Sunday, June 26, 2011

Quick and Easy: Tomato Tortilla Soup


 
This simple tomato soup served with crisp fried tortilla strips is absolutely yummy and so easy to prepare. It's basically canned crushed tomatoes and chicken stock. I added some frozen corn kernels to it as well, and had it with a dollop of sour cream. Great for keeping hungry tummies warm and happy on cold winter days. It was also a good way to use up the extra flour tortillas that I had after making tortilla pie last week.

The recipe I used is adapted from Rachel Ray. I chose not to blend the soup together with the tortilla.

Tomato Tortilla Soup

 

Ingredients:

  • 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
  • 2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
  • 1 medium onion, coarsely chopped
  • 1 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes (I used a pinch of cayenne pepper)
  • 4 cups chicken broth
  • One 28-ounce can crushed/chopped tomatoes    
  • A handful of sweet corn kernels (optional)
  • 1 teaspoon ground cumin    
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • Juice of 1/2 lime / lemon
  • Seven 6-inch corn tortillas, cut into strips and pan-fried in olive oil until browned and crisp    
  • 2 tablespoons chopped cilantro (optional)

Directions:
  1. In a large pot, heat the oil over medium heat. Add the garlic, onion and crushed red pepper and cook over medium heat until the onion is translucent, about 7 minutes. Add cumin and fry briefly. Then add the chicken broth and the tomatoes and their juice, bring to a boil, then lower the heat and simmer for 10 minutes.
  2. Add the salt, lime juice and corn kernels and simmer for 5 minutes.
  3. Garnish with fried tortilla strips and serve.