"TORTILLA SOUP" = Lunch & a Movie!

Above, Our Sunday Lunch-Tortilla Soup! Que Deliciosa!

Whenever I cook or eat "Tortilla Soup", I can't help but think about the movie which goes by the same name. It's a movie we thoroughly enjoyed, I think for the inter-cultural flavor. Also for the fact that the part of the patriarch, Martin (Hector Elizando) was a professional chef who hailed from Mexico! The family meal-time scenes made my hubby homesick for his mama's cooking!

To read more about the movie,

CLICK ON THIS LINK

CAUTION: This movie my be dangerous for anyone on a diet!

Hector (as Martin), preparing his Sunday feast.

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Sopa de Tortilla

2 lbs. meaty beef soup bones

(I substituted one whole chicken, cut up)

1 qt. water

6 peppercorns

1 bay leaf

one fourth small onion

half tsp. salt

2 dried pasilla negro chiles

4 corn tortillas

Oil for frying

1 tbsp. vegetable oil

2 small onion, cut in half length wise, thinly sliced

1 garlic clove, minced

2 tomatoes, peeled finely chopped

freshly ground pepper

salt

one fourth cup finely diced celery

one fourth finely diced carrots

Place bones in a large pot or Dutch oven. Add water, peppercorns, by leaf, one fourth onion and one half teaspoon salt. Bring to a boil. Skim foam from surface. Cover and simmer 2 hours, skimming again if necessary. Strain broth and let cool. Spoon off fat. Toast pasilla chiles in an ungreased skillet over medium heat 3 or 4 minutes, turning frequently. Do not scorch. Let cool. Break in half and remove seeds. Crumble chiles and place in a small dish. Cut tortillas in two inch by half inch strips. Pour oil for frying one inch deep into a small saucepan. Heat to 365 degrees F. (185 C). Fry tortilla strips in hot oil until lightly browned and crisp. Drain on paper towels. Heat one tablespoon vegetable or olive oil in a large saucepan. Add sliced onion and garlic. Cook slowly until onion is very tender but not browned. Stir in tomatoes and pepper to taste. Cook slowly ten to fifteen minutes. Add reserved strained broth and salt to taste. Simmer gently fifteen minutes. Add celery and carrot. Simmer fifteen minutes longer. To serve, place a handful of fried tortilla strips in each bowl; add soup. Top with crumbled chiles as desired. Makes four servings.

For an extra delish touch, add Oaxaca Cheese or Mozzarella cheese and more tortilla strips on top!

There are a lot of steps to this recipe, but to get that "authentic" Mexican flavor, the steps are necessary. When I've had time constraints, I have cheated and just dumped everything together in the pot to cook and simmer. It was still "deliciosa"!