Paraguayan "Soup" Cheesy Corn Bread

Paraguayan "Soup" Cheesy Corn Bread is a classic Paraguayan dish with a long history. The story goes that Governor Don Carlos Antonio Lopez (1841-1862) liked a cream soup enriched with cornmeal. One day the cook added too much cornmeal to the soup and didn’t have time to prepare another batch. So she baked it in a clay oven and created “solid soup.” The Governor loved it and named it sopa paraguaya. This beloved rich, dense bread is traditionally served at asados (barbecues), during Holy Week and at weddings. Ricotta cheese may be substituted for the queso fresco.

Recipe Ingredients:

1 medium onion, finely chopped
1/2 cup water
1 teaspoon salt
6 tablespoons (3/4 stick) butter, softened
6 to 8 ounces queso fresco, crumbled or ricotta cheese
4 large eggs
2 cups yellow corn meal
1 (12-ounce) can NESTLÉ® CARNATION® Evaporated Milk

Cooking Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 375ºF (175ºC). Grease 9-inch-round baking pan.
2. Bring onions, water and salt to a boil in medium saucepan or skillet. Cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally, for about 10 minutes or until onion is softened. Allow to cool.
3. Beat butter and cheese until well mixed. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Add onion mixture; mix well. Beat in corn meal alternately with evaporated millk. (Mixture will be soupy.) Pour into prepared pan.
4. Bake for 40 to 45 minutes or until wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean. Cut into wedges and serve warm.

Makes 12 servings.

Nutritional Information Per Serving (1/12 of recipe): Calories: 230 Calories from Fat: 90 Total Fat: 10 g Saturated Fat: 6 g Cholesterol: 100 mg Sodium: 300 mg Carbohydrates: 26 g Dietary Fiber: 1 g Sugars: 3 g Protein: 8 g.

Recipe and photograph are the property of Nestlé® and Meals.com, used with permission.