Recipe: Tortilla Soup

Tortilla Soup (for 2)

1 small onion
2 cloves of garlic
3 ripe plum tomatoes
3 canned plum tomatoes (14oz can)
1 Green Cubano (or Cubanelle) Pepper
2 cups (16 oz) of Chicken Stock
Cilantro
Corn Tortillas
Vegetable Oil
Dried Crushed Red Pepper
Chili powder
1 ripe avocado

Soup:
Saute onion and garlic in a tbsp of Vegetable Oil for approx. 2 minutes, until onion becomes translucent. Stir frequently, so that the onion and garlic does not brown or burn.

Slice fresh tomatoes and peppers, and cook them in skillet, brushed with olive oil in broiler, until the skin begins to blacken. Approx 12 minutes. Pepper may take longer than tomatoes. The skins should be easy to peel off with a sharp knife.

Chop up canned tomatoes and add them to onion and garlic.

As fresh tomatoes and pepper are finished in the broiler, remove the skins, chop and add to the canned tomatoes, onion, and garlic.

Continue cooking in pan on low heat. Add ground black pepper, dried crushed red pepper, and chili powder.

Let the cooked vegetable mixture cool for approx 5-10 mins on stove top.

Put mixture in blender and liquefy.

Pour chicken stock into pot on stove. Bring to simmer and add liquefied vegetable mixture. Add salt to taste, combine and simmer for approx 20 minutes.

Tortillas:
Put approx 1 inch of vegetable oil in a pan, and heat on medium-to-high heat.

Slice corn tortillas into 1/2 inch wide pieces.

The oil is ready when tortilla floats in the oil and bubbles.

Fry tortilla strips in small batches and put on paper towel to cool. The strips will cook quickly, do not over cook them.

Finish:
Add chopped cilantro to soup and cook for another 5 mins.

Add most of the tortilla strips to soup and cook for another 2 mins.

Serve into warm bowls. Garnish with fresh avocado, fresh cilantro, and a few more tortilla strips.