The best summers in Texas are those spent indoors. For three months the heat blazes and iced tea becomes a daily necessity, along with light delicious fare. With summer staples like sweet yellow corn and squash readily available, thoughts of barbeques, picnics and bowls of caldo brimming with vegetables fill my head. Infinitely adaptable, simple and sublime, caldo vegetal is a Mexican vegetable soup that begins with a basic stock and results in a trifecta of spicy, tangy, cheesy harmony.

A veritable laundry list of vegetables are first sautéed in a great big pot with plenty of onions and garlic. Gently rubbing the herbs between my hands, the heady aroma of Mexican oregano infuses the squash, carrots, jalapeños and green chilies with a warm, earthy essence.  Chicken stock fills the pot, mingling with smoky ground cumin, coriander and fresh cilantro. Sneaking in for a taste, the slow burn of the spicy broth and chilies serves up just the right amount of heat to slurp and savor the rich complexity of flavors. As the caldo gently bubbles on the stovetop, big rounds of corn bathe in the simmering broth. In shallow bowls, yellow squash and zucchini peak out from under the golden liquid as sprigs of cilantro and fresh limes lay alongside crunchy tortilla chips and sweet corn. Difficult as it may be to disturb this beautiful arrangement, a generous sprinkling of cheese goes on top followed by a less than delicate stir until the caldo is delightfully messy looking. Simple, delicious and completely casual, caldo vegetal is light summer fare at its best and a soup worthy of cranking up the air conditioning

Caldo Vegetal (Mexican Vegetable Soup)

Serves 6-8

3 Tbsp of light olive oil

1 medium yellow onion, chopped

2 celery stalks, sliced

3 carrots, peeled and sliced

1 zucchini squash, sliced in half lengthwise and quartered

1 yellow squash, sliced in half lengthwise and quartered

4 cloves of garlic, minced

2 jalapeños, seeded and minced

1 Tbsp + 1 tsp of canned, mild green chilies, chopped

½ tsp Mexican oregano

2 quarts low-sodium chicken stock

1 (14 oz) can regular chicken stock

1 (28 oz) can whole peeled tomatoes in puree, drained and roughly chopped

1 tsp ground cumin

1 tsp ground coriander

½ tsp kosher salt

1 tsp pepper

½ cup cilantro, chopped

2 ears of corn, shucked and quartered

Garnish:

Cilantro sprigs

Lime wedges

Monterrey Jack Cheese

Sliced avocado

Tortilla Chips

In a large stock pot, warm the oil over medium heat and sauté the onion through the oregano in a covered pot until the onion is translucent and soft. Add the chicken stock, tomatoes, cumin, coriander, cilantro, kosher salt and pepper. Bring to a boil and simmer uncovered for 25-35 minutes until the vegetables are tender. Add the corn and simmer for an additional 10 minutes. Garnish with cilantro sprigs, lime wedges, Monterrey Jack cheese, sliced avocado and tortilla chips.