Growing up in a family with 5 girls was quite an adventure… Especially since we had no money, most of the time. My dear mother, who loathed cooking ( no doubt as it was a chore and not done to amuse our sensitive palettes) rarely ventured past the hamburger helper-esque meat and potato or meat and pasta routine. ” Huneeee! Can you stir the meat and add the cream of mushroom please! ” were words I lived with. And so it goes that once I learned to eat for the enjoyment of it I never looked back to those humble beginnings or the body I used to live within for that matter. However, since now is not the time to proclaim ” Let them eat cake! ” either, I have chosen to revamp the whole notion of peasant food~ notwithstanding my love of quality of course.  One of the staples of Mexican Cuisine is a dish called Fideo. Its truly simple fare. And so I set out to make this humble meal and Im happy to report that although created with such few ingredients, it was enjoyed with spectacular aplomb by the Pianist. ( although he could have enjoyed an old shoe Im sure If met with the same stare as I gave when I served him the Fideo ) No such pressure but Im hoping you enjoy!!!!

FIDEO

1 pound of ground beef, sauteed and seasoned well with cumin, salt and pepper. ( cumin is a mexican spice and adds a depth and smokiness to dishes that cannot be created without )

1 box of Fideo Noodles ( or inch long spaghetti type pasta )

1/2 sweet onion

6-8 cups of chicken stock

1 1/2 tablespoons of Consomee or Tomato Bouillon ( you can sub with a 4-6 oz can of tom puree )

4 tablespoons of vegetable oil

1 tablespoon of ground cumin

In a large soup pot, add oil and cumin and let toast for a second. Add in onion and saute until translucent but not browned. Add box or small bag of Fideo or pasta and allow to fry for 3 minutes, stirring frequently. The Fideo noodles will brown and this is great. The browning of the noodles created a distinct flavor and texture that is the essence of this dish. Once the fideo is browned, add in the stock and the tomato consomme or puree and stir to incorporate. Allow the stock to boil lightly for about 10 minutes or until the noodles are tender, then add in the browned ground beef. ( Brown the meat separately )

Turn heat to low and simmer for 1-2 min longer. 

Remove from heat, and serve with a few diced avocados on top~ 

There are many variations possible, such as using ground turkey or chorizo as well as adding any vegetable you may need to use tonight!  Such as Potatoes or Peas to name a few.