Big surprise: It got cold again. Thank the culinary heavens for fragrant, warm tortilla soup made from a deep, earthy broth and elevated to meal status with pieces of shredded chicken, tangy cheese and palate-cooling avocado.
Marilee’s Tortilla Soup
Eugenia Bone, author of the cookbook and memoir “At Mesa’s Edge,” collected this recipe from her western Colorado neighbor, who typically makes the recipe with pheasant broth from her own birds. Chicken stock will do just as well, so long as it’s strong and, preferably, homemade. Use stale tortillas to make the crunchy garnish because they absorb less oil. And don’t be afraid to experiment with other garnishes, such as sliced radishes, cooked pheasant or chicken, chopped fresh tomatoes or corn, boiled and cut off the cob. We made this recipe using stock from the bones of a smoked turkey, and it was incredibly tasty.
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 medium onion, chopped
- 4-6 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 1 quart warm pheasant broth or low-sodium or homemade chicken broth
- Salt, to taste
- 1 medium tomato, peeled, seeded and pureed, or 1/2 cup canned tomato puree
- 1-4 tablespoons hot sauce, depending on your taste
- 1/2 cup vegetable oil – corn, safflower or other oil, but not olive oil
- About 40 strips cut from corn tortillas
- 1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro, for garnish
- 1/4 cup chopped avocado, for garnish
- 1/4 cup grated Monterey Jack cheese, for garnish
- 1 lime, cut into four wedges
Directions
Heat the olive oil in a soup pot over medium heat. Add the onion and garlic and sauté until they soften, about 5 minutes. Add the flour and stir to coat the vegetables. Continue cooking, stirring all the while to prevent scorching, for 3-5 minutes, or until the flour begins to brown. Add the broth, 1 cup at a time, stirring as your pour it in. Season with salt to taste. Turn the heat down to medium-low and allow the soup to simmer for a few minutes. Add the puréed tomato and hot sauce. Stir to combine well and continue cooking for 20 to 30 minutes.
Meanwhile, heat the vegetable oil in a small skillet over high heat until it is very hot. You can test to see if the oil is ready by placing one tortilla strip in the oil. If it bubbles violently, place all the tortilla strips in the oil. Fry them until they are golden brown, a few minutes. Use a slotted spoon to transfer the strips to paper towels to drain.
To assemble the dish, divide the soup among four bowls. Garnish each bowl with a quarter of the tortilla strips and 1 tablespoon each of the cilantro, avocado and cheese. Serve with a lime wedge.
– Dana Coffield
