Tortilla soup by Cool Chile
Soup is very important to Mexicans, no comida corrida (main meal) is complete without it. They make soups special by providing lots of garnishes to 'pimp' your soup, dress this soup to bring to the table and then offer people extra, to add as they like, "al gusto".
Serves 4 persons.
1 tin of tomatoes (drained)
1 fresh tomato (roasted)
1/2 tsp dried Epazote
(or 2 sprigs coriander)
500ml vegetable oil (for frying)
1 Chile Pasilla chillies (snipped into rings)
1/2 a white onion (diced)
1/2 a green chilli (deseed if you wish and minced)
750ml of chicken stock
1/4- 1/2 tsp salt (or to taste)
1 small avocado (diced)
2 tbsp of creme fraiche (thinned with a little water so you cam drizzle).
1 lime (cut into wedges)
Roast the tomato under the grill, turing once to blacken both sides. Put into a jug suitable for a stick blender, with the drained tinned tomatoes, sprigs of coriander or dried epazote and blitz.
Heat the oil in a saucepan to 180°C, fry the strips of tortilla until crisp, drain on paper, reserve.
Pour away all but 1-2 tbs of the oil, put on a medium low heat, quick fry the pasilla rings, removing with a slotted spoon to kitchen paper, be careful not to burn.
Then fry the onions and green chilli in the same oil until sweet and fragrant. Add the tomato puree, it will spit so be careful. Stir until it thickens and darkens.
The add the 3 cups of the stock, and more until it is a brothy consistency. Simmer gently until the flavours meld. Adjust the seasoning with salt.
To serve, divide the tortilla strips between the bowls, ladle on the soup, drizzle with creme fraiche, dot with avocado cubes and add a few fried pasilla rings. Serve with lime on the side.