Chicken Tortilla Soup

Goodness gracious, I first shared this recipe in 2004. That is so long ago! In the meantime, I've made a number of time-saving changes or those that up the flavor. This soup is so simple and so delicious you've got to try it so I'm rerunning it, revised.

Chicken Tortilla Soup

Step 1:
1-1/2 - 2 pounds chicken thighs
6 cups chicken stock

Simmer the chicken thighs in the broth until done. Let cool on a plate and then discard skin. Pull meat off the bone in bite sized pieces. This enriches the broth and gives good moist chicken that will stand up to the later simmering. Reserve broth and chicken.

Step 2:
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
6 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 cup cilantro, chopped
1 onion, chopped
2-3 tomatoes, chopped (app. 2 cups)
OR instead of the above use 2 cups fresh pico de gallo from your grocery store (if your grocery store does that)

In a large stock pot, heat oil. Saute everything for about 10 minutes.

Step 3:
2 tablespoons cumin
2 tablespoons chili powder (I've also used ancho chili powder, which my husband loves in this dish)
1 teaspoon salt
Reserved chicken and broth from Step 1

Add all, return to a boil, reduce heat and simmer for 15 minutes. Serve up in big bowls to make room for accompaniments below.

Step 4:
Lime wedges
Shredded Monterey Jack
Sour Cream
Tortilla chips

Crumble some tortilla chips in the bottom of the bowl (or let each person add their own at the table), ladle soup over them. Serve with accompaniments.

Lomo de Cerdo en Chile Verde (Loin of Pork in Green Chile Sauce)

My mother had been asking if I had Dad's green pork recipe copied down. Sadly no, but I am sure it's genesis was in Elisabeth Ortiz's original The Complete Book of Mexican Cooking. This is from waaay back in the day ... wait for it ... 1967. Yet it is fascinating to look at how authentic the results were that Ortiz communicated in her recipes using canned tomatillos and jalapenos. In fact, looking up the recipe, I was seized with the desire for green pork and also seized with curiosity about making it old-school Ortiz style.

I remembered when I was in the store and saw a pork roast on sale. Then I ran all over the store picking up the ingredients. Turns out this is not actually the recipe my parents favored. (They used the recipe under this one which I may actually get around to sharing one of these days.)

This was absolutely delicious. We scooped it into flour tortillas. Mmmmm ...

These days pork is not what it was then and I'd use a pork shoulder, though my roast did very well. Also, my ... ahem ... handful of cilantro is actually an entire bunch. What can I say? I'm a fan.

Elisabeth Lambert Ortiz did update her book (The New Complete Book of Mexican Cooking) and making this recipe made me curious as I am sure she now uses fresh tomatillos and the like. I have requested it from the library.

Lomo de Cerdo en Chile Verde
Loin of Pork in Green Chile Sauce

2 tablespoons lard or oil
1 large onion, finely chopped
2 cloves garlic, chopped
3 pounds boneless loin of pork, cut into 2-inch cubes
2 pounds tomatillos, shucked, washed, and cut into quarters
Handful of fresh cilantro, chopped
2-3 mild jalapenos, cut into strips
Salt
Freshly ground pepper

Heat the lard or oil in a skillet, and saute the onion and garlic until limp. Drain, and place in the bottom of a heavy, flame-proof casserole that has a cover. Add the pork, tomatillo, cilantro, and chiles, and the nopalitos. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Cover; and simmer over a low heat until the pork can be pierced easily with a fork, or about 2 hours. Serves 6. I usually make this the day after Christmas when I have lots of roast pork shoulder leftovers. In that case, simmer the sauce for an hour and then add the cut up pork and simmer for another hour.

Cilantro Haters are United

fetid barb of green
cilantro spoils the stuffing
coriander too

Such was penned by a cilantro hater after finding cilantro slipped into the Thanksgiving stuffing. I must say that cilantro does not belong in stuffing.

This WSJ article looks at the many haters of cilantro who unite in Facebook groups and other places.

