Mexican Take Out Sopa De Tortilla Food

SOPA DE TORTILLA (REAL MEXICAN TORTILLA SOUP)

Steps:

• Heat oil in a large pan or wok over medium-high heat. Add tortilla strips in batches and fry until brown and crispy, 2 to 3 minutes per batch. Remove from heat and drain on paper towels.
• Fry pasilla chiles in the same pan, being careful not to burn them, until browned, about 2 minutes. Remove from oil and drain on paper towels.
• Combine 1 fried pasilla pepper, tomatoes, onion, garlic, and oregano in a blender; blend until smooth. Strain through a sieve into a bowl.
• Heat 1 teaspoon oil in a saucepan over medium heat. Add tomato mixture and cook for 2 minutes. Pour in water and bring to a boil. Stir in chicken granules and parsley. Cover and simmer over low heat until flavors are well combined, about 15 minutes. Remove from heat and discard parsley.
• Divide fried tortilla strips among 4 bowls. Pour soup on top of tortilla strips and garnish with diced avocado and cotija cheese. Cut remaining fried pasilla peppers into thin strips and sprinkle over soup. Add Mexican crema to each bowl.

SOPA DE TORTILLA A LA MEXICANA: TORTILLA SOUP, MEXICAN STYLE

Steps:

• In a blender or food processor, blend chiles pasillas and anchos with tomatoes, onion and garlic. Strain. Heat oil in a stock pot. Pour blended chile mixture into a pot and fry until it thickens and fat rises to the surface. Add epazote. Mix in the boiling broth and long chiles pasillas. Salt to taste and simmer for 25 minutes.
• To serve, pour soup into a tureen. Divide tortillas strips among individual bowls. Ladle soup over tortilla strips. Serve chiles, avocado, cheese and creme fraiche in separate bowls, allowing diners to season soup, to taste.
• Prepare the garnish: Heat oil in a frying pan and fry tortilla strips until crisp. Drain on paper towels and sprinkle with salt.

SOPA SECA DE TORTILLA

Steps:

• Cut tortillas in strips about 3 inches long and 1/2 inch wide.
• In medium skillet heat 1/4 inch of oil.
• Fry tortilla strips, a few at a time, about 10 seconds or just until limp.
• Remove with slotted spoon.
• Drain on paper toweling.
• Pour off all but about 2 tablespoons oil from skillet.
• Add green pepper strips, onion and garlic; cook till onion is tender.
• Sprinkle vegetables with salt.
• In 1-1/2 quart casserole, combine tortilla strips, vegetables, and half of the cheese.
• Pour whipping cream over all.
• Cover and bake in 350-degree oven for 20 minutes.
• Uncover.
• Stir gently; sprinkle with remaining cheese.
• Bake uncovered about 10 minutes more or until heated through.

TORTILLA SOUP (SOPA DE TORTILLA)

Steps:

• Heat the oil in a saucepan over med/high heat for a couple minutes.
• Begin frying the tortilla strips in batches until golden brown and crisp, turning after a minute or two, about 2-4 minutes in total.
• Drain on paper towels and set aside.
• Discard all but 2 tablespoons of the oil and turn the heat to meduim.
• Add the garlic and onion, and saute until softened, about 5 minutes.
• Add the chiles, tomatoes and half the tortilla strips and cook another 5 minutes.
• Add the chicken stock and bring to a boil, them simmer for 20 minutes.
• Let the soup cool slightly, and then using an immersion blender, or an upright blender, puree the mixture until smooth.
• Return mixture to the stove over medium heat, stir in the chicken and heat through.
• Season with lime juice, salt and pepper.
• Garnish with the cilantro, cheese, avocado, and the remaining tortilla strips, enjoy!

SOPA SECA DE TORTILLA CON CREMA (MEXICAN DRY SOUP)

Steps:

• Heat 2 tbsp of oil in a non-stick fry pan. Saute onion + garlic till soft & stir in chopped tomato.
• Cook tomato till thick, then stir in oregano & sugar. Season to taste & set aside in a bowl.
• Wipe the pan clean w/paper towels, heat the remaining oil in the pan & fry the tortillas without allowing them to brown. Drain fried tortilla strips on paper towels.
• Pour a layer of the tomato sauce into a greased flameproof casserole. Add a layer of tortilla strips, a thin layer of cream, another layer of sauce & a layer of grated cheese. Continue till all ingredients have been used, ending w/a layer of cheese.
• Cover casserole & heat through gently on the stovetop ~ or heat through for about 20 min in an oven preheated to 180C (350F).
• *Cooks Tip* ~ Be sure to use corn tortillas for this recipe. If only lrg ones are available, use 8.
• *Personal Note* ~ Altho not a part of the recipe or its authentic intent, I can easily see this dish 1) Converted to a main-course w/the addition of seasoned grd meat or chorizo to the sauce *or* 2) Combined w/a salad to form a meatless main-dish.

