Tortilla Soup

Over Thanksgiving break I put my culinary skills to the test by making a Mexican dish known as Tortilla Soup. I grew up eating this authentic meal thus I wanted to make sure that it would taste as authentic as possible. I looked over the recipe found in my IRQ book and saw that it was highly similar to the recipe my family knows and loves. Thus, I followed the recipe step by step and was highly pleased once we all sat down to eat and everyone was pleased and satisfied with the recipe. I encourage you all to take over dinner once in your household and wow your family members with this dish at home.

Recipe (Serves 8)

5 dried Ancho Chile peppers, stems and seeds removed

Hot Water

3 tbsp Olive Oil

2 packs of fried tortilla strips

1 onion, chopped

4 cloves of garlic, chopped

1/2 tsp dried oregano

1/2 tsp salt

1 can (28 oz) tomatoes with juice

8 cups chicken stock

2 tbsp fresh lime juice

3 cups shredded Monterrey Jack Cheese

1 avocado, diced

1/2 cup sour cream

1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro

1. Heat a dry large skillet over medium heat. Open up dried chiles so they are as flat as possible and place them in the skillet, Using a spatula to press down on them, toast the chiles for about 30 seconds on each side, or until pliable. Be careful not to burn them. Transfer to a bowl, cover with hot water and soak until soft, about 20 minutes. Drain,discarding soaking liquid, and roughly chop chiles.

2. Add onion to the pot and saute until softened, 3 to 4 minutes. Add garlic, oregano and salt; saute for 1 minute. Add chiles, 1 pack of tortilla strips, tomatoes with juice and stock; reduce heat to medium and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer for 40 minutes to blend the flavors.

3. Using a food processor or blender in batches, puree soup until smooth. Return to the pot, and bring to a simmer. Stir in lime juice. Taste and adjust seasoning with lime juice and salt, if necessary. 

4. Divide chicken, cheese and avocado among heated bowls and top with soup. Garnish with sour cream, cilantro, tortilla strips and lime wedges.

The author, Snyder, suggests that you buy your avocados a couple days in advance and let them ripen on your counter-top as grocery store bought avocados are not the ripest.

Unlike Snyder proposed in the book, I boiled my own chicken breasts (3 breasts) in a separate pot instead of using rotisserie chicken.

Hope you take on the challenge and prepare this at home,
Thank you for reading.

Snapshot of my bowl.

Snyder, Carla, and Meredith Deeds. 300 Sensational Soups. Toronto: R. Rose, 2008. Print.