Granny Mountain

I'm on a binge again, this time it's Chicken Tortilla Soup. It started Black Friday when we stopped in for a quick lunch at On the Border. We'd spent the morning shopping for bargains, hard work and I had worked up quite an appetite. I was chilled to the bone and it took me all of two seconds to decide a hot bowl of soup was just what I wanted. It was so good that when I was shopping the next day with Daughter #1, I ordered it again!

Ever since we lived in south Texas, I've been on the lookout for the recipe for Chicken Tortilla Soup like they serve at Huisache Grill in New Braunfels, Texas. It had a smokiness to the broth, definitely ancho chilies and "built" just so... broth, veges and/or rice, crispy corn tortilla strips, monterey jack cheese and chunked avocado to garnish. Lovers of tortilla soup know what I'm talking about, it's not just chicken soup with Rotel added.

I went through my recipe stash today looking for one I'd clipped from the San Antonio paper. Not from Huisache Grill, their recipe is most likely in the back of a bank vault. This one is from Casarita's in San Antonio and is quick to fix, start to finish in about 20 minutes... less if you have leftover rotisserie chicken.

Casarita's Tortilla Soup
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
1/2 large onion, chopped
1 (10-ounce) fresh chicken breast, cut into chunks
1/2 tablespoon ground cumin
2/3 teaspoon black pepper
1/2 teaspoon white pepper
3 1/2 tablespoons tomato sauce
1 gallon water
2 ounces chicken base concentrate (not the powder)
2 small yellow squash, sliced
1 zucchini, sliced
1 carrot, thinly sliced
1 small fresh tomato
1 small bunch cilantro, leaves only, chopped
Garnishes Per Serving:
2 ounces sour cream
fried corn tortilla strips
1 slice avocado
grated cheddar cheese

In a large pot heat the oil, add the onion and chicken and saute for several minutes until the onions are transparent and the chicken is lightly browned. Add the cumin and the black and white pepper, mix then stir in the tomato sauce. Add the water and the chicken base concentrate and stir to dissolve the base. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer gently for approximately 20 minutes. Add the sliced squash, zucchini, carrots and tomatoes and simmer briefly, just until the veges are tender.

To serve, pour into heated bowls, top with chopped cilantro, tortilla strips, avocado and cheddar cheese.
Makes 12-15 servings

OK, that's a big pot of soup, so for all of you out there that are wanting to try this but not eat it for a month, here's a few revisions to make a much smaller amount using my BFF Rotisserie Chicken and Swanson's new Chicken Stock.

It's not the same thing as broth, this is the simmered down, Grandma version that makes things "taste" homemade... don't tell anyone this secret!

Starving, Can't Wait/Casarita's Tortilla Soup

1 teaspoon vegetable oil
2 tablespoons onion, chopped
1 cup rotisserie chicken breast, shredded
1/4 teaspoon ground cumin
1/8 teaspoon black pepper
1/8 teaspoon white pepper
2 teaspoons tomato sauce, I like El Pato Mexican tomato sauce- a little spicy
1 26 ounce carton Swanson Chicken Stock
1/4 cup yellow squash, sliced
1/4 cup zucchini, sliced
1/4 cup carrot, thinly sliced
1/4 small fresh tomato
2 sprigs cilantro, leaves only, chopped
Garnishes Per Serving:
2 ounces sour cream, this seems generous to me- I'd use less
fried corn tortilla strips
1 slice avocado
grated cheddar cheese, I'd use monterey jack

In a medium pot heat the oil, add the onion and saute for several minutes until the onions are transparent, add the shredded cooked chicken. Add the cumin and the black and white pepper, mix then stir in the tomato sauce. Add the broth, the sliced squash, zucchini, carrots and tomatoes and simmer gently until veges are tender, approximately 10 minutes.

To serve, pour into heated bowls, top with chopped cilantro, tortilla strips, avocado and cheddar cheese.
Makes 2 large or 4 small servings

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