Mexican Tortilla Soup

Prep Time 15

Cook Time 40

Total Time 55

Servings

Calories 225

4 whole garlic cloves peeled
4 large ripe Roma tomatoes plum tomatoes
1 small white onion peeled and sliced in half
1 medium dried Anaheim or New Mexico chili pepper stem and seeds removed, sliced in half
½ tsp ground cumin
½ tsp dried Mexican oregano
2 8-inch corn tortillas, torn into smaller pieces
6 cups vegetable stock divided
1 tsp sea salt + more for finishing the soup to taste
½ tsp freshly ground pepper + more for finishing the soup to taste
6 corn tortillas sliced into 1-inch strips
Vegetable oil for frying
⅓ cup chopped fresh cilantro leaves
2 ripe avocados peeled and diced
4 ounces queso fresco crumbled
6 lime wedges

All ingredients ready? Let's begin!
In a large heavy-bottomed skillet, preferably cast-iron, over medium-high heat (no oil), cook the garlic, onions, tomatoes, and chili pepper until slightly blackened on all surfaces. Turn often with tongs and remove produce as it chars into a blender. This will take approximately 10 minutes.
Once all the fruits and vegetables are charred and added to the blender, add the cumin, oregano, 2 torn tortillas, and 2 cups of vegetable broth to the blender. Blend until smooth.
In a soup pot over medium-high heat, add the remaining 4 cups of broth. To that, add the blended soup, salt, and pepper. Stir to combine well. Bring this to a boil. Reduce the heat to a low simmer and continue to cook for 20 minutes.
While the soup is cooking, prepare the toppings: cilantro, avocados, queso fresco, and limes. And, make the crunchy tortilla strips. In the same skillet used to char the vegetables over medium-high heat, pour in enough oil to reach a height of 1/2 inch. Add 1/2 the tortilla strips and fry until crisp, about 2 minutes.
Remove with the tongs to paper towels to drain. Repeat with the remaining tortilla strips. Sprinkle a little salt over the warm fried tortilla strips.
When the soup is finished simmering, check the seasoning and add more salt and pepper, if desired. Stir in the cilantro. Ladle the soup into serving bowls and top with avocados, cheese, and tortilla strips.
Serve immediately with a wedge of lime on the side.