Richard Sandoval’s Tortilla Soup
Richard Sandoval’s Tortilla Soup
Sopa de Tortilla de Richard Sandoval
Executive Chef Richard Sandoval, owner of the Maya Restaurants in New York and San Francisco, contributed his special recipe for Tortilla Soup. The creamy texture of the soup is achieved by puréeing and straining the ingredients and then presenting the soup with a garnish of crisp tortilla squares, diced avocado, and fresh cheese.
The two dried chiles, and ancho, are often teamed in Mexican cooking for a more complex chile flavor with medium heat. Both kinds can be found in most Mexican markets and in specialty grocery stores. Keep in mind when choosing chiles that the guajillo is generally hotter, but as with all chiles, there are surprises. Experiment to see what works for your desire for fire.
Ingrediënten
Makes 4 servings
- 6 corn tortillas
- Vegetable Oil for frying
- 1 guajillo chile stemmed, seeded, veins removed, and cut into pieces
- 1 ancho chile stemmed, seeded, veins removed, and cut into pieces
- ¼ large Spanish onion chopped
- 1 medium garlic clove chopped
- 6 plum tomatoes about 12 ounces quartered
- 3½ cups chicken stock canned or homemade
- 1 about 6-inch sprig fresh epazote
- 1 teaspoon salt or to taste
- 2 teaspoons fresh lime juice
- 1 teaspoon honey
- ½ avocado Hass variety preferred, finely diced (½ inch)
- 3 ounces finely diced queso fresco fresh Mexican cheese
- ¼ cup Mexican crema or sour cream
Instructies
- Cut 2 of the tortillas into 1⁄2-inch squares (like confetti).
- Reserve.
- In a medium skillet, pour oil to a depth of about 1 inch and heat until the oil shimmers.
- Fry the 4 whole tortillas, 1 at a time, turning with tongs, until crisp and golden brown on both sides.
- Drain on paper towels.
- In the same hot oil, fry the tortilla squares until golden brown.
- With a slotted spoon remove the squares and drain on paper towels.
- Reserve in a bowl.
- In a large saucepan, heat 1 tablespoon of oil and fry the chiles, onion, and garlic, stirring, until the onion and garlic start to brown, about 3 minutes.
- Add the tomatoes, and cook, stirring, until the juices are bubbling, about 3 minutes.
- Break the fried whole tortillas into spoon-size pieces and add to the tomato mixture along with the chicken stock and epazote.
- Bring to a boil; reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer 25 minutes.
- Remove the epazote and transfer the mixture to a blender or food processor.
- Purée until smooth.
- Pour the soup through a strainer into a large bowl.
- Discard the debris.
- Rinse the pan and return the soup to the pan.
- Bring to a boil over medium-low heat, uncovered, stirring frequently to prevent sticking.
- Season with salt, lime juice, and honey.
- The soup should be the consistency of heavy cream.
- If too thick, add hot chicken broth or water to reach the desired consistency.
- To serve, place a portion of the tortilla squares, avocado, and cheese in the center of 4 shallow soup bowls.
- Ladle in the hot soup.
- Top with a dollop of crema.
