Sopa Paraguaya
Sopa Paraguaya is a type of cornbread made for special occasions in Paraguay. This recipe is the best that I have found that replicates the authentic flavor.
Sopa Paraguaya is a type of cornbread made for special occasions in Paraguay. This recipe is the best that I have found that replicates the authentic flavor.
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
- 1/4 cup olive oil
- 2/3 cup milk
- 3 egg yolks
- 3 egg whites
- 1 tablespoon parmesan cheese grated
- 2 tablespoons butter (softened)
- 1 1/2 cups corn kernels (or cut from 3 ears of corn)
- 1 1/2 cups cornmeal
- 1 1/2 cups muenster cheese (freshly grated)
- 1/2 cup onions (coarsely chopped)
- Carbohydrate 37.1013898225055 g
- Cholesterol 571.242082888889 mg
- Fat 19.6989230194077 g
- Fiber 3.5563111735368 g
- Protein 19.6314649642686 g
- Saturated Fat 7.42716521543077 g
- Serving Size 1 1 Serving (195g)
- Sodium 198.123254704223 mg
- Sugar 33.5450786489687 g
- Trans Fat 1.10479464886877 g
- Calories 396 calories
Step-by-step
- Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. With a pastry brush coat the bottom and sides of an 8 1/2 or 9 inch square shallow baking dish with 1 tablespoon of the soft butter, then scatter 1 tablespoon of grated parmesan over the bottom of the dish. Tip the dish from side to side to spread the cheese evenly on the buttered surfaces and set the dish aside.
- Place the corn in a food processor and puree at high speed. In a large bowl, combine the pureed corn, cornmeal, milk, 1/4 cup olive oil, grated cheese, salt and cayenne pepper, and mix thoroughly.
- In a heavy 8 to 10 inch skillet, heat the remaining tablespoon of oil over moderate heat. Add the onions and cook, stirring frequently, for 4 or 5 minutes, or until they are soft and transparent but not brown. Scrape the onions into the corn and cornmeal mixture.
- Beat the egg whites until they are firm enough to form unwavering peaks on the beater when it is lifted out of the bowl. Beat the egg yolks in a separate bowl until they are thick and lemon colored, then fold them into the egg whites. Gently but thoroughly fold the combined eggs into the corn mixture, then pour it into the prepared baking dish.
- Dot the top with the remaining 1 tablespoon of soft butter. Bake in the middle of the oven for 45 minutes.
Golden-brown edges pull away from the baking dish while the center remains dense, moist, and deeply savory from a heavy dose of Muenster cheese. This traditional preparation relies on a careful balance of starches and dairy fats rather than traditional leaveners to achieve its signature texture. Pureeing fresh corn kernels releases natural starches that thicken the batter when exposed to dry oven heat set at 400 degrees. Olive oil and butter coat the cornmeal granules, preventing them from hydrating too rapidly and turning the interior into a gummy paste.
Chemical Structure and Aeration
Whipping egg whites separately introduces air pockets that expand during the 45 minutes of baking, compensating for the heavy weight of the cheese and cornmeal. Folding yolks into the whites first creates a stable emulsion that incorporates smoothly into the dense corn base without deflating the air cells. Onions must be sweated gently for four to five minutes over moderate heat; unsoftened raw onions release too much water mid-bake, creating pockets of steam that disrupt the crumb structure. Coating the interior of an 8.5-inch square baking dish with softened butter and a dusting of parmesan cheese establishes a non-stick barrier that encourages browning.
- Over-browning occurs if the oven runs hot; tent the dish with foil if the top darkens before the center sets.
- Using pre-shredded cheese introduces anti-caking starches that alter the moisture balance and prevent proper melting.
- Skipping the onion-slicing step ruins the distribution of savory notes throughout the heavy batter.
