2 tablespoons olive oil 1 small onion, chopped 8 cups Basic Chicken Stock, recipe follows 1 teaspoon chopped garlic 1 bay leaf 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano 3 or 4 peppercorns 2 fresh chiltepin chiles, see Cook's Note* Corn oil, for frying 4 corn tortillas, cut in strips 2 cups Salsa Fresca, recipe follows Salt and freshly ground black pepper 1 ripe avocado, sliced thin 1 lime, cut in 12 wedges 3/4 cup grated Monterey jack cheese
Heat the oil in a large pot and saute the onion until soft. Add the Basic Chicken Stock, garlic, bay leaf, oregano, peppercorns, and chiltepin and simmer for 1 hour.
While the soup is simmering, fill a deep saucepan with corn oil to a depth of 2 inches and heat to 375 degrees F. (If you don't have an oil thermometer, heat the oil until a piece of tortilla dropped in the oil sizzles immediately, but don't let the oil start smoking.) Fry the tortillas strips until golden brown and crisp. Drain strips on paper towels. Alternative method: If you prefer not to deep-fry, brush the tortillas lightly with oil before cutting them into strips, and bake on a cookie sheet in a preheated 350 degree F oven until dry and crisp.
When the soup has simmered 1 hour, puree 1 1/2 cups of the Salsa Fresca and add it to the soup. Remove from the heat. Season, to taste, with salt and pepper.
Divide the fried tortilla strips into 6 wide soup bowls. Add 2 or 3 slices of avocado, a lime wedge, and some grated cheese to each bowl. Pour in the hot broth, add a dollop of salsa, and serve immediately, with the additional lime wedges on the side.
*Cook's Note: Chiltepin chiles are available in the Southwest. You may substitute other tiny dried peppers sold in cellophane packets in many stores, such as pequins, Thais, or japones, or use 1 1/2 teaspoons dried red chile flakes.
from California Sizzles Easy and Distinctive Recipes for a Vibrant Lifestyle
INGREDIENTS:
1 large onion, sliced 8 garlic cloves, minced 6 Tablespoons vegetable oil, plus additional for frying tortillas 7 green chiles, stemmed and seeded 4 cups water 5 tomatoes, seeded and chopped 8 cups chicken broth Salt and Pepper to taste 12 corn tortillas, cut into strips 1-1/2 cups shredded Monterey Jack cheese 2 avocados
TO PREPARE:
1. In a stock pot, cook onion and garlic in 4 Tablespoons oil over medium heat, stirring until soft. Increase heat and add chiles, stirring to avoid burning. Cook for 1 minute or until soft. Remove 1 chile and cut into 10 strips, reserve for garnish. 2. To the pot, add 4 cups water and tomatoes and bring the liquid to a boil. Simmer mixture for 30 minutes. 3. In a blender, puree the mixture in batches. 4. In pot, heat 2 Tablespoons of remaining oil over medium heat until hot, but not smoking. Return the puree and cook, stirring for 5 minutes. Stir in the broth, salt and pepper. Simmer soup for 15 minutes. 5. In a large skillet, heat 1/2-inch of additional oil over high heat until hot, but not smoking. Fry the tortilla strips in batches, stirring for 30 seconds until crisp. Transfer to paper towels to drain. 6. Divide fried tortillas among 10 heated bowls. Pour the soup over them and top each one with 1 strip of the reserved chile. Sprinkle each serving with some shredded cheese and top soup with sliced avocado wedges.
NOTE: Serve with warm buttered tortillas and a fresh fruit salad.
SERVES: 10
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