suemunzlinger's Recipe

Canyon Cafe Texas Tortilla Soup

Category: Copy Cat Recipes (I have not tried all of these recipes)

Yield: 12 servings (about 1 cup each)

1 tablespoon olive oil

1 green bell pepper, seeded and diced

2 poblano peppers, seeded and diced

1 medium onion, diced

2 cloves garlic, minced

6 fresh corn tortillas, diced

1 1/2 teaspoons ground cumin

3/4 teaspoon ground black pepper

3/4 teaspoon dried oregano

1 1/2 teaspoons New Mexico chile powder (see note)

8 cups strong chicken broth (see note)

1 1/2 (14-ounce) cans diced tomatoes, undrained

1 cup tomato puree

1/3 cup chopped cilantro

1 pound shredded cooked chicken or chopped seafood, optional

Crushed tortilla chips, crumbled queso fresco (cheese) and/or additional chopped cilantro, for optional garnish

1. In a large heavy pot, heat oil over medium heat; add peppers, onion and garlic. Cook, stirring often, until onions become translucent, about 4 minutes.

2. Add tortillas and stir until they begin to soften, 3 or 4 minutes. Stir in cumin, black pepper, oregano and chile powder.

3. Gradually stir in broth, tomatoes and tomato purée. Increase heat. Bring to a boil, stirring often to prevent the tortillas from clumping.

4. Reduce heat and simmer 20 minutes, stirring often. (Soup may be made ahead to this point and frozen. Reheat, then proceed with the recipe.)

5. Stir in 1/3 cup chopped cilantro. Taste and adjust seasonings. If desired, stir in chicken or seafood; heat through. Garnish each serving with crushed tortilla chips, queso fresco and/or cilantro.

Notes: Chili powder is a combination of spices, including cumin, that is used to flavor pots of chili. Chile powder is ground, dried peppers. The New Mexico chile pepper is a specific variety, and the powdered version is sold in Hispanic markets.

To make strong chicken broth, make your own and reduce it by half. For a quicker version, used canned broth and add about 1 to 2 tablespoons chicken base, dissolved in a little water.

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