Cafe Verde Tortilla Soup
Sopa De Bolitas De Tortilla (Tortilla Ball Soup)
Black Bean Tortilla Soup
Cafe Verde Tortilla Soup
Total time: 55 minutes
Serves: 4
Note: Look for ground dried ancho chiles (sometimes labeled pasillo) in
the
spice section of selected markets, especially Latino markets.
2 Roma tomatoes
1/2 large white onion, peeled
6 whole corn tortillas, plus 2 more cut into thin strips and fried for
garnish
2 dried ancho chiles
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 cloves garlic
1 bay leaf
1/2 cup cilantro leaves
2 cups tomato juice
1 cup vegetable stock, or more to taste
1 quart water
1 1/4 teaspoons salt
1/4 teaspoon white pepper
1/2 teaspoon ground dried ancho chiles, or more to taste
1/2 cup sour cream
In batches, on a grill or rack (such as a cooling rack) over an open
stovetop flame, roast the tomatoes, onion and whole tortillas until
lightly
spotted with brown, then roast the chiles for a few seconds (after which
they'll start to burn). Break the tortillas into pieces.
Heat the olive oil in a medium saucepan. Add the garlic cloves and saute
over medium-low heat for 1 to 2 minutes. Add the tomatoes, breaking them
up
with a wooden spoon. Add the onion, chiles, tortilla pieces, bay leaf and
cilantro. Cook for 10 minutes.
Add the tomato juice, stock and water. Bring the mixture to a boil, then
reduce the heat and simmer 15 minutes.
Remove from the heat and, using a blending wand or blender, puree the
mixture, in batches if necessary, until smooth. Strain the mixture through
a
sieve, pressing on the solids; discard the solids.
Return the soup to the cleaned pan and add salt, white pepper and ground
chile. Rewarm the soup; if it seems too thick, stir in additional stock or
water. Garnish with fried tortilla strips and sour cream.
Each serving: 272 calories; 6 grams protein; 33 grams carbohydrates; 6
grams
fiber; 15 grams fat; 5 grams saturated fat; 13 mg. cholesterol; 1,197 mg.
sodium.
Black Bean Tortilla Soup
Total time: 1 hour, 55 minutes
Servings: 8
Note: The beans are not soaked before cooking.
1 1/4 cups ( 1/2 pound) rinsed dried black beans (not soaked)
Salt
1 sprig epazote, optional
2 dried ancho chiles
3 garlic cloves
1 onion, peeled and halved
1 Roma tomato
6 cups chicken stock, divided
1 tablespoon olive oil
6 corn tortillas
Oil for frying
1 cup cilantro leaves
12 ounces queso fresco, crumbled
Put the beans in a large pot and add 2 quarts water, one-half teaspoon
salt and the epazote, if using. Bring to a boil, cover almost completely
and
simmer until the beans are tender, about 1 hour.
In batches, puree the beans with 4 cups of the cooking liquid in a
blender. Strain; discard the bean skins.
Roast the chiles on a grill just until fragrant, a few seconds. Do not
allow them to burn (they burn rapidly). Remove and set aside for garnish.
Roast the garlic, one onion half and the tomato until spotted with brown.
Peel and core the tomato and puree in a blender with the garlic, onion and
1
1/2 cups of the chicken stock.
Heat the olive oil in a large saucepan over high heat. Add the tomato
puree and cook for 5 minutes.
Add the remaining chicken stock, bring to a boil and boil for 2 minutes.
Reduce the heat and cook, stirring occasionally, 15 minutes until slightly
reduced. Add the strained black bean puree. Simmer for 45 minutes,
skimming
the surface occasionally. Season with 1 teaspoon salt.
Cut the tortillas in half and cut each half into thin strips. Heat
one-half inch oil in a small skillet, add the tortilla pieces a few at a
time and fry, turning at least once, for about 3 minutes or until golden
brown. Remove from the oil with a slotted spoon and drain on paper towels.
Cut the chiles into one-eighth-inch-thick strips and remove the seeds.
Coarsely chop the cilantro and finely dice the remaining onion half.
To serve, add tortilla strips, cilantro and onions to each bowl of soup.
Garnish each with a few rings of ancho chile and queso fresco.
Each serving: 354 calories; 18 grams protein; 38 grams carbohydrates; 8
grams fiber; 16 grams fat; 4 grams saturated fat; 19 mg. cholesterol; 326
mg. sodium.
Sopa De Bolitas De Tortilla (Tortilla Ball Soup)
Total time: 1 hour plus overnight drying time, chilling time
Servings: 6
Note: Adapted from "The Essential Cuisines of Mexico" by Diana Kennedy.
Leave tortillas out on a rack overnight to dry out. The crisper they are,
the easier to blend into fine crumbs.
Tomato-Chicken Broth
4 Roma tomatoes, broiled on an ungreased broiler pan about 4 minutes,
until
soft with brown spots
1/4 cup coarsely chopped white onion
1 clove garlic
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
6 cups chicken broth
1 sprig epazote
In a blender, puree the tomatoes, onion and garlic to a smooth sauce.
Place the oil in a large saucepan and add the tomato mixture. Cook about 5
minutes, until the sauce has reduced somewhat.
Add the chicken broth and bring to a boil. Simmer for 10 to 15 minutes.
Add the epazote during the last minute of cooking. Adjust the seasoning.
Dumplings and assembly
12 stale corn tortillas, dried
1/2 cup hot whole milk
1/2 cup finely grated cotija cheese
1 egg, well beaten
Sea salt
1/4 cup cold whole milk
1/4 cup vegetable oil
6 cups tomato-chicken broth
1/3 cup sour cream thinned with 1 teaspoon milk
1/4 cup finely chopped cilantro or parsley
Break the tortillas into small pieces and grind to fine crumbs in the
blender in batches. You should have about 1 1/2 cups of crumbs.
Place the crumbs in a bowl and add the hot milk, cheese, egg and salt.
Knead the dough well with your fingers; the mixture will be crumbly. Set
it
aside for several hours or refrigerate overnight to allow the tortilla
particles to soften.
Again knead the dough well, adding the cold milk. Form the dough into one
long piece. Divide this into 12 pieces and divide each piece in half.
Lightly moisten your hands and roll the 24 pieces into balls about 1 inch
in
diameter.
Heat the oil in a skillet and fry the balls in batches very gently,
turning them from time to time until they are golden brown, about 5
minutes. Drain well on paper towels. Reheat the broth. Add the tortilla
balls and bring the broth to a boil, then reduce the heat and simmer about
2 minutes. Serve in individual bowls, allowing four balls per serving. Top
each with a spoonful of the sour cream and some chopped cilantro.
Each serving: 293 calories; 10 grams protein; 29 grams carbohydrates; 5
grams fiber; 16 grams fat; 6 grams saturated fat; 55 mg. cholesterol; 584
mg. sodium.
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