Tortilla Soup

Directions

• First you’ll want to start by making your vegetable stock (allow 2 hours to cook) Grab a stockpot and add 1 onion, 3 quartered carrots, 3 stalks of sliced celery, 2 garlic cloves, 2 bay leaves and 16 cups water of water. Cook on low with a lid on (leave a little gap) for 2 hours. Once your stock is ready, you can start your soup (if your stock cooks for longer than 2 hour no problem)
• Next you’ll want to make your chili powder. You’ll need some dried chili’s for this. 1 Ancho chili and 1 Guajillo chili. You’ll also need 1 teaspoon of whole cumin seeds, and a spice grinder. You will be dry roasting these chilis and cumin seeds. Add them to a hot skillet, no oil. Saute them until they are warm thoughout . Next add them to your spice grinder. If you don’t have dried chili’s or whole cumin seeds just use 2 tablespoons of chili powder, and 1/2 teaspoon of ground cumin. If you can use the dried chili’s, it’s worth it!
• Next you’ll want to get your jalapeno ready. If you want to fire roast it like we did. Hold the jalapeno over the flame from your stove and use kitchen tongs to slowly turn it. Once it’s blackened, add it to a bowl and put some saran wrap on top to trap the steam in. After a couple mins, lift the saran wrap and remove the jalapeno from the bowl, then peel the skin off. Also make sure to remove the seeds Next dice the jalapeno and add it to your prep plate, and set aside.
• Now it’s time to get your other ingredients prepped. You’ll want to dice the following… 1 onion, 2 stalks of celery, 2 carrots, 1 orange bell pepper -need 1/2 cup. Then add everything to your prep plate and set aside.
  
• Next you’ll want to get your corn ready. Add 1/2 cup of corn to a plate and spread it out evenly. Microwave it for approx 2 mins, then take it out and drain off any water. Microwave it again for another 2 mins and remove any water. We used the corn we saved from our garden last year. Notice the corn is a little blackened. We grilled it, then removed it from the cob and froze it.
• Now it’s time to get those yummy homemade tortilla strips ready. Make extra, because you won’t be able to stop eating them!! Seriously! Before you start…grab a plate, line it with a paper towel and sprinkle on some salt and add some lime zest. You’ll need 4 corn tortillas cut in strips. You will also need a pot that will hold at least 4 cups of peanut oil. Add the oil and cook on med to high heat. You’ll know the oil is up to temp when you dip a strip in the oil and it begins to sizzle. Next add the remaining strips and cook until they are brown in color and look like chips. Use a kitchen spider to remove the strips from the oil, shake off any excess oil and add them to the plate. Toss them, making sure they are lighly coated in the lime salt mixture. Now set them aside, and try not to eat any.
  
• Once your veggie stock is ready, it’s now time to start sauteing your veggies. Add some olive oil to a large pot and set on med to high heat and start adding your onions and season with some salt. Then add in the rest of your veggies. Your garlic, celery, carrots and peppers. Saute for a couple mins and season with some salt. Then mix in your homemade chili powder, and 3 allspice berries. You’ll remove those before you eat.
• The next step is to open a can of whole tomatoes and hand crush each tomato into your soup. Next open the can of pinto beans. You’ll want to run them through a strainer and rinse them before adding them to your soup. Then add in the 1/2 cup of corn. Mix everything together and saute it for a couple mins.
• Now it’s time to add in your veggie stock. Using a ladle, scoop up some veggie stock (avoiding the veggies of course) and ladle the stock into a large measuring cup. You’ll want to add 6 cups of stock. Stir your soup and check it for seasoning. If it needs more salt, add it.
• Next you’ll want to add in your homemade tortilla strips. Just crush them up and sprinkle them in. Leave some to garnish your soup.
• At this point you’ll want to add in the juice of 1/2 a lime and add in some chopped cilantro. Now set your heat on low and let your soup cook for another 20 mins.
  
• When your soup is done cooking check it for seasoning. Make sure to remove those allspice berries and then it’s time to eat!
• You can garnish your soup with some Queso Fresco and some chopped cilantro and of course those homemade tortilla strips!
  
• Enjoy!