Mexican Tortilla Soup

Mexican Tortilla Soup

This is one of my favourite of all the authentic Sopa de Tortilla or Mexican tortilla soup.

It’s best if you make it with a rich home-made chicken stock made from scratch. I was shown different versions by great Mexican cooks in Monterey and Seattle on how to make this an authentic soup. Using chicken feet and tripe to give the broth more of a gelatinous consommé taste along with adding a small amount of good tequila made each trial a better batch.

Cut up a chicken into a big pot of boiling water along with a couple stalks of celery, some carrots, green pepper and onion and let it cook until the vegetables are very well stewed and the chicken meat is falling off the bones. About one and a half hours on a slow rolling simmer. With a strainer remove the chicken parts and set aside to cool. Now at room temperature pull all the meat off the bones. Strain the rest of the broth through a strainer and toss all the skin and solids. You now have a most delicious vegetable flavoured chicken stock for any kind of chicken soup. Now that you have a tasty stock, keep it on the stove and follow these next simple steps.

You will need;

2 tablespoons olive oil

1 large onion, chopped

4 cloves garlic, minced

1 jalapeno pepper, seeded and minced

1 teaspoon ground cumin

1 teaspoon dried oregano

6 cups rich chicken stock or canned, low-sodium chicken broth

2 tablespoon tomato paste

2 very ripe tomatoes or use 1 28 oz. can whole tomatoes

1 medium zucchini, diced

1 pound cooked chicken, shredded

1/4 cup fresh cilantro, chopped

juice of one fresh lime

4 corn tortillas, cut into 1/4″ strips (stale are best)

1 cup Mexican Cotija cheese shredded or Monterrey Jack

1 avocado, sliced or cut into chunks about 1″

Slice avocados right at the last before serving the soup.

PREPARATION

Heat the oil in a large soup pot over medium heat.

Add the onion, garlic, jalapeño, cumin and oregano.

Cook, stirring frequently, until onion is soft.

Add chicken stock, tomato paste, tomatoes, zucchini, shredded chicken, cilantro and lime juice. Bring to a boil, then lower heat to simmer and let cook 30 minutes, stirring occasionally.

While the soup simmers, prepare the condiments:

Preheat oven to 350.

Oil a baking sheet with cooking oil , spread tortilla strips in a single layer on sheet and toss a few times to take on some of the oil.

Bake 5-6 minutes until crisp and lightly browned. Set aside.

Grate cheese and set aside.

Slice avocados right at the last before serving the soup.

To serve, place 2-3 tbs shredded cheese and 6-8 tortilla strips in each bowl. Ladle in soup, add 3-5 chunks of avocado and sprinkle with a little more cheese and a few tortilla strips along with  a sprig or two of cilantro.

Add a small dollop of sour cream before serving.

Pass the Margarita’s Por favor!