Sunday Soup #71: Carnitas Caldo

I was out of town last weekend, so there was no soup... But, this Sunday, it was soup's on again! This soup caught Becky's attention a few weeks ago, and it seemed like it would be good for the crowd tonight (particularly since we already had some leftover cooked carnitas!), so I decided to give this one a try.

This recipe came from: https://www.gimmesomeoven.com/carnitas-caldo-carnitas-soup/

*Pic 1 - https://www.gimmesomeoven.com/carnitas-caldo-carnitas-soup/

Variations from Recipe as Written: I used minced garlic rather than slicing up cloves. I did not use any arugula (nobody here really likes it). And, although it didn't really specify, I seeded the serrano peppers because I was making the soup for some folks that like their fare a bit milder.

General Thoughts: The prep on this one was fairly simple, if you've already got some carnitas cooked up and ready to go. Becky and Lisa share a recipe for some really yummy carnitas, and Lisa had made a bunch up for a beach party several weeks ago, freezing the leftovers. So, I had some ready to roll... If you don't, or don't have a recipe you really like, I suggest going for some pre-cooked carnitas, like Del Real Foods (https://delrealfoods.com/products/carnitas/), which you can often find at grocery stores like Costco or Safeway.

*Pics 2 & 3 - Pictures from when I made it

I actually loved working with the chayote, as it was a new ingredient for me. I have heard it described as a Mexican squash but, when I ate a piece raw, it tasted a bit more like jicama than any squash I've ever had. The texture was kind of like a very firm cucumber when it was raw, but it cooked up nice and soft, and had a nice fresh taste.

The flavor was pretty solid... Obviously, the taste of this soup has a lot to do with the recipe you used for the carnitas. But, the potential is there for it to be rich, smoky, and spicy. My end result had hints of all of those things, and a good profile overall, but the flavors could have been a little stronger. The dumplings were an interesting surprise; they were easier than I thought they'd be to make and they tasted better than expected. The potato-masa dumplings turned out soft and flavorful and, together with the avocado, they added a creaminess that was delightful!

Potential Improvements? Despite the fact that I liked this one very much, there are definitely some improvements to be made, in my opinion... First, I would rather have carnitas that are cut in larger chunks (more like a chunked pork shoulder) rather than shredded, like we had tonight. Next, if I were making this for myself, I would enjoy some stronger flavors, particularly some cumin and some smoked salt, or even a touch of liquid smoke, to give it a bit more smoky flavor. I might also add a bit more spice, by leaving in the serranos' seeds. Finally, a bit more broth would have been appreciated, as was mentioned by several of my guests.

Polling the Fam: I really liked this one and would make it again, particularly with the improvements above. Becky thought it was really good, but said she would have enjoyed more dumplings. Jayson thought it was good, saying he really liked it and found it to be kind of like a deconstructed carnitas burrito. He mentioned he wanted more broth and wanted to try it with some cheese in top. Lisa thought it was really good, but brought up that it could have used more spice, such as cumin. Hunter said he really liked it and that he wouldn't change anything. Fox just said it was "okay."

Verdict: Liked it. (4 stars)