I used to be one such. When I was a child the smell was unappetizing and the taste soapy. However, with my early adult years my tastes changed. Who can say why? All I know is that my former distaste makes me sympathetic to those who abhor cilantro, such as my mother-in-law, and so I leave it out of any recipe when I know that one such is going to be at our table. I myself am merely happy to now be among those who can glory in cilantro's unique flavor, such as the fellow who wrote this haiku.

crisp cilantro sprig
trendy garnish refreshes
why peeps be hatin

Fragrant Vietnamese Chicken-Noodle Soup

Yes, I used Jim Fobel's Big Flavors this week as my main source. What can I say? Big flavors grab me.

This takes more time than you would think, due to the many fresh ingredients that need preparation. However, it is all very simple. Just don't do what I did and walk into the kitchen 45 minutes before you plan on serving dinner, only to see that the chicken should be marinated for 1-2 hours ... and then grilled or broiled. Guess what? It did just dandy with 1/2 hour of marinating.

My recipe notes:

• I added basil, which makes it the spitting image of my favorite bowl of soup at our local Vietnamese restaurant.
• I didn't have the thin rice sticks called for but, rather, broad rice noodles. They made for a bit more difficult eating perhaps, but worked perfectly well.
• Not wanting to deal with grilling or broiling at the moment, I simply sauteed the chicken in the pot I later used for the soup.
• I always use limes with this. Not only does it seem more authentic to me, but I like limes better.
  

Everyone loves this, even our discriminating Hannah.

Makes 4 main-course or 8 soup-course servings.

Chicken and Marinade
3 tablespoons Vietnamese or Thai fish sauce (nuoc mam or nam pla)
3 tablespoons fresh lemon or lime juice
2 tablespoons minced fresh ginger
1 tablespoon sugar
1 large garlic clove, minced or crushed through a press
1 pound split skinless and boneless chicken breasts
1 tablespoon vegetable oil

Soup
8 ounces thin dried rice noodles or rice sticks (1/16")
8 cups chicken stock
About 1/4 cup Vietnamese or Thai fish sauce (nuoc mam or nam pla)
5 large, thin slices fresh ginger
1 large garlic clove, minced or crushed through a press
8 whole scallions, cut into 1-1/2" lengths
4 cups fresh bean sprouts (12 ounces), rinsed and drained
2 cups finely shredded romaine lettuce (preferably the small inner leaves)
1/2 cup coarsely chopped fresh mint
1/2 cup coarsely chopped fresh basil (my addition)
1/2 cup coarsely chopped fresh cilantro
1/4 cup chopped, unsalted, roasted peanuts
1 lemon or lime, cut into 8 wedges
Vietnamese chili-garlic sauce

1. Marinate the chicken. In a large, shallow glass dish, stir together the fish sauce, lemon juice, ginger, sugar, and garlic. Add the chicken, turning to coat all. cover and marinate in the refrigerator for 1-2 hours.
2. Preheat a charcoal grill or the broiler. Take the chicken from the marinade and pat dry with paper towels; discard the marinade. lightly coat the chicken with the vegetable oil. Grill or broil for 3-5 minutes on each side, or until cooked to the center. Let stand until needed. If making ahead, when cool, cover and refrigerate. Tear into 1/2" wide shreds. If the chicken is cold, reheat in a small amount of the soup broth.
3. Make the soup. Drop the rice noodles into a large pot of boiling water over high heat. After the water returns to a boil, cook for 1 minutes. Drain in a colander and rinse under cold water. let air-dry in the colander, tossing occasionally, for at least 30 minutes or as long as 2 hours.
4. In a large saucepan or soup pot, combine the chicken stock, 1/4 cup of the fish sauce, ginger, and garlic. Bring to a boil over moderate heat. Reduce heat to low and simmer for 5 minutes. cover and keep warm until serving time.
5. Just before ladling into bowls, bring the soup to a boil. Remove the ginger slices and add the scallions. Taste and add more fish sauce, if desired.
6. For main-course servings, choose 4 large (6-cup) bowls. Into each, arrange one-fourth of the noodles (they will heat in the broth); one-fourth of the shredded chicken; 1 cup of the bean sprouts; 1/2 cup shredded lettuce; 2 tablespoons each of the mint, basil and cilantro; and 1 tablespoon of the chopped peanuts. Ladle in about 2 cups of the scalding hot broth, putting some of the scallions in each. Serve hot, garnished with lemon wedges. Guests should spoon in a little of the chili sauce to taste. For soup-course servings, use large shallow soup plates and halve the quantities given above.
   

