Tortilla Soup Reaches Mainstream

It's true. Tortilla soup, the beloved Mexican peasant soup once a closely guarded secret among those of us in the Southwestern region of the U.S., has finally gone mainstream.

How do I know? A story and recipe for tortilla soup recently graced the food pages of the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review. Yes, that Pittsburgh known for perogies and pubs and Heinz ketchup.

The article was written by a California writer and the Pittsburgh paper just picked up the syndicated story to fill a hole, but it tells me that Mexican food is becoming less ethnic. I couldn't be more happy. Mexican cuisine is my favorite, and tortilla soup comforts me more than a bowl of chicken soup.

The writer points out that there are as many versions of tortilla soup as there are cooks (isn't that true of most dishes that have names?)

Two of my cookbooks have tortilla soup recipes, both very different from each other, yet connected through a few common ingredients -- namely chicken and chicken stock, jalapeños and tomatoes.

The Great Ranch Cookbook has a recipe from The Alisal Guest Ranch featuring a thin but deeply flavored chicken broth and simple garnishes of chicken, avocado and tortilla strips. Par Fork! The Golf Resort Cookbook has a more stew-like tortilla soup from Barton Creek near Austin and includes corn kernels in addition to corn tortillas.

Recently, I reviewed The Plaza Grill, a new restaurant in Phoenix for The Arizona Republic, and tasted one of the most basic but divine tortilla soups I've ever tasted. In the review, I wrote:

"The tortilla soup ($5.95) is unadulterated simplicity, and I love it. The brick red broth tastes of charred chile peppers (guajillo, the menu says) and is garnished with a few tortilla chips and a dollop of chewy-creamy Chihuahua cheese. That’s it. No chicken, no vegetable chunks – just broth, tortillas and cheese."

Tortilla soup can be transformative or it can be comforting or it can be anything you want it to be. Here is my recipe from The Great Ranch Cookbook... it is one of my favorites, and falls into the "comforting" category.

Tortilla Soup

I know why this is one of the Alisal’s most requested recipes. The broth is so flavorful it’s like biting into a fresh homegrown tomato. My tasters practically licked the bowl clean. If you like a little more “heat” don’t remove the seeds from the jalapeno.

6 Servings

• 2 tablespoons peanut oil
• 2 each, corn tortillas cut into 1” squares
• 2 tablespoons chopped garlic
• 1/2 onion, chopped
• 1 jalapeno pepper, seeds and veins removed
• 1/8 cup tomato paste
• 3 teaspoons ground cumin
• 2 cups chopped tomatoes
• 2 quarts chicken stock
• Garnish:
• 2 cups cooked and cubed chicken breast, about 4 breast halves
• 2 cups diced avocado
• 1 cup grated cheddar cheese
• 1/2 cup chopped cilantro
• 4 corn tortillas, cut into thin strips and fried crisp in 1/4 cup oil

Prepare all the garnishes. Cook corn tortilla 1” squares in oil until crisp. In a food processor, mix the garlic, onions, jalapeno and tomatoes by pulsing 10 times or continuously for 10 seconds. It will look a little like mush. Add this mixture to stockpot with tortilla squares. Add tomato paste and cumin. Cook 4 to 5 minutes. Add chicken stock and simmer until liquid is reduced by 1/3, about 20 to 30 minutes. Strain and adjust seasonings with salt, black pepper and cumin. To serve, ladle 6 to 8 ounces of soup in bowl and top with chicken, avocado, cheese, cilantro and fried tortilla strips.

Gwen Ashley Walters ©2008