Print the recipe page!   tortilla soup 

This Tortilla Soup was one I adapted for my plan from Emeril’s Favorite Tortilla Soup.  We really like it!   It’s extremely mild while still flavorful, so it works well for both kids and adults;  spice is added for those who want it upon serving.  Also, since I try to to save cooking fuel and go non-electric whenever I can, I used my sun oven to bake the tortilla strips.

Also, I’ve got a new tortilla pressing technique!  In making tortillas the most tedious part (for me) is pressing them. It’s a trick, if not a battle, to press a very thin and even dough (as needed for chips) that will peel off the wax paper easily to transfer to the hot skillet.  Not to mention that it requires a lot of wax paper!  Well, in my search to simplify, I’ve re-purposed some flexible cutting mats to help me do the job faster and easier.  It no longer requires a tortilla press, the pressed dough releases much easier and {horray!} it doesn’t use any wax paper!!

serves 4-6

Tortilla Soup

Ingredients:

Soup

1 TBS oil

1/2 cup freeze dried white onion flakes

1/2 cup Thrive mixed bell peppers

1 (7 oz.) can green chiles

1 1/2 tsp. salt

1/2 tsp. garlic powder

1 1/2 tsp. ground cumin

1/2 tsp ground coriander

1 TBS tomato paste (*see note)

6 cups chicken stock

1 (12.5 oz) can chicken

1 (15 oz.) can whole corn

2 tsp. lime juice

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Tortillas

4 cups Masa flour

1/2 tsp. salt

1/4 tsp. baking soda

1 (15 oz.) can whole corn (I like Del Monte’s brand)

1/2 -3/4 cup water

1/8 cup oil

1 tsp. lime juice

pinch of chili pepper

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Tools and Supplies:

Flexible Cutting Mats (set of 4 — *see note)

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Instructions:

Preheat the sun oven (if using), removing the metal balancing tray to allow space for the baking racks.

Making the Tortilla Strips:

Mix together masa flour, salt and baking soda.  Add in pureed corn (including the water in the can), stirring with a spoon and then 1/2 to 3/4 cup of water, mixing with clean hands until the dough is a good consistency.  Using your hands to mix in the water will make it easier to be able to tell if the dough is too wet or too dry.  Working with small to medium sized dough balls, press one dough ball at a time in between two flexible cutting mats.  After covering with a second cutting mat , use a rolling pin to press the dough into a thin uncooked tortilla.

Carefully remove the tortilla from the cutting mat by using a third cutting mat to loosen the tortilla.   After the top of the tortilla has been loosened, remove the top cutting mat and loosen the bottom of the tortilla in the same manner.  Slide the tortilla off the cutting mat to cook on a hot skillet to cook 10 seconds or so, watching carefully so that it doesn’t burn.  Flip over and cook 10-15 seconds on the other side.

Once all the tortillas are cooked and somewhat cooled, brush each one with oil mixed with lime juice, a sprinkle of salt and chili pepper if desired.   Cut into strips and arrange on baking racks.  Bake in a sun oven, about 300 degrees, for 45 minutes until crisp.  Bake in a conventional oven at 350 for 10-15 minutes.

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Making the tortilla strips:

Puree the corn using a manual food mill, or (if electricity is available) a food processor.  I first drained it here only because if using a food mill it would need to be drained first;  if using an electric blender/food processor just process all the contents of the canned corn.  Mix together dry ingredients.

Add in the water from the corn and corn puree, stirring in with a spoon.  Mix in water until dough is a good consistency.

Not too wet, not too dry.  Dough should come together easily when pressed into a ball.

Flatten the dough ball.  Using a rolling pin, roll to desired thickness between two flexible cutting mats.  In this case you want it pretty thin because they’ll bake up more crisp the thinner they are.

Using a third mat, loosen the top of the tortilla.

Next, loosen the bottom of the tortilla in the same way, scooping up the tortilla as you go.  Btw, when I’m making strips like this I don’t concern myself with rolling a nice circular tortilla; anything will work.

Slide the tortilla onto the hot skillet, cooking for 10-15 seconds on each side.  Be careful not to touch your cutting mat to the hot skillet or it will melt!  If it needs loosening again (though it shouldn’t need much) just use another cutting mat to help.

Brush cooked tortillas with lime juice, a sprinkle of salt and chili pepper if desired.  Cut into strips using a pizza cutter.

Arrange on either sun oven baking racks or a baking tray.

Bake in a sun oven, about 300 degrees, for 45 minutes until crisp.  Remember to shut a pencil in the seam of the oven (while shutting both of the pegs) in order to create an escape for steam.

Bake in a conventional oven at 350 for 10-15 minutes.

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Making the Soup

Rehydrate the onion and peppers.  In a pot, heat the oil on medium high heat.  Add the onions, peppers, green chilies, garlic, cumin, coriander and salt for a minute or so (it’s not necessary to cook them longer since the vegetables are already softened).  Add the tomato paste/powder.  Add the chicken stock and bring to a simmer.  Simmer for 20 minutes.  Add the chicken and corn and simmer for 10 minutes.  Add the lime juice just before serving and stir well.  Remove from heat and cover to keep warm.

Ladle the soup into serving bowls.  Garnish with tortilla strips.

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Rehydrate the onions and peppers.

Mixed into the hot pot…

Add in the broth, bring to a simmer for 20 minutes.  Next add the chicken and corn.

Ladle into serving bowls.  For those who like it spicy, the soup is further seasoned with Emeril’s Essence Creole Seasoning (*see notes).  Garnish with tortilla strips and serve.

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Notes:

• Homemade Greek Yogurt would make a nice garnish in place of sour cream.
• Tomato Powder could definitely be substituted for the tomato paste using 1 part powder to 2 parts water.
• I bought my flexible cutting mats at Bed Bath and Beyond for $5.99.  Such a cheap solution!!  Plus they’ll be saving me money from not having to buy wax paper!
•  The other recipes on the blog that use tortillas have been updated with this new technique at the bottom of their posts.  As soon as I can, I’ll be adding additional printable recipe cards that include these new instructions for those who prefer to do it this way.

Emeril’s Essence Seasoning Mix

2 1/2 TBS paprika

2 TBS salt

2 TBS garlic powder

1 TBS. black pepper

1 TBS onion powder

1 TBS cayenne

1 TBS dried oregano

1 TBS dried thyme

Directions:   Combine all ingredients thoroughly.

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In my book this recipe is used as a:

*Long Term Recipe

*3 month meal

*Sun Oven Meal