When you think of Mexican cuisine your first thought is likely not pasta, but Aarón Sanchez' Sopa Seca might make you think again. According to Aarón, sopa seca – which means dry soup – is a foreign food that's been given "a Latin twist, subbing cilantro for basil, cotija or queso fresco for Parmesan, and spice for subtlety." A homemade roasted tomato-chile de arbol salsa gives this dish, traditional in many Mexican families' Easter celebrations, a fresh kick of flavor.
Aarón Sánchez, the son of celebrated Mexican cookbook author, Zarela Martinez, is chef of Mestizo by Aarón Sánchez near Kansas City, and is host of the Food Network's Heat Seekers, Chefs vs. City, Chopped, and Best Thing I Ever Ate as well as the new series, Motochefs, on Utilisima.
