Cafe Terra Cotta Tortilla Soup

By ngaldi

Ingredients

• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 small onion, chopped
• 2 quarts chicken stock
• 1 teaspoon chopped garlic
• 1 bay leaf
• 1/2 teaspoon oregano
• 3 or 4 peppercorns
• 2 chiltepin
• 2 cups Salsa Fresca
• salt and pepper to taste
• Corn oil for frying
• 4 corn tortillas, cut into strips
• 1 ripe avocado, sliced thin
• 1 line, cut into 12 wedges
• 1/4 cup Monterey jack cheese, grated
• Basic Chicken Stock (4 quarts)
• 5 pounds chicken bones
• 4 onions, halved (use skins too, if clean)
• 4 carrots, washed
• 2 ribs celery, washed
• 2 tomatoes, washed
• 4 bay leaves
• 12 peppercorns
• Put all ingredients in a large pot and add water to cover. Bring to a boil, skimming off the foam that comes to the surface. Reduce the heat and simmer, skimming occasionally, for 2 hours. Strain and discard bones and vegetables.
• Salsa Fresca (3 cups)
• 1 1/2 pounds tomatoes, cored, seeded and cut into 1/2-inch dice
• 1/4 cup finely chopped onion
• 1/4 cup chopped cilantro
• 1 jalapeño or serrano chile, seeded, deveined, and finely chopped
• 3 tablespoons fresh lime juice
• Salt and pepper to taste
• Mix all ingredients together and let stand at least half and hour before serving. Use within 24 hours.

Details

Servings 6

Preparation

Step 1

Heat the oil in a large pot and sauté the onion until soft. Add the stock, garlic, bay leaf, oregano, peppercorns and chiltepin and simmer for 1 hour. Puree 1 1/2 cups of the salsa fresco and add it to the soup. Remove from the heat. Salt and pepper to taste.
Fill a deep saucepan with corn oil to a depth of 2 inches and heat to 375°. If you don't have an oil thermometer, heat the oil until a large piece of tortilla dropped in the oil sizzles immediately, but don't let the oil start smoking). Fry the tortilla strips until golden brown and crisp.
Divide the fried tortilla chips into wide soup bowls. Add 2 or 3 slices of avocado, a lime wedge and some grated cheese to each bowl. Pour in the hot broth, add a dollop of salsa, and serve immediately, with the additional lime wedges on the side.

Note: If you prefer not to deep-fry the tortillas, brush them lightly with oil before cutting into strips and bake on a cookie sheet in a 350° oven until dry and crisp.