SOPA DE TORTILLA

Steps:

• In large pot, combine chicken broth, onion, carrots, celery, bell pepper, potato, tomato paste, bay leaf, garlic and oregano.
• Season to taste and bring to boil.
• Simmer 25 minutes.
• Add zucchini, tomatoes and shredded chicken breast pieces.
• Bring to boil, then simmer 10 minutes before removing from heat.
• Cut tortillas into matchstick size strips.
• Sauté in hot oil until crisp.
• Drain on paper towels and set aside.
• To serve, place tortilla strips in individual bowls.
• Cover with shredded cheese and ladle in soup.
• Top with slice of avocado and cilantro sprig.

SOPA DE TORTILLA

Steps:

• In a blender, combine tomatoes and serrano pepper. Cover and process until smooth; set aside. In a large skillet, heat 1/2 cup oil over medium heat. Add tortilla strips; cook and stir until golden brown and crisp. , Remove to paper towels; pat dry. Drain, reserving 2 tablespoons oil in skillet. Add pasilla chilies; cook and stir for 1 minute or until lightly toasted. With a slotted spoon, remove to paper towels to drain., In a large saucepan, saute onion and garlic in remaining oil until tender. Add tomato mixture; cook and stir over medium heat for 10 minutes or until very thick. Add the broth, corn, chicken and epazote; bring to a boil. Reduce heat; cover and simmer for 30 minutes. Stir in lime juice. , Ladle soup into bowls; top with tortilla strips. Sprinkle with pasilla chilies. Garnish with avocado and lime if desired.

MEXICAN-STYLE RICE (SOPA SECA)

Steps:

• In a large heatproof bowl, pour boiling water over the rice enough to cover. Stir only once, and let stand 10 minutes.
• Transfer to a colander over the sink and rinse rice under cold water. Drain again. Set rice aside, spread out on a cookie sheet to dry slightly. (I usually do this first thing in the morning.).
• In the meantime, put the tomatoes, onion, garlic and half of chili pepper into a food processor or blender. Process until smooth like salsa. Set tomato mixture aside.
• Heat the olive oil over medium heat in a large, heavy saute pan and cook rice until a light golden brown color. Stir constantly so that rice does not burn, scraping bottom of pan with spatula because the rice grains will stick.
• Next add the pureed tomato mixture and keep stirring over medium heat until all the liquid is absorbed, about 10 minutes. If mixture starts to boil, reduce heat. *Stir in the stock, salt, and green peas. Continue to cook the mixture on low-medium heat stirring occasionally until all liquid is absorbed and rice is tender, another 10-15 minutes. Be careful not to burn.
• *NOTE: DO NOT stir rice too often after adding the stock or the grains will become too starchy.
• The original directions say to remove pan from heat, cover with tight-fitting lid; letting stand in a warm place 10 minutes or so. I remove pan from heat, cover and place pan in low oven, at approximately 150-200 degrees. Sometimes I'll let the rice set in the oven for a good hour or longer, as long as the rice grains are tender and rice doesn't dry out too much.
• Transfer the cooked rice to a serving platter, fluff with fork and serve sprinkled with freshly ground black pepper. Garnish with thinly sliced chilis or serve on side.

MEXICAN TAKE-OUT SOPA DE TORTILLA

Steps:

• Remove the stems, seeds, and ribs from chiles.
• Heat a griddle or heavy skillet over moderate heat until hot but not smoking. Place 1 or 2 chiles on the skillet and toast them, while pressing down on them with tongs or a spatula, for 20 to 30 seconds on each side, or until pliable. Repeat with the remaining chiles.
• Chop the toasted chiles into small pieces and place them in a bowl. Pour enough hot water over the chiles to cover, and let them soak for about 20 minutes or until they are soft.
• Meanwhile, cut 4 of the tortillas into 1-inch squares.
• Heat the oil in a heavy 5-quart pot over medium-high heat. Add the cut tortillas, and saute for 3 or 4 minutes, or until the tortillas turn golden brown. Add the onion, garlic, oregano, and 1/2 tsp of the salt and saute for 3 minutes, or until the onions begin to brown. Remove from the heat.
• Drain the chiles, discarding the liquid. Add the chiles, tomatoes, and stock to the pot and simmer uncovered for 30 minutes, stirring occasionally.
• Remove the soup from the heat and puree it in batches in a blender. Take care to fill the blender only halfway and cover the top with a towel in case the soup leaks out while blending - or use a stick blender.
• Return the pureed soup to the pot and keep it warm over low heat. Add the lime juice and taste for seasoning; adjust if necessary. Thin with additional stock if the soup looks too thick.
• Preheat the oven to 400º.
• Brush both sides of the remaining 4 tortillas with olive oil. Cut the tortillas into matchstick sized strips and the remaining 1/2 tsp of salt and toss so the strips are all seasoned. Bake the tortilla strips until they are crisp, about 15 minutes; set aside.
• To serve, place 1/2 cup of shredded chicken and 2 Tbsp of cheese in each serving bowl. Ladle hot soup on top and garnish each serving with avocado, sour cream, cilantro, tortilla strips, and a wedge of lime. Serve hot.
• Make ahead: The soup base can be made up to 2 days ahead and kept covered in the refrigerator. Reheat over medium heat and proceed with the recipe.