by Robert Giles

It's funny how a meal can bring back so many memories. As the weather starts to cool down, I look forward to the chilies and soups that I know I'll be making.

One dish that I make every year was a recipe taught to me by my first husband. He loved Mexican culture and food and would often adapt many of their traditional recipes. This particular one takes the traditional sopa de fideo and turns it into a beef and potato soup with the deep flavors of cumin and chili powder. It has remained a personal favorite of mine to this day and always brings back nostalgic feelings.

As I plan my dinner around this soup I like to pair it with another favorite of mine, spicy red wine. An all-time favorite is the Breca Garnacha. Rich in flavors of black cherry, vanilla, and clove with smooth silky tannins that accentuates the ground beef and spiciness of the soup.

A newer wine to Arkansas that I fully believe will become a fantastic addition to my everyday red wines is Arzuaga's La Planta Tempranillo. This medium bodied wine has strong notes of raspberry and cherry with hints of cacao and coffee. Paired with the cumin and chili powder in the soup, this wine will complement the dark earthy flavors present.

Finally, I sometimes like to splurge a little and will buy La Rioja Alta Áster. Blackberry and blueberry flavors open this wine and finish with black pepper and clove. Gentle tannins balance out this wine and help to cut through the strong earthy flavors of the soup.

This soup is one that can be customized to your preferred flavor profile. I always like to top mine with some sliced avocado, cilantro, and a squeeze of lime. You can always adjust the flavorings or even go more traditional with tomato puree and vegetable stock replacing the beef stock. However you customize it, this is a recipe that can easily become a staple in your household and help build some lasting memories of your own. Salud!

• 1 lb. ground beef or ground chorizo
• ½ large white onion
• 3-5 cloves of garlic
• (1) 11 oz. can of corn or Mexican style corn
• 1 medium potato
• (1) 7o.z package of vermicelli
• ½ tsp. cayenne
• 3 Tbsp. cumin
• 1 Tbsp. chili powder
• 1 tsp. Mexican oregano
• 4 cups of beef broth

DIRECTIONS

1. Chop onion and garlic and set aside. Chop the potato into ½ inch cubes and set aside.
2. Brown the ground meat in a large deep skillet with salt and pepper to taste.
3. Add your spices and the onion and garlic and sauté until onions are translucent. Depending on how spicy you want it, you can leave out the cayenne. If you do not have Mexican oregano you can substitute regular oregano.
4. Add the potatoes and beef broth. Bring to a boil and then simmer for five to ten minutes.
5. Once the potatoes have become fork tender add the vermicelli and simmer for an additional three to five minutes. If you do not have vermicelli you can use angel hair pasta broken into small pieces. If you want a more soup consistency add 1 ½ cups of hot water to thin out the product.