Tlalpeño broth: a chilango story

Forgive me, Oaxacans and Yucatecos, but CDMX is the cauldron of popular food in the country. No one can deny that chilaquiles, quesadillas with and without cheese, tlacoyos, and tortas have their sacred temple in Chilangolandia. And yet, unlike other states with highly esteemed typical food, the capital does not shine for its regional cuisine as much as for the popular. Or else, how many times have you come across mythical enchiladas from the capital, a traditional mole from Tepito, or a Cuauhtémoc adobo? This is why caldo tlalpeño is one of those standards to which we must cling like a heroic child. Caldo tlalpeño – from Tlalpan – is a state emblem. Back then, when the caldo originated, Tlalpan was not part of the DF; it was one of the surrounding towns that orbited the great capital like heliocentric planets. On weekends, it was common to visit those areas to have a drink or two in a cantina or, if you were coming from a party and just wanted to get out of it, there was everything to cure it. One theory about the origin of this caldo names Doña Pachita. She had her food stand next to the tram that reached the town. Among the dishes she sold to train users, none was like her caldo. Spoonful by spoonful, the Tlalpan caldo became famous for its flavor and its revitalizing effects. The rest is history. That spicy and abundant infusion is better than any electrolyte concoction: it is an elixir to recover the strength of the soul and the dehydrated body. We have plenty of recipes for caldo tlalpeño. You know: everyone has their own spoon and rules. Titita, the beloved chef behind the El Bajío restaurant, recommends making it without shortcuts for it to turn out better: “You have to do it all the time with chicken, plenty of water, good vegetables, and a lot of patience.” Zahie Téllez, the chef expert in Mexican spoon dishes, reveals that “the secret is to blend the leaves of mint and cilantro once it begins to boil to add an herbal note to the caldo.” For Pepe Salinas, the chef in charge of Balcón del Zócalo, “the caldo should be super clear, potent in flavor and spiciness, but always clear. To achieve this, you have to hydrate the chiles well in vinegar and give them a light toast.” He grinds them with enough water; fries that base of chiles with spices, garlic, and onion in lard, and removes them from the heat until the fat begins to sizzle. In the end, he strains everything. Next to him, my advice lacks great science. I like to sauté the chopped vegetables in enough butter infused with bay leaf – or ghee. Only when the chicken is almost ready do I incorporate them into the caldo. This prevents the vegetables from overcooking, makes them look nice on the plate, and retains all their properties. If you have any doubts, Chef Zahie Téllez shares her caldo tlalpeño recipe with us. I don’t know about you, but these days of knitted sweaters and wool socks make me crave crossing them with a clay bowl in hand. Zahie's Caldo Tlalpeño2 cooked and shredded chicken breasts1½ liters of chicken broth in which the breasts were cooked1 cup of cooked chickpeas250 g of diced and cooked carrots½ chopped onion for frying½ chopped onion to serve on top of the caldo350 g of roasted tomatoes2 cloves of garlicOil for frying1 sprig of epazote¼ cup of cilantro leaves¼ cup of mint leaves2 adobo chipotle chilesAvocado to tasteSalt and pepperIn a pot, heat a little oil and add the garlic, onion, and tomato. Let it cook for about 5 minutes. Once they are sautéed, blend them with a bit of the broth and set aside. Add the remaining broth to a pot and heat over medium heat. Once it boils, add the sprig of epazote. Take a bit of this broth and blend the mint and cilantro in it, then add it back to the broth. Incorporate the cooked chickpeas so they start to season, and also the chipotle chiles. Add the already cooked vegetables for just a few minutes, to absorb the flavor of the chile. To serve, add the shredded chicken, the chopped onion, and the avocado to taste – which we always love a lot –.