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the goods
stock: (optional, you can substitute 2 quarts of store bought low-sodium chicken stock) 1 chicken leafy tops off some celery stalks cilantro roots torn from a bunch of cilantro* 4 baby carrots 1 tspn peppercorns 2 tspn kosher salt
1 large onion, top and tailed and peeled. 3 cloves garlic
filtered water soup: 1-2 red bell peppers 2 large, ripe tomatoes 2-3 tomatilloes (optional)
2 jalapeno chili peppers
1 large onion 3 cloves garlic 1 tspn ground achiote (or paprika) 1 tspn cayenne pepper
1 tspn ground pasilla chili (optional)
1 lb / 450g baby carrots, peeled and diced
3 cups cooked chicken flesh 1 can black beans, drained and rinsed 1 can cannellini beans, drained and rinsed fresh mint and cilantro salt 2-3 fresh limes
fresh, hand made corn tortillas optional garnishes: jalapeno chili, diced ripe avocado, diced cotija cheese, grated fresh cilantro, chopped
*cilantro roots are full of flavour for soups, stocks
and stews. If you can find a grocer who doesn't lop
them off, then buy your cilantro there. Any unused
roots can be washed and frozen until needed.
active time: 60 minutes total time: 2 days (if making stock) you will need:
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tortilla soup You can use store bought stock for this, but I like to make my own as that also gives me the cooked chicken for the soup. Make it a day ahead so that you can skim the schmaltz off the top.
Put everything
into a large stock pot, fill with filtered water and
bring to a steady simmer. Skim off any scum and let
simmer gently for about 3 hours. Pour the stock through strainer into a large bowl or container.
Discard the
vegetables, Reserve the chicken. Cool and chill the stock and chicken overnight. Remove the fat from the top of the stock and keep it aside.
Remove the skin
from the chicken and discard, tear the meat from the
bones and discard the carcass. The Soup: Light all the burners on your gas stove and place the bell peppers over one flame, the tomatoes over another, the tomatilloes over another and the jalapeno chillies over another. Char the vegetables by turning them over the flame, the tomatoes and tomatilloes have thinner skins and might burst and dribble a bit. Remove them first. Place the peppers straight from the heat into a bowl, cover with cling film. This will make them easier to peel.
Remove the
stems from the tomatoes, tomatilloes and jalapenos and
chop them up, peel the skins from the bell peppers.
Discard the seeds and tops of the peppers. Chop the
flesh.
Peel and dice
the onion, garlic cloves and carrots.
Place everything into a large pot and add the stock, spices and seasoning. Bring to the boil then reduce to a simmer until carrots are tender. Add the drained beans. Simmer another 15 minutes.
Chop the
chicken flesh into cubes and add just 5 minutes before
serving so that it doesn't disintegrate.
Melt 2 tblspns of
reserved chicken schmaltz (or use olive oil) and use
this to coat about 6 corn tortillas. (I pop everything
into a ziploc bag and give them a good toss) Fry the tortillas for a couple of minutes each side until almost crispy. Slice the tortillas into strips about 1/2 inch wide. Place a few tortilla strips in the bottom of each bowl, ladle the hot soup over them and then add a few more tortilla strips on top.
Squeeze about
1/2 fresh lime into each bowl and garnish with
cilantro, chilies, avocado, cheese or even some sour
cream
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