Paraguayan Sopa

What is it?

Sopa paraguaya (Paraguayan soup, if we translate literally), is one of the most popular dishes in Paraguay. But it’s not soup!! It’s a sort of corn bread, with onions and cheese inside, and can be eaten at breakfast, or at dinner time with some meat or poultry and a salad.

It can be done either with corn flour or with corn grains (maize) or with both. You can also use canned creamed corn. It also has different cheeses so once done, it is creamy and very tasty. This “soup” is made in the homes of all Paraguayans for the holidays and parties, and it is always welcomed!

Recipe

Ingredients:
1 pound corn flour
2 big onions,
thinly sliced
1 cup milk
2 cans creamed corn or 2 cups cooked corn grains
Salt
4 eggs
1 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1 cup of creamy cheese, grated or cut in small pieces
¼ cup oil
½ chopped red pepper

Preparation:

In a frying pan, put the onions, the pepper and let them fry for some minutes, until they are half done, onions should be transparent-looking.
In a large bowl put the cooked corn grains, (or the creamed corn or both), add the corn flour in parts, combining them with the milk. Add the cheeses and beat all well. Add the onions mixture, and the 4 eggs. Beat thoroughly. Put the mixture in an oiled pan, take it to a 420º degrees pre heated oven. It should be done in 30 minutes, or until it is golden on top. Let it stand for a few minutes after taken from the oven, before serving it.

You can also make it into a soufflé if you put the egg yolks and then the egg whites beaten snow dry, and carefully adding them at the last minute with soft movements. The soufflé must be served right after coming from the oven.