This tortilla soup is not only fabulous, it's the best I've ever tasted.
Created by an expert chef in Baja California, it's pure, fresh and vibrant, without any of the stuff I see in American recipes, such as canned beans, canned hominy, packaged tortilla chips and canned tomatoes instead of fresh.
But make it yourself, and you will see. When I asked for the recipe, I got a personal demo from Gerardo García (above), who is the executive chef of Villa del Palmar at the Islands of Loreto.
Basic ingredients include tomatoes, onion, garlic, dried guajillo chiles, avocado, panela cheese and cilantro.
And tortillas, which García cuts into fine strips and fries at the last minute so they will remain crisp. How different from putting in tired chips from a sack.
This is epazote, which is absolutely essential to the character of the soup, García says. The remaining ingredients include sour cream from a squeeze tube, which makes it possible to squirt thin strands over the surface. And chicken broth, which should be made in advance from chicken and fresh vegetables.
The procedure is so easy. First, García sautes onion, garlic, tomatoes and guajillo chile in a skillet.
Then he pours in the chicken broth and adds some of the fried tortillas.
Next, he adds whole cilantro sprigs.
When the ingredients are thoroughly cooked, García adds the epazote and purees the soup in a blender.
Then he puts the soup through a sieve to get a smooth puree.
Before serving, he arranges the garnishes in each soup plate. These include finely shredded guajillo chile, diced avocado and panela cheese, tortilla strips and a sprig of cilantro, complete with its dainty white flowers.
The last step is to pour in the soup and then trace lines of sour cream over the surface.
And how is it? "Deliciosa," García says of his sopa de tortilla.
SOPA DE TORTILLA
Tortilla Soup
From Executive Chef Gerardo García of Villa del Palmar, Loreto
4 corn tortillas
Oil for deep frying
2 guajillo chiles
3 tablespoons olive oil
1/4 white onion, cut into 4 pieces
2 cloves garlic
6 large ripe roma tomatoes, halved lengthwise
2 cups chicken broth
4 whole sprigs cilantro
Salt, pepper
5 large leaves epazote
Garnishes:
Fried tortilla strips
Diced avocado
1/2 pound panela cheese, cut in 1/2-inch cubes
Finely shredded guajillo chile
Cilantro sprigs
Sour cream, preferably from a squeeze bottle
With a very sharp knife, cut the tortillas into strips 1/8 to 1/4 inch wide. Heat oil for deep frying in a medium skillet. When very hot, add the tortilla strips in batches, fry until crisp, then remove immediately and place on paper towels to drain. Set aside.
Tear one guajillo chile into 3 large shreds, discarding the stem and seeds. Remove the seeds from the other and cut crosswise into very fine shreds. Set aside for garnish.
Heat the olive oil in a large skillet. Add the onion and garlic and cook 3 minutes, until lightly browned. Add the tomatoes to the skillet. Add the large guajillo shreds. Cook until the tomatoes start to soften and are juicy.
Now add the broth, a good pinch of the fried tortilla strips and the whole cilantro sprigs. Bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer, uncovered, until the tomatoes are very tender, about 7 minutes. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
Add the epazote leaves to the skillet. Turn the mixture into a blender container and blend thoroughly. Pour the blended mixture into a large sieve set over a bowl. Rub through with the back of a spoon or ladle. Discard the residue. There will be about 4 cups of soup.
When ready to serve, reheat the soup, if necessary. Arrange the garnishes in each of 4 soup plates. Add some of the fried tortilla strips, avocado, panela cheese and shredded guajillo chile to each. Decorate with cilantro. Pour the hot soup into each plate. Drizzle with strands of sour cream. Serve immediately.
Makes 4 servings
Note: Where I live, every ingredient is available, but if you can't find some of them, make the soup anyway. It will still be deliciosa.
Comments