Monday, September 27, 2010

Tortilla Soup

I have always loved soup and still do. It surprises me that I have not posted more recipes for soup on the blog.

I suppose, the love started with the simple gruel and green grams that was a customary dinner at home while growing up. Thereafter, the Chinese food outlets that spawn our cities made sweet corn chicken soup and manchow soup household names. But I never tried as many variations of soup as I have since I came to the U.S.

Tortilla Soup

Coming to the U.S. opened a whole new world of soup to me. Hamburger soup at my friend Janet’s palce, Kale and bean soup at Marilyn’s,are just a few to mention. Today’s recipe is from dear a friend Barbara. Her cooking is superlative, and dinners at her place and socializing are some of my fondest memories from the last couple of years. She cooks everything to perfection. The spices and flavors are always the right amount to keep you wanting more.

With bay leaf, cumin and coriander leaf to flavor this soup it is very close to Indian cooking. I hope you will enjoy this soup as much as I do.

Tortilla Soup

Ingredients:

Chicken Breast - 3 - 4 large
Garlic Cloves - 4
white shoepeg corn - 1 10oz. can I sometimes put two cans]
Diced tomatoes - 1 10oz. can mild green chiles
Cumin - 1-2 tsp.
Bay leaf - 1
Black pepper - ½ t
white shoepeg corn - 1 10oz. can
diced tomatoes with mild green chiles - 1 10oz. can of

To sauté:
Olive oil - 2 Tablespoon
Onion - 1 large
Garlic Cloves - 4
Cilantro chopped - 6-8 branches

Method:

1. Boil Chicken breasts for 30 minutes in sufficient water to have about 2 qts of broth left (I boiled it in 9 cups of water) with 3-4 large cloves of garlic, salt and pepper to taste.
2. When chicken is done, remove from broth, cool slightly and cut and shred into small pieces. Return to broth.

3. In small skillet with 2 T. olive oil sauté:
4-6 large cloves of garlic chopped finely
1 large onion, chopped
6-8 branches of cilantro chopped

4. Add to chicken and broth.

Add:
1 10oz. can of white shoepeg corn [I sometimes put two cans]
1 10oz. can of diced tomatoes with mild green chiles [I prefer to blend the tomatoes completely before adding.]
[You may also add 1 can V-8 juice if you prefer more tomato flavor.]
1-2 tsp. Cumin
1 bay leaf
½ t. black pepper [or more to taste.] Also check for salt to taste.

Simmer mixture for about 30 minutes more.

Serving Suggestions:

Serve in large bowls with
--Shredded Monterrey Jack Cheese
--Chopped Avocado [To keep avocado from turning brown, place one of the avocado stones in the serving bowl with chopped avocado until time to serve.]
--Lime slices to squeeze on top
--Frito tortilla chips OR cut 3-4 corn tortillas into thin shreds and fry them in oil until crisp. Drain well.

Contributor: Sunitha

39 comments:

  1. flavourful delicious soup
    looks similar to a corn soup but I haven't tried adding tomatoes

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  2. Sounds interesting.....but never heard of white shoepeg corn....is it available only in can form..?

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  3. Prefect soup for this chilled weather, very tempting bowl..

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  4. soup recipes are need as cold is approaching. Looks delicious Sunitha.

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  5. Soup looks delicious..perfect for this chilled weather.

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  6. Soup looks really comforting and yummy! btw wht's shoepeg corn..how is it dfferent from white/sweet corn?

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  7. it def is soup weather here as well..shud give it a go at least this winter cos whole of last winter i jazzed up canned soup :)
    Im wondering why its called tortilla soup..any idea????

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  8. Me too was wondering why is it termed as tortilla soup...Need to give a try.....Looks yummy

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  9. The soup looks divine....Even I have the same thought what Nisa(an open book) raised....why it's called a tortilla soup??

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  10. This is one of those soups that I have been meaning to make for sometime. This looks so good!

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  11. Yummy Soup...

    Pushpa @ simplehomefood.com

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  12. wow, what a beautiful presentation !!!

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  13. Never a fan of soup...but this one is seriously tempting! :D

    Namitha, I've tried the moist chocolate cake! Really happy with the result, thanks alot ya! I've posted it today, check it out! :D

    Kudos to U both! ^___^

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  14. Soup looks great. Loved the color of it. Very well made.

    Deepa
    Hamaree Rasoi

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  15. sounds delicious....would love to try

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  16. Very interesting,using tortilla this way is really new to me but sounds good and looks good as well

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  17. Lovely soup. Looks very comforting. I need lots of that in this cold weather :D Thanks very much for sharing. MaryMoh at http://www.keeplearningkeepsmiling.com

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  18. Such a warm, comforting n delicious looking soup!!

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  19. This sounds like a really tasty soup. I like to cook soups during the cooler months.

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  20. Foodie Ann: I bought a can of shoe peg but you might also find it in the produce section at the grocery. They are white and narrow kernels.

    About the name Tortilla: The soup was named by my friend Barbara and I am going to answer for her.

    "What's in a name? That which we call a rose
    By any other name would smell as sweet."

    That's probably what she was thinking. On a serious note, one of the condiments you add when eating the soup is fried tortilla I am guessing that is more of the reason why.

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  21. Tortilla soup sounds like a lovely idea! It's getting cold and gloomy here, I am sure such a bowl of soup would make my mood better :)!

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  22. I’ve never made this soup before but this recipe is calling my name. I just love the color and flavors!

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  23. the soup has the perfect look with its colour.

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  24. perfect delicious and comfortable food for cold Autumn :)

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