Tortilla soup
This Mexican tortilla soup is often made with pasilla chillies, but I like it with chipotles. I’ve also had this soup with cooked shredded chicken and even crisp pieces of pork skin.
Ingredients
For the soup
- 8 large ripe tomatoes
- 2 garlic cloves
- 2–3 tbsp lard
- 2 onions, sliced
- 2 chipotles en adobo (available from specialist stores, some supermarkets and online)
- 1 tsp dried oregano
- 1 litre/1¾ pints
- 1½ tsp salt
- 8 turns black peppermill
- 220g/8oz cooked chicken, shredded (optional)
- 500ml/1lb 2oz corn oil or vegetable oil, for deep frying
- 4 corn tortillas cut into 1cm/½in strips
To serve
- 1 avocado, stone and skin removed, diced into 1cm/½in cubes
- 1 lime, juice only
- 1½ tsp dried chipotle flakes
- 75²µ/2¾´Ç³ú Lancashire cheese or feta cheese, crumbled
- 100²µ/3½´Ç³ú soured cream
- small handful fresh coriander, roughly chopped
Method
Heat a dry, heavy-based saucepan over a medium heat and char the tomatoes and garlic. Remove from the heat and peel when cool enough to handle.
Place the lard in a saucepan over a medium-low heat and gently fry the onions until softened but not coloured. Add the garlic and cook for a further 4–5 minutes. Add the chipotles, tomatoes, oregano and stock. Cook for 10–15 minutes, until everything is soft and pulpy. Blend until smooth. Season with salt and pepper, add the shredded chicken, if using, cover and keep warm over a low heat.
Pour the oil into a frying pan to a depth of about 2.5cm/1in. Heat the oil until a small cube of bread sizzles and turns golden-brown when dropped into it. (CAUTION: hot oil can be dangerous. Do not leave unattended.). Fry the tortilla strips in batches until golden and crisp. Remove the strips with a slotted spoon and drain on kitchen paper.
Toss the avocado cubes with the lime juice and set aside.
Divide the soup between four bowls and top with strips of tortilla, a sprinkling of chipotle flakes, diced avocado, cheese, soured cream and coriander.
