Celebrate Soup!

We awoke this morning to a diamond-sparkle world of heavy frost and a nip in the air. It’s a day to celebrate soup – tortilla soup. 

There’s alchemy in soup-making from the moment the onion and garlic begin to soften in the hot oil. Immediately your nose tells you something wonderful is happening.

The key to making soup is to take your time. Never dump everything into the pot at once. A soup’s flavor must be coaxed out. Add a vegetable or two at a time, let them heat, then add some more.

Soup is all about the details. It has a built-in wait time. The tortilla soup I’m making this morning is to be served for dinner. And it will be even better for lunch tomorrow.

Soups are great anytime of the year, but for me, fall is the official kickoff of soup season. Winter finds me searching out all my tried and true recipes plus trying a few new ones. I freeze the excess and can grab a container from the freezer and heat it at a moment’s notice.

One of my favorites is French potato-leek soup, but my husband is not enthusiastic. He prefers a robust soup with character – one whose flavors reach out and grab the taste buds.

If you like, you can dress up your soup when it is served. Just sprinkle some crushed, toasted pistachios on top, add a spoon of grated cheese, a cooked, crumbled bacon slice, or a few chive sprigs. Chopped fresh herbs add flavor and visual appeal. In our family, we prefer our soup naked.

Soups are by nature comfort food. On this diamond-studded day, tortilla soup will be just right.

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TORTILLA SOUP
 
1 onion, chopped
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 tablespoon olive oil
2 teaspoons chili powder
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1 (4 ounce) can chopped green chile peppers
1 (15 ounce) can black beans, drained & rinsed
¼ cup chopped fresh cilantro
1 (28 ounce) can crushed tomatoes
2 boneless chicken breasts, cooked and diced
1-1/4 cups water

1 (10.5 ounce) can chicken broth

1 can of corn, drained,

1 can of hominy, drained

Tortilla chips

Shredded Monterey cheese
Sliced avocado
Few green onions

In medium stock pot, heat oil over medium heat. Saute onion and garlic until soft. Stir in chili powder, oregano, tomatoes, broth and water. Simmer for 5 to 10 minutes. Stir in corn, hominy, chiles, beans, cilantro and chicken. Simmer 10 minutes.

Soup can be ladled into individual bowls and topped with crushed tortilla chips, avocado slices, cheese and chopped green onion. We prefer to serve tortilla chips in a basket, with the avocado, cheese and whole green onions served on a platter.

Enjoy!