Sopa de Fideo with Tuna

📝 Ingredients

• 300 g wheat vermicelli (dry weight)
• 3 tins tuna in spring water (312 g drained)
• 1 tin of sweetcorn (140 g drained)
• 1 tin of chopped tomatoes (400 g)
• 1 brown onion (about 100 g)
• 2 garlic cloves
• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 1 tsp ground cumin
• 1 tsp dried oregano
• 2 chicken stock cubes + 1.5 L hot water
• 1 lime (cut into wedges)
• Salt, black pepper

🍴 Utensils

• Large stockpot
• Wooden spoon
• Tin opener
• Knife
• Chopping board
• Ladle

📖 Steps

1. Peel and finely chop the onion and garlic. Drain the tuna and sweetcorn. Dissolve the stock cubes in 1.5 L hot water. If the vermicelli comes in nests or long strands, break it into pieces of about 3 cm.
2. Toast the vermicelli in the dry stockpot over medium heat for 4 to 5 min, stirring constantly with the wooden spoon, until evenly golden brown. It burns quickly: turn down the heat if it darkens too much. Set aside in a bowl.
3. Pour the oil into the same stockpot over medium heat. Fry the onion for 4 min until translucent, then add the garlic, cumin and oregano and stir for 30 seconds, just until the spices are fragrant.
4. Add the chopped tomatoes and cook for 5 min over medium heat, stirring, until the sauce thickens slightly and darkens a little: this is what gives the broth its colour and flavour.
5. Pour in the hot stock, bring to the boil, then add the toasted vermicelli. Cook for 6 to 8 min over medium-low heat, stirring now and then so it doesn't stick to the bottom, until tender.
6. Add the sweetcorn and the tuna, broken into large chunks, then heat through for 2 min without stirring too much so the tuna stays in pieces. Taste, add salt only if needed as the stock is already salty, and season with pepper.
7. Serve straight away in bowls with the lime wedges, to squeeze over each bowl as you eat: the acidity lifts the tomato and cumin.