Chicken Tortilla Soup

I don't think I've ever made tortilla soup. I looked at some recipes but didn't end up using any except to learn how to handle the tortillas.

The biggest surprise for me was that the tortillas end up being an integral part of the flavor and consistency of the soup. After they've sat in there for a few minutes, they thicken the soup slightly and pull all the flavors together.

Next time I roast a chicken again I will make this with the leftovers again.

Here's how I made it.

• 6 corn tortillas
• 1 small onion, diced
• 3 carrots, peeled and cut into 3/4" cubes
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1/4 cup sherry
• green chiles. I used one can whole, diced up, but fresh would be better
• chicken broth -- I used half homemade and half high-quality carton stock
• hot sauce or other heat adjuster -- I happened to use homemade Tabasco sauce
• fresh lime juice
• salt
• pepper
• a few cups cooked chicken, shredded

Cut corn tortillas into strips and pan-fry them until golden/brown in a little peanut oil. Drain on paper towels. Set aside.

Saute onion lightly in olive oil. Add carrots, then garlic, and saute just until you can smell the garlic. Add sherry and cook it off, then broth and green chiles.

Simmer 15 minutes or so, until flavors blend.

Add salt, pepper, lime juice, and hot sauce to taste.

Add chicken and bring back to a simmer.

Put a handful of fried tortilla strips in each bowl and ladle the soup on top. Let sit for a few minutes. Serve with avocado slices and lime wedges.

Shrimp and Avocado Appetizer

This is one of the very nicest things you can do with a beautiful avocado. It's a perfect sit-down first course, and would also make a pretty fancy lunch dish. Here's a picture of a version made with crab instead.

Shrimp-Avocado Salad with Pistachios

1 tablespoon olive oil
1/4 cup white wine vinegar
3 cloves garlic, minced or pressed
20 medium shrimp, cooked and peeled
2 medium-size ripe avocados
2 tablespoons salted pistachios, coarsely chopped

Stir together oil, garlic, and vinegar to make dressing.

Reserve 8 whole shrimp for garnish. Chop remaining shrimp coarsely and add to dressing.

Cut avocados in half. Carefully scoop out flesh and dice, reserving shells. Add diced avocado to shrimp mixture and toss gently to coat. Taste and add salt and pepper if necessary. Refrigerate.

At serving time, mound shrimp mixture in avocado shells on individual serving plates. Top each serving with two whole shrimp and sprinkle with chopped pistachios.