, with no pink. Season to taste.
  5. Serve Ladle into bowls and top with tortilla chips, coriander and lime slices.

Food safety

Check that the turkey is cooked through, with no pink. Cool leftovers quickly and reheat until piping hot.

Add the citrus at the end. Cooked long, it turns bitter.

Fry the tortilla strips yourself for a better texture, as the first recipe does.

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