Pace Chicken Vegetable Salad

My mother picked this up either from a Pace Picante label or from their website. Either way, it is absolutely simple and simply delicious. It is especially nice to grill extra chicken on the weekend and then make this salad during the week.

Step 1:
1 pound chicken breasts, grilled, diced
2 tomatoes, chopped
1 medium zucchini, quartered, sliced
1 cup frozen corn, defrosted
1 avocado, diced
1/2 cup green onions

Combine all ingredients.

Step 2:
1/2 cup Pace picante
2 tablespoons lemon juice
2 tablespoons cilantro, minced
1/2 teaspoons cumin

Make Dressing: Combine all. Add to salad. Let set an hour, chilling. Serves 4.

This is infinitely adaptable … try black beans, grilled steak, etc.

Thai-Style Ground Beef

This is from Cooking Light. I have to say that they really are geniuses at getting an essential cultural flavor down in the easiest possible way for a quick meal. Probably the best tribute to this recipe is that I didn't mention to Tom it was something new. He took a bite, his eyes widened, and he looked at me. "Wow!
This is great!"

Notes:

• I didn't have light coconut milk, just the regular sort. However, I inadvertently cut out a lot of the fat by just using a church key style can opener to poke holes in the top. This kept most of the fat in the can as it was evidently cool enough for it to be solidified.
• I was in a tearing hurry so didn't do the leek step ... and also didn't have iceberg lettuce. No matter. It was still great.
  

Cooking spray
1 cup thinly sliced leek
1 teaspoon bottled minced garlic
1 pound lean ground sirloin
1 teaspoon red curry paste
1 cup tomato sauce
1/2 cup light coconut milk
1 tablespoon brown sugar
1/4 teaspoon grated lime rind
1 1/2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
1 tablespoon Asian fish sauce
3 cups hot cooked short-grain rice
Iceberg lettuce wedges (optional)
Chopped cilantro
Chopped green onions (optional)

Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat. Coat pan with cooking spray.

Add leek; sauté 5 minutes. Add garlic; sauté 1 minute.

Add beef; cook 7 minutes or until lightly browned, stirring to crumble. [Drain any fat, especially if, like me, you had ground chuck and not ground sirloin.]

Stir in curry paste and tomato sauce; cook until half of liquid evaporates (about 2 minutes).

Add coconut milk and next 4 ingredients (through fish sauce); cook 2 minutes or until slightly thickened.

Serve with the rice and lettuce wedges, if desired. Garnish with cilantro and green onions, if desired.

Serves 8

Tags:Food

Linguine and Grilled Beef Salad

Another brilliant recipe from Jim Fobel's Big Flavors. I love those big flavors as much as Fobel does and you can't get a recipe that is much easier than this. This makes a really simple weeknight meal if you have some linguine and grilled beef left over from the weekend.

Of course, you can even use roast beef from the deli and that makes it quite simple. Naturally, you can change this up by substituting chicken for the beef and other spices for the cilantro (such as basil).

1/4 cup rice vinegar
2 tablespoons mayonnaise
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano, crumbled
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
8 ounces linguine, broken in half
8 ounces trimmed grilled steak or roast beef, thinly sliced
2 tomatoes, cut into 1/2-inch dice
1 medium sweet onion, peeled, halved lengthwise, thinly sliced, and separated into half-rings
1/3 cup chopped fresh parsley, plus sprigs, for garnish
1/3 cup chopped fresh cilantro, plus sprigs, for garnish
2 cups shredded romaine or iceberg lettuce

In a large bowl, whisk together the vinegar, mayonnaise, and oil. Add the spices and whisk to blend.

Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil over high heat. Drop in the linguine and stir constantly until the water returns to a boil. Cook, stirring frequently, until tender but firm to the bite. Drain and rinse under cold water. Shake thoroughly to drain well.

Transfer the pasta to a large bowl and toss with the salad dressing. Add the beef, tomatoes, onion, parsley, and cilantro and toss. Cover and chill thoroughly, 1 to 2 hours.

Just before serving, add the lettuce and toss. Serve cold, garnished with sprigs of parsley and cilantro.

Tags:Food

Spicy Peanut Chicken

Rose chose this from The Good Housekeeping All New Cookbook. Boy, oh boy, was it delicious. As she said, who cared about the chicken? Just eat the sauce.

The recipe says it serves 4 using 4 chicken leg quarters but I think that next time I probably will make it with 8 chicken thighs because there is enough sauce for 8 servings ... so I can freeze half for an easy meal later. We had this with egg noodles but rice would be nice too.

1 teaspoon ground cumin
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
4 chicken-leg quarters (about 2-1/4 pounds), skin removed
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
1 medium onion, sliced (next time I would chop this as we do not really enjoy long strings of onion in a sauce)
1 can (28 ounces) plum tomatoes, drained and chopped, juice reserved (I used a can of diced tomatoes that I had on hand)
1/4 cup creamy peanut butter
1/4 cup packed fresh cilantro leaves
2 garlic cloves
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper

In a cup, mix cumin and cinnamon; use to rub over chicken.

In nonstick 12-inch skillet, heat oil over medium-high heat; add chicken and cook until browned. Add onion; cook 5 minutes.

In a blender at high speed, puree reserved tomato juice and remaining ingredients; pour over chicken. Stir in tomatoes; heat to boiling over high heat. reduce heat to low; cover and simmer 40 minutes, or until juices run clear when chicken is pierced with tip of knife. (Each serving about 385 calories.)

Spicy Peanut Chicken

This chicken rocked our world a couple of nights ago at dinner (even though I didn't have any cilantro, which probably would have been even better). We had it with egg noodles and green beans. And, for those who take their lunch, the large amount of leftover sauce is fabulous over leftover green beans. From The All New Good Housekeeping Cookbook. Next time I would probably chop the onion and remove the chicken from the pan while cooking it; but that is a small point of personal preference.


1 teaspoon ground cumin
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
4 medium chicken leg quarters (2-1/4 pounds), skin and fat removed
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
1 medium onion, thinly sliced
1 can (28 ounces) plum tomatoes, drained (reserve juice), coarsely chopped
1/4 cup creamy peanut butter
1/4 cup packed fresh cilantro leaves
2 garlic cloves, peeled
1/2 teaspoon salt (I used a full teaspoon)
1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper

Combine cumin and cinnamon; rub on chicken.

In a nonstick 12" skillet, heat oil over medium-high heat until very hot. Add chicken and cook until golden brown, about 5 minutes per side. Add onion and cook until golden, about 5 minutes.

Meanwhile, in blender or in food processor with knife blade attached, puree reserved tomato juice, peanut butter, cilantro, garlic, salt, and crushed red pepper until smooth.

Pour peanut butter mixture and chopped tomatoes over chicken; heat to boiling. Reduce heat; cover and simmer until juices run clear when thickest part of chicken is pierced with tip of knife about 40 minutes. Makes 4 main-dish servings.

Pan-Seared Oven-Roasted Pork Tenderloins

This recipe is from Cook's Illustrated magazine. It is dead simple and absolutely delicious. I've been in the habit of oven roasting pork tenderloins but searing adds that extra flavor boost. I only cooked one tenderloin as a pound of meat is plenty for the four of us and didn't make a pan sauce (because I used the pan to saute some onions and peppers). I went ahead and put the recipe below for the pan sauce I would have chosen.

