Touski Mexicano on your plates

Cinco de Mayo has already passed, but that doesn't mean we can't treat ourselves to a Mexican-inspired dish. We therefore offer you a somewhat modified version of the traditional sopa de tortilla , also translated as tortilla soup, and an empty fridge recipe for quesadillas .

A LITTLE HISTORY

The beginnings of the tortilla sopa date back to pre-Hispanic times, in the Tlaxcala region of Mexico. The goal was to prepare meals that were easy to digest using simple foods. Tlaxcala means “where tortillas are in abundance.” This is why you can find these famous corn tortillas in the soup. Strange, right? But delicious. It is even said that the tortilla sopa is one of the most representative dishes of Mexican gastronomy!

But what about the tortilla sopa cooked today, in 2020, with North American ingredients? The texture of this sopa recipe that we offer you here is halfway between that of a soup and that of a soup. If you want a more liquid texture, you can double the quantity of broth (chicken or vegetable).

TO MAKE THE TORTILLA SOPA

Roughly chop 1 yellow onion and 3 cloves of garlic , then soften them in the bottom of a large saucepan in 1 tbsp. tablespoon of vegetable oil . Cook for about 10 minutes. Place the onion and garlic in a blender, then add a little more than ½ can of drained diced plum tomatoes (796 ml) and 1 chopped jalapeno pepper . Start the food processor and mix until you obtain a smooth puree.

Place the puree in the same saucepan and heat over high heat until the water evaporates enough to form a more paste-like consistency (about 7 minutes). Add 3 cups of chicken broth , 1 tbsp. oregano and 1 tsp. teaspoon of paprika . Reduce heat to medium, then simmer for 15 minutes. Add salt and lime juice to taste.

While the soup is simmering, preheat 2 tbsp. tablespoons of vegetable oil in a pan. When the oil is hot, add 2 corn (or wheat) tortillas previously cut into strips. Brown the strips on both sides (about 10 minutes). Cut lime and/or avocado wedges and chop cilantro .

Pour the soup into the bowls, then add the garnishes: a few strips of tortillas, a spoonful of sour cream , a lime wedge, a few pieces of avocado and the cilantro. It is also possible to add chicken, if desired!

[While it looks great to post photos of soups made by photographers and trained chefs, the truth is that soup made at home is unlikely to look like the soup seen on a blog. So here's also, in all humility, what your homemade soup should look like in real life.]

WHAT ABOUT QUESADILLAS?

For older children who won't be able to eat soup as a meal, we offer you a quesadilla! The good thing about this type of dish is that you can use just about any vegetable left in the fridge. You can opt for peppers of various colors, green onions, corn, zucchini, etc. Really, you can put whatever you want in it! It can also be very interesting to add red beans or any other legumes; it is not a vegetable, but it is a very good source of protein, vitamins and minerals. For cheese, I personally opt for Tex-Mex cheese preparations, but any type of grated cheese can do the trick.

TO MAKE THE QUESADILLAS

Heat a medium-sized skillet. Lay out a tortilla (corn or wheat), then spread ¼ cup of grated cheese on top. On top of the cheese, scatter the vegetables (of your choice) cut into small cubes. Sprinkle a little cheese over the vegetables, then cover with another tortilla. When the bottom tortilla is sufficiently browned (about 4-5 minutes), continue cooking for 4 to 5 minutes on the other side. Enjoy!

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Sources and information: Gastronomadas, Mariana Montiel

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