Tortilla Soup

How about a piece of Mexico in a bowl???  That's exactly what you get with tortilla soup!! My Mofo Post 3 is this flavorful bowl of tortilla soup that is an apt representation of what mexican culture truly is. The history of tortilla soup is not clearly known although most of the traditional ingredients have been carried through generations.  The classic tortilla soup is a simple broth combined with onions, garlic, chiles, tomatoes, avocado, cilantro, lime and topped with crispy fried corn tortilla strips. The addition of fresh corn adds a good amount of crispiness along with a touch of thickness from the black beans making this a satisfying soul food of sorts. 

Serve the soup along with some veggie quesadillas or spicy spanish rice to complete your mexican fiesta!!

Ingredients:

For soup:

3 cups water or vegetable broth
1 medium onion, finely chopped
2-3 cloves garlic, minced
1/4 cup chopped cilantro
14.5 oz can of no-salt diced tomatoes
15.25 oz can of black beans, rinsed and drained
1 1/2 tsp ground cumin
1 jalapeno, seeded and finely chopped
1/2 tsp red chilli powder or paprika
1 tbsp olive oil
2 fresh ears of corn (1 1/2 cups corn) , roasted
1 red bell pepper, chopped
3-4 corn tortillas, cut into 1-inch squares
Salt & Pepper, to taste

For garnish:

1 avocado, diced
3-4 corn tortillas, cut into thin strips
Lime juice, to taste

Method:

For the soup:

Preheat oven to 350° F. Cut the corn (or flour) tortillas into 1-inch squares and place them on a lined baking sheet. Drizzle with olive oil and add a sprinkle of salt and pepper. Mix well to coat and bake for 10-12 mins. Remove from oven when slightly golden.

For garnish:

Preheat oven to 350° F. Slice the corn tortillas into 1 to 2-inch strips, toss with olive oil, salt and pepper (add chilli powder for a spicier strips) and place on a lined baking sheet and bake for 10 mins or so until golden and crisp. Remove from oven and set aside.

In a stock pot or dutch oven, heat olive oil on medium-high heat, add onions, garlic and jalapeno. Sauté for few mins until the onions are translucent.

Add the red bell pepper and sauté for 2-3 mins. Add the diced (or crushed) tomatoes (you can also include 1 1/2 tbsp tomato paste, cumin powder and chilli powder. 

Add water (or broth) and stir well. Season with salt and pepper. Bring to a boil and reduce to medium-low heat and simmer for 10-15 mins.

Meanwhile, either grill or roast the fresh corn (I did mine on a stove top). Cut the corn off the cob and set aside. 

After the broth has simmered for 10 mins or so, add the roasted corn and black beans and cook for 1-2 mins. 

Add tortilla squares and stir well and simmer for 5-10 mins until they are slightly soft. You can leave the soup chunky or puree until smooth. 

Ladle the soup into serving bowls, squeeze some fresh lime juice and garnish with chopped avocado, cilantro and tortilla strips. Enjoy!!

Makes 3-4 servings.