Ricky's Tortilla Soup

So a while back I promised to do a taste comparison of my two tortilla soup recipes.

And the winner is . . .

Rick Bayless's tortilla soup from Authentic Mexican. It takes a little longer to prepare, but the broth just has so much more depth of flavor. I usually double or triple the soup base, freeze it, and add the last quart of broth to each bag when I thaw it.


Sopa de Tortilla

2 Tbs. oil
1 med. onion, sliced
2 cloves garlic, peeled
1/2 15 oz. can tomatoes, drained
1 1/2 quarts good broth, preferably poultry
4-6 corn tortillas
1/3 c. oil
1-2 cried chiles pasillas
8 oz. cubed Mexican queso fresco or monterey jack
1 large lime, cut in wedges
1 avocado (my addition)
fresh cilantro, chopped (my addition)

1. The broth flavoring: In a medium skillet, heat 1 Tbs. lard or oil over medium low. Add the onion and garlic and fry until deep golden brown - about 12-15 min. Scoop into blender or food processor, add tomato, and process until smooth. Heat the remaining Tbs. oil in the same skillet over medium high. When hot, add the tomato mixture and stir constantly until thick and considerably darker, about 5 minutes. Scrape into large saucepan.

2. Stir the broth into the tomato mixture, partially cover and simmer for 1/2 hour over medium-low heat. Season with salt to taste.

3. The garnishing ingredients: If the tortillas are fresh, let them dry out in a single layer. Slice them in half, then slice the halves cross-wise into 1/4 strips. Heat the 1/3 cup oil in medium-small skillet and fry, turning frequently, until crisp. Drain on paper towels. Cut the chiles into 1-in. squares and fry in the hot oil very briefly, about 3-4 seconds; immediately remove and drain. (I usally just blend some pasilla into the soup base).

4. Assembly: In each bowl, place some cheese, tortilla strips and avocado. Ladle on the hot soup, garnish with cilantro and serve immediately with the lime and chiles on the side. (I usually also add the lime to the frozen soup base to taste so that it's one thing less I have to provide fresh when I serve the soup later).