12.14.2010

tortilla soup




Last week we were both feeling a little under the weather here at chez Krakberry. Not sick, officially, but not 100%. As everybody knows, the best way to get immediate relief from a potential cold is a big pot of chicken soup. But I wasn't in the mood for regular soup; I needed something with a little more oomph. Checking my fridge I noticed a giant package of corn tortillas, then realized I had several chiles I needed to use... tortilla soup it is!

1 quart chicken stock
1 (3-pound) chicken
1 onion, chopped
1 lemon, cut in half
1 jalapeno
1/2 teaspoon cumin
1/2 teaspoon creole seasoning
1/2 teaspoon oregano
1/2 teaspoon celery salt
3 cloves garlic
2 serranos
1 (28-ounce) can diced tomatoes
2 yellow squash, halved and cut into 1/2-inch slices
Oil
Salt


garnish!
limes
cilantro
shredded queso quesadilla or monterey jack
fried tortilla strips

In a large pot, combine the chicken, chicken stock, half the onion, the lemon, and the jalapeno. Add water to cover and 1 tablespoon salt and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to simmer and let simmer until the chicken is cooked through, about 30 minutes.

Remove the chicken and refrigerate it until it cool enough to handle. Pull the meat from the bones and return the bones to the stock pot. Continue to simmer.

In a second pot, heat a little oil just until hot. Add the remaining onion, the garlic, the serranos, and the spices; saute until fragrant. Add the tomatoes and their juices, the squash, and 6 cups chicken
stock. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to a simmer. Add the chicken meat and simmer, stirring occasionally, until the squash is very tender and the flavors have blended, about 30 minutes.

Meanwhile, cut the tortillas into strips. Heat a couple of inches of oil until hot and, working in batches, fry the strips until golden and crunchy.

Check for seasoning and ladle the soup into bowls. Let your peeps choose their own garnishes.

2 comments:

Phaedra Elizabeth said...

that looks so delicious! can I try that with some other meat? would it work? or should I just try it vegetarian?

lightbulb oven said...

you could do it with pork shoulder (i would buy carnitas at castro's and stir them in) or cooked/shredded brisket... if you do that, double the amount of store-bought stock and infuse it with the jalapeno and lemon and stuff then strain it into the soup and stir the cooked meat in. or you could do it with beans... i would use black beans my own self.