Tortilla Soup

Tortilla Soup
Yield
4-6servings
Yield
4-6servings
Tortilla Soup
Yield
4-6servings
Yield
4-6servings
Ingredients
  • 1large dried pasilla chilestemmed and seeded
  • 115-ounce can diced tomatoes in juicepreferably fire-roasted (or 4 roma tomatoes, roasted)
  • 2tablespoons vegetable oil
  • 1medium white onionsliced 1/4-inch thick
  • 3each garlic clovespeeled
  • 1teaspoon epazote
  • 2quarts chicken stock
  • 4each chicken legs
  • 1large avacodopitted, flesh scooped from the skin and cut into 1/4-inch cubes
  • 1 1/2cups shredded Mexican melting cheeseMonterey Jack, brick or mild cheddar, 6 ounces
  • 4cups tortilla stripsfried in oil.
  • 1/2cup Mexican cremasour cream or creme fraîche for garnish
  • 1large limecut into 6 wedges, for serving
Yield:
Instructions
  1. Quickly toast the chile by turning it an inch or two above an open flame for a few seconds until its aroma fills the kitchen. Break the chile into pieces and put in a blender along with the tomatoes with their juice. (A food processor will work, though it won’t completely puree the chile.)
  2. Heat the oil in a medium (4-quart) saucepan over medium-high. Add the onion and garlic and cook, stirring frequently, until golden, about 7 minutes. Scoop up the onion and garlic with a slotted spoon, pressing them against the side of the pan to leave behind as much oil as possible, and transfer to the blender. Process until smooth.
  3. Return the pan to medium-high heat. When quite hot, add the puree and stir nearly constantly, until thickened to the consistency of tomato paste, about 6 minutes. Add the broth, chicken and epazote, if using. Reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer for 25 minutes. Once the chicken is cooked pull out the chicken and chop or shred the chicken meat and put back into the pot. While the chicken is cooking, fry the tortilla strips in oil.
  4. Taste and season with salt, usually about a generous teaspoon (depending on the saltiness of the broth).
  5. Just before serving, divide the avocado, cheese and tortilla chips between serving bowls. ladle the soup into the bowls. Garnish with the crema. Pass the lime separately.