Guajillo Sopa de Fideo with Crispy Ancho Chile

Method

1. Stock: put the thighs, water, half the onion, some of the garlic, the bay leaf and half the salt in a 20 cm pot and bring to the boil on high heat. Turn down to medium-low heat and simmer gently for 25 min, skimming. Lift out the chicken, discard skin and bones, shred the meat and strain the stock.

   Add in this stepBone-in chicken thighs 350 gWater 1,000 mlOnion ¼Garlic cloves 1¼Bay leaf 1Salt 0.4 tsp

   high heat→medium-low heat

2. Set a dry pan on medium-high heat and char the tomatoes, remaining onion and remaining garlic (in its skin) for 10 min, turning, until blackened in spots. At the end, press the guajillos flat in the pan for just 20 seconds per side to wake up their aroma. They turn bitter if burnt, so take them out as soon as they change colour and soak them in a ladle of hot stock for 10 minutes.

   Add in this stepRipe tomatoes 350 gOnion ¼Garlic cloves 1¾Dried guajillo chiles, seeded 1

   medium-high heat

3. Peel the garlic, then blend the charred vegetables and soaked guajillos (with their soaking stock) until smooth and press through a sieve for a silky purée.

4. Snip the ancho with scissors, shake out the seeds and cut it into thin strips. Heat the oil in a 18 cm pot on medium heat, fry the ancho for 10–20 seconds until crisp and lift it straight onto paper towels. Add the fideo to that flavoured oil and toast it for 3 min, stirring constantly, until deep golden.

   Add in this stepVegetable oil 2 tbspDried ancho chile ½Fideo noodles (or thin pasta broken into 3 cm pieces) 80 g

   medium heat

5. Pour in the purée (step back, it spits) and cook on medium heat for 3 min, stirring, until dark and thick.

   medium heat

6. Add about 300 ml of the strained stock per serving and the rest of the salt and simmer on medium-low heat for 8 min until the noodles are tender, adding the shredded chicken for the last 2 minutes to warm through. Taste and adjust.

   Add in this stepSalt 0.4 tsp

   medium-low heat

7. Ladle into bowls, add a spoonful of crema and top with avocado, the crispy ancho and cilantro, with lime on the side.

   Add in this stepMexican crema or sour cream 2 tbspAvocado ½Lime ½Cilantro leaves 1 tbsp