Caldo de Oso (Mine Workers’ Fish Soup)

I first learned about caldo de oso from a Denver TV producer whom I knew only as Pepe. I was intrigued, because I’d never seen it on a menu, even though I’ve been to Chihuahua many times. That’s because it’s not a restaurant dish, but a beloved home-cooked meal. Pepe described in detail how his mom makes the soup, and after making it, I understood why it’s worthy of his nostalgia. How could he ever forget the intense flavor of the tomato-based broth, spiced with both anchos and pickled jalapeños? A small amount of flour is added to the base to give the broth body, a common trick in the northern states of Mexico, where wheat has a stronger presence than corn. The soup is full of vegetables and you can easily make a meal of it. The copper mine workers who are said to have originated caldo de oso traditionally made it with catfish, a freshwater fish that is abundant in Chihuahua, but the recipe also works well with other white fish.

This recipe was excerpted from 'Pati Jinich Treasures Of The Mexican Table' by Pati Jinich. Buy the full book on Amazon. Click through for more of our favorite Mexican soups and Pati Jinich's Smart Leftovers Meal Plan here →