My Love of Tortilla Soup Continues

Lunch at the Belo - a one act play

Screen Play By: Robbyn Conciatore

Characters: Nina aka Buttercup, and Robbyn Conciatore

Scene:

An elegant buffet lunch in a dinning reception room at The Belo Manson. The walls are are the colors of lemon crème. The chandeliers and lighting are dazzling. The china are  sparkling.

Buttercup is eating happily. "These carrots are tasty." She says as she points to her plate of deep orange carrots in a light orange glaze. "What is the glaze?" 

Robbyn considers dipping her finger in Nina's food, but thinks against it. She decides instead to take a spoon and put a pen tip of glaze on the spoon. She carefully puts it in her mouth and says instantly. "Frozen orange juice concentrate." She pauses. "Would you like for me to make this for your party Saturday?"

Nina wrinkles her nose. "No."

Close scene.

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I am fortunate that I have the ability to taste something and know the ingredients used. I seem to be on a Tortilla Soup tour of Texas. I have a recipe I developed that is my go to at home, but I still also love to have it out. It's relatively unique where I believe I've never had it in a restaurant the same way twice (provided the restaurant is different...).

Today was no exception. Alyson and I went to Ernesto's Mexican food (definitely not Tex Mex) and it put a new twist on my go to fav. My interpretation of how they did it, I'm going to call Chicken Tortilla Soup ala Ernesto.

Chicken Tortilla Soup ala Ernesto was a chicken stock based soup. (Relatively common). It had a splash of homemade salsa (Pureed tomatoes, fresh cilantro, chopped white onions, cumin, minced garlic). Shredded monterrey jack cheese was placed at the bottom of the bowl and topped with a shredded boneless skinless chicken breast. The broth mixture of the purred salsa and chicken broth is placed in the bowl and topped with more diced fresh tomatoes, green chilies, sliced avocados and tortilla chip strips.

Since I'm on a roll, I'm also sharing my interpretation of the Chicken Tortilla Soup at my favorite Mexican Restaurant. I'm calling it Chicken Tortilla Soup ala Pepe.

This Chicken Tortilla Soup is the first I had that did not appear to have any, (yep...not one) tomato. Not purred, not chopped, not canned...nada. In a bowl, place shredded monterrey jack cheese, and top with a shredded boneless skinless chicken breast. Season the chicken breast with cumin, salt and pepper before cooking and shredding. Top with chicken broth and sliced avocados and tortilla chip strips.

 

 

And lastly, that brings me to my favorite Avocado Soup, which quite honestly is the Chicken Tortilla Soup ala Pepe without chicken. A dash of salt and pepper, maybe minced garlic and voila.

:)