Sopa de Tortilla

Pregătirea ingredientelor

Ingrediente

Mod de preparare

Pas cu pas

1. 1

   Heat the vegetable oil in a large skillet or pot over medium-high heat.

   Aproximativ 2 min.

   Nota bucătarului: Ensure the oil is hot enough, but not smoking, for even frying.

2. 2

   Fry the tortilla strips in batches until golden brown and crispy, about 2-3 minutes per batch.

   Aproximativ 10 min.

   Nota bucătarului: Do not overcrowd the pan, as this can lower the oil temperature and lead to soggy tortillas.

3. 3

   Remove the fried tortilla strips with a slotted spoon and place them on a paper towel-lined plate to drain excess oil.

   Aproximativ 1 min.

4. 4

   In a separate pot, cover the roma tomatoes, white onion, and garlic with water and bring to a boil.

   Aproximativ 5 min.

5. 5

   Boil for about 5 minutes until the tomatoes soften slightly, then remove from heat and drain.

   Aproximativ 5 min.

6. 6

   Place the boiled tomatoes, onion, and garlic into a blender.

   Aproximativ 1 min.

7. 7

   Add the pasilla chili and ancho chili to the blender with a small amount of the vegetable broth.

8. 8

   Blend until smooth, adding more broth if needed to achieve a pourable consistency.

   Aproximativ 2 min.

9. 9

   Pour the blended mixture through a fine-mesh sieve into a clean pot, pressing on the solids to extract all the liquid.

   Aproximativ 3 min.

   Nota bucătarului: This step ensures a smooth, refined broth without any fibrous bits from the chilies or tomato skins.

10. 10

    Add the remaining vegetable broth to the strained mixture in the pot and bring to a simmer over medium heat.

    Aproximativ 5 min.

11. 11

    Stir in the epazote and salt.

    Nota bucătarului: Epazote adds a traditional, earthy, and slightly anise-like flavor characteristic of Mexican cuisine. If unavailable, you can omit it or use a bay leaf as a substitute, though the flavor profile will differ.

12. 12

    Simmer the soup for 10-15 minutes to allow the flavors to meld.

    Aproximativ 15 min.

13. 13

    To serve, place a handful of crispy tortilla strips in each bowl.

14. 14

    Ladle the hot soup over the tortilla strips.

15. 15

    Garnish with diced avocado, lime wedges, and crumbled cotija cheese, if using.