Duarte's Style Cream of Green Chile Soup
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Duarte’s Style Cream of Green Chile Soup

Course: SoupsCuisine: Southwestern, New Mexico, CaliforniaDifficulty: Easy
Servings

6

servings
Prep time

20

minutes
Cooking time

40

minutes
Total time

1

hour 

There’s a little tavern just off the coast in Pescadero, California called Duarte’s. A great place to stop for a warm lunch after a day at the coast. My favorite thing on their menu is the Cream of Green Chile soup. It’s warm, just a bit spicy, and always delicious. I was craving it, but was way too far away and decided to try to figure out how to make it at home.

I haven’t ever seen a recipe for any version of green chile soup, but I stumbled across an article about Duarte’s most famous soup, their cream of artichoke soup that was published in Saveur. After a little experimentation, I adapted that for green chile and it’s wonderful! Warm, delicious, smooth. The way the green chile and and the cream interact and mingle on the tongue. Amazing!

Note: One note about the heat level of the green chile – stick with mild or medium — it’s way easier to add heat later, if needed. But this soup isn’t about extreme heat, it’s about the divine way that the cream and heat mingle on your tongue.

Ingredients

  • 2 Tbsp butter

  • 1 onion, chopped

  • 1 head of garlic cloves, chopped

  • 2-2.5 pounds roasted, cleaned, chopped green chile (mild or medium – see note)

  • 4 cups chicken stock

  • 2 cups heavy cream

  • salt and pepper to taste

  • Lime wedges, croutons, etc. for serving

Directions

  • Melt the butter on medium high then add the onion.
  • Sweat the onion until just soft.
  • Add the garlic and cook until fragrant.
  • Add the green chile and chicken stock and stir. Bring to a boil.
  • Reduce heat to low, cover, and let simmer for 30 minutes.
  • Pour cooked soup into a blender or use an immersion blender and blend for 3-5 minutes. The soup needs to be super smooth.
    If the soup is too thick, add just enough water to get it to a soup consistency.
  • Strain the soup through a fine mesh sieve to remove any bits of chile skin, seeds, etc. and return to heat.
  • Over low, add the cream and add salt and pepper to taste.
  • Serve however you wish. I suggest with a lime or lemon wedge, garlic chiles, hot sauce, etc.