Making a Memory from Marta’s Cuban American Kitchen

My uncle, who’s here in the states visiting from Cuba, is back in Miami now. What was really fun about having him here was that he was so willing to put on an apron and cook with me.
“Let’s try this.”
“Let’s add that.”
“You know what would be really great?”
I was loving it. Some of my very best memories have been made in the kitchen. In the kitchen, sharing secret ingredients, making suggestions, preparing the meal, setting the table – it’s like a universal language that speaks of love and comfort and abundance.
By the way, he gave me an awesome recipe for boniatillo, which I will be extremely happy to share with you after I come back from Miami with some boniatos, but that’s not important right now. =D
“I know a great way to make a quick sopa de platano.”
Sopa de platano? Shut. Up. (Insert heavy sigh here.) I wasn’t craving it until he said it. Seriously. That’s all it took for my memory and my taste buds to join forces.
Sopa de plantano!
I was all over it…
“Let’s try making the sofrito first.”
“Let’s add some cumin.”
“You know what would be really great? Avocado!”
And so we cooked, side by side, and made a memory…
And an AMAZING sopa de platano. 😉

Sopa de Platano de Timbiriche
2 cups crushed plantain chips
8 cups chicken broth
2 Tbsp. Olive oil
1 small onion – finely chopped
2 cloves garlic – crushed
1 tsp. Ground cumin
1 ripe avocado (sliced)
2 limes cut into wedges
1) Heat the olive oil and sauté onion and garlic together until onion is translucent.

2) Combine the rest of the ingredients with the onion and garlic in a large pot over medium heat, stir constantly for about 20 minutes until well blended and soup starts to thicken. NOTE: do not be afraid to add more water if you like it soupier.
3) In a blender, purée the soup mixture in batches until you get a smooth consistency (be super careful when blending hot liquid).

4) Add a few slices of avocado as a garnish.
5) Squeeze lime over soup into individual bowls.
6) Make it with someone you love. It tastes so much better that way. =D