TRADITIONAL MEXICAN TORTILLA SOUP

• μερίδες: 6 servings
• χρόνος ενεργούς προετοιμασίας: 20 minutes
• συνολικός χρόνος: 2 hours 20 minutes

Υλικά

1 whole chicken (about 4lbs)

8 cups of water

3 bay leaves

3 garlic cloves

4 sticks of celery

1/2 white onion

1 large carrot

3 tbsp kosher salt

1 tbsp oregano

black pepper to taste

2 dried guajillo peppers

2 dried ancho peppers

5 roma tomatoes

3 garlic cloves

1/2 white onion, peeled

salt and pepper to taste

2 cups of water

1lb white corn tortillas, cut into small strips (about 1cm or less than 1/2″)

1-liter canola oil for frying (sunflower oil is a good substitute)

3 cups shredded chicken

10 oz. soft white cheese, cut into small cubes (fresh panela is traditional, but good substitutes are Oaxaca cheese or mozzarella)

1/3 cup cotija cheese, crumbled (queso fresco is a good substitute – if you can’t find either, just omit)

6 tbsp, Mexican crema (substitute with creme fraîche or sour cream)

1 avocado cut into 6 sections or into small chunks

fresh cilantro leaves for garnish

optional: 2 pasilla chiles cut into tiny pieces and fried in the same oil as the tortillas. (these burn fast, so flash fry for just 2-3 seconds)

Οδηγίες

FOR THE CHICKEN BROTH:

In a large pot, add the whole chicken along with 8 cups of water and the rest of the chicken broth ingredients. Bring to a boil and then simmer for 1 1/2 hours. Reserve the chicken and strain the broth through a colander, reserve. Once the chicken has cooled down, shred the meat and reserve.

FOR THE TOMATO CHILE SAUCE:

In a cast iron skillet set over medium heat, add the guajillo and ancho chiles and toast them for 2- 3 min, turning them occasionally to prevent them from burning, until they get a little bit brown and have developed more flavor. Remove from the pan, chop off the tops & remove the seeds.

In a medium pot set over medium heat, add the whole roma tomatoes, the toasted & de-seeded chiles & 2 cups of water. Boil until the tomatoes are soft and the chiles have hydrated completely, about 10 minutes.

Strain the tomatoes and peppers, reserving about 1/2 cup of the water. In a blender, combine the cooked tomatoes & chiles, 3 garlic cloves, 1/2 white onion and blend until smooth (add some of the reserved water if needed to achieve a smooth texture). Pass the sauce through a strainer into a medium bowl, using a spatula to push all of the liquid through the strainer.

FOR THE TORTILLA STRIPS:

In a deep pot, add the canola oil and heat up to 370*F. Cut the tortilla into little strips ( around 1cm ). Fry the tortillas, one handful at a time, until nice and lightly golden (about 1-2 minutes). Reserve on a tray with some paper to absorb the oil, reserve.

On high heat in a deep pot, combine 4 cups of chicken broth along with the tomato chile sauce, and an additional 2 cups of water. Let this boil for 15- 20 min. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

TO SERVE:

In a soup bowl add some shredded chicken, a generous amount of crispy tortilla strips, a small handful of cubed cheese, a light sprinkle of cotija. Pour about 1 1/2 cups of hot broth into the bowls, top with avocado, crema and a few sprigs of fresh cilantro. Enjoy!

Διατροφή

• Μέγεθος Μερίδας: 1 bowl