SOUPS
Papa Miguel's Chicken Black Bean Tortilla Soup
Ingredients:
Soup:
1 bunch fresh Epazote, found at Gonzalez Northgate Mexican market.
1/3 cup olive oil
2 arbol chilis, dried, deseeded and finely chopped or ground
2 fresh pasilla chilis
1 small brown onion
7 to 10 cloves garlic
10 small to medium tomatillos
4 Roma tomatoes
1 box Trader Joes Roasted Red Pepper and Tomato soup
2 packages frozen Trader Joes Soy-cotash, or mixed vegetables of your choice
2 15oz cans black beans, drained
2 cubes of BEEF bullion
6 to 8 deboned and skinned chicken breasts, cleaned and chopped.
juice of 2 limes
1 tablespoon lemon-pepper
1 teaspoon salt
enough water to fill pot the rest of the way.
Garnishes:
avocados
cilantro
tortilla chips
Mexican cheese
Mexican sour cream
Preparation and Cooking:
Heat oven to 400 degrees F
chop onions and garlic and set aside
Cut arbol chilis in half and dump out the seeds, then finely chop the chilis and set aside.
Chop epazote herb and set aside.
Cut tomatillos and Roma tomatoes in halves, and spread out on a cookie sheet. Roast in preheated 400F oven for about 20 minutes.
Roast halved tomatillos and tomatoes in preheated oven for 20 minutes. Puree with hand mixer or in food processor. And Set aside.
Roast pasilla chilis in skillet until blackened on all sides. Cool under cold water for a few minutes. Remove seeds, most of skin. Chop. Then, set aside.
In a large 10 to 12-quart pot, heat olive oil.
Add onions and arbol chilis, epazote and garlic. Roast for about 15 minutes, stirring occasionally.
Next add chopped roasted pasilla chilis, lemon pepper, salt and beef bullion, stir and roast for a few minutes more to blend the flavors.
Add pureed tomatillos and tomatoes, black beans, Tjs roasteed red pepper and tomato soup and Tjs Soy-cotash or other mixed vegetables.
Next, add the chopped chicken breasts, juice of limes and enough water to fill pot.
Keep at medium heat and cook, stirring occasionally, until soup begins to boil.
Lower heat to simmer and let soup slow cook on simmer for about two hours.
Serving Suggestion:
Crush a few tortilla chips into a soup bowl along with a bit of grated Mexican cheese. Ladle the soup into the bowl. Add sliced avocado, a dab of sour cream. Top with a sprinkle of chopped cilantro.