Name: Green Chileatole (Chileatole Verde)
Yield: Makes 4–6 servings as a main course
Cuisine: Mexican
Ingredients: 1 cup (about 8 ounces) young fava beans or fresh or frozen lima beans, skins removed; 6 fresh epazote sprigs, leaves only, or 3 tablespoons crumbled dried epazote; 20 Italian parsley sprigs (½ bunch); 40 cilantro sprigs (1 large bunch); 2 fresh hoja santa leaves, or 1 small bunch tarragon; 2 ounces (½ cup) sesame seeds, lightly toasted; 3 medium zucchini, cut into 2-inch lengths; 1 bunch spinach, trimmed, rinsed in several changes of water, and shaken dry; 1½–2 teaspoons salt; 3 chayotes, peeled and pitted, cut lengthwise into eighths; 2 garlic cloves, coarsely chopped; 2 large tomatillos, husks removed, rinsed, and quartered; ½ small white onion, coarsely chopped; 3–4 jalapeño chiles, stemmed, seeded, and cut into quarters; 4 cups water, Basic Chicken Stock, or any preferred stock

Preparation info

Makes
4–6
servings as a main course

Difficulty
Easy

Appears in

Zarela's Veracruz

By Zarela Martínez

Published 2001

About

This vegetable soup from María del Carmen Virués de Izaguirre, one of the best cooks in Xico, is thickened with a medley of pureed greens and aromatics with sesame seeds. Doña Carmen uses all kinds of greens or vegetables, depending on what’s in the market. I suggest that you do likewise. I’ve sometimes used tarragon for the hoja santa and replaced the chayotes or zucchini with other vegetables. Try corn kernels, green beans, peas — any firm-textured vegetable that looks inviting. Yo