Sopa Azteca (Tortilla Soup)

This is another recipe that relies heavily on some cheats and short cuts but in the end it's so yummy. When I eat it I am right back in central Mexico. It's even healthy! Vegetarians feel free to leave out the chicken and to use veggie stock instead of chicken stock.

• 1 large, ripe avocado
• queso fresca if you can get it. I have never found it in Winnipeg so I use bocconcini. Pick a fresh cheese that will not melt.
• 1 lime, wedged
• 4 tortillas - corn is authentic but I actually prefer flour in this case
• 1/2 cup Herdez brand "salsa for tacos" in the bottle with the orange cap***
• 398 ml can of Almyer fire roasted tomatoes (if you can't find fire roasted then plain diced will do)
• 1 white onion, roughly diced
• 3 cloves of garlic, roughly chopped
• 2 litres of chicken broth
• 1 small bunch of fresh cilantro, chopped
• 1 store bought BBQ turkey breast (or the equivelent amount of BBQ chicken meat)

In a large cast iron skillet heat a few mms of canola oil to medium-high heat. Slice 3 or 4 tortillas into strips about 1 cm wide. When the oil is hot (you can test with a small piece of totilla) add the strips of tortilla and fry them until they are golden brown. Remove onto paper towel to drain. This can be done a day ahead of time. Set aside.

In a large soup pot sautee the onion and garlic until they are golden but not brown. Remove from pot, drain and transfer to the blender. Add the canned tomatoes and their juice as well as the 1/2 cup of salsa. Pulse until totally smooth.

Pour the contents of the blender back into the soup pot and cook over medium heat until it is reduced to something like thick tomato sauce. Slowly add the chicken stock stirring to incorporate the salsa mixture. Add the chopped cilantro. Simmer for 30 minutes. Taste and then season with salt and pepper. Add shredded chicken if desired and heat through.

To serve make sure the soup is piping hot since it will be poured over cold ingredients. Slice the avocado into strips and cube the cheese into bite size pieces. In the centre of the bowl stack the slices of avocado and cheese. Pour over the soup and then add a little pyramid of tortilla strips. Squeeze a wedge of lime over the bowl or leave wedges on the table.

Buen Apetito!

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