2 pork tenderloins, (12 - 16 ounces each), trimmed of fat and silver skin
1-1/4 teaspoons kosher salt
3/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
2 teaspoons vegetable oil

Adjust oven rack to middle position; heat oven to 400°. Sprinkle tenderloins evenly with salt and pepper; rub seasoning into meat. Heat oil in 12" skillet over medium-high heat until smoking. Place both tenderloins in skillet; cook until well browned, 1 to 1-1/2 minutes. Using tongs, rotate tenderloins 1/4 turn; cook until well browned, 45-60 seconds. Repeat until all sides are browned.

Transfer tenderloins to reimmed baking sheet and place in oven (reserve skillet if making pan sauce); roast until internal temperature registers 135-140 degrees on instand-read thermometer, 10-16 minutes. (Begin pan sauce, if making while meat roasts.)

Transfer tenderloins to cutting board and tent loosely with foil (continue with pan sauce if making); let rest until internal temperature registers 145-150 degrees, 8-10 minutes. Cut tenderloins crosswise into 1/2" thick slices, arrange on platter or individual plates, and spoon sauce (if using) over; serve immediately.


Garlicky Lime Sauce with Cilantro
(makes enough to sauce two tenderloins)

10 garlic cloves, peeled and grated to a fine paste on rasp-style grater (about 2 tablespoons)
2 tablespoons water
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes
2 teaspoons light brown sugar
3 tablespoons juice from 2 limes
1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro leaves
1 tablespoon chopped fresh chives
4 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into 4 pieces
Table salt and ground black pepper

Immediately after placing pork in oven, mix garlic paste with water in small bowl. Add oil to still-hot skillet and swirl to coat; add garlic paste and cook with skillet's residual heat, scraping up browned bits with wooden spoon, until sizzling subsides, about 2 minutes. Set skillet over low heat and continue cooking, stirring frequently, until garlic is sticky, 8-10 minutes; set skillet aside off heat.

While pork is resting, set skillet over medium heat; add pepper flakes and sugar to skillet and cook until sticky and sugar is dissolved, about 1 minute. Add lime juice, cilantro, and chives; simmer to blend flavors, 1-2 minutes. Add any accumulated pork juices and simmer 1 minute longer. Off heat, whisk in butter, one piece at a time. Adjust seasonings with salt and pepper.

Chicken Mexicana

Rose wanted to cook dinner and chose this recipe from The Good Housekeeping Step-by-Step Cookbook. Not only does she love oven fried chicken but the flavor twist appealed to her. Surprise lesson that was included for her ... how to cut up a whole chicken into pieces. It's so handy that a chicken has two of everything so I could show her how it worked and then she could try it out herself. We only baked one chicken instead of two, per Rose's decision.

As to where the "Mexicana" part of the recipe came in, we are still in doubt. Other than the obvious green chiles and cilantro there is scant Mexican about the dish. However, it was delicious no matter what it was named and we will be making it again.

Prep: 15 minutes
Bake: 40-45 minutes
Makes 8 main-dish servings.

Step 1:
1 can (4 to 4-1/2 ounces) chopped mild green chiles (Rose chose to leave these out)
1/2 cup Dijon mustard
1 tablespoon fresh lime juice
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
Preheat oven to 425°F. Mix in small bowl.

Step 2:
2/3 cup plain dried bread crumbs
2/3 cup yellow cornmeal
1 tablespoon paprika
2 tablespoons coarsely chopped cilantro or parsley (when I'm given a choice like that I always choose cilantro!)
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon dried oregano
On waxed paper, mix ingredients.

Step 3:
2 chickens (3 pounds each), each cut into 8 pieces and skin removed
Brush mustard mixture evenly onto chicken. Coat with bread-crumb mixture, firmly pressing crumb mixture onto chicken.

Step 4:
2 tablespoons olive or vegetable oil
Grease 17" x 11-1/2" roasting pan. Place chicken in roasting pan. With pastry brush, lightly dab oil onto chicken.

Bake chicken (do not turn) 40-45 minutes until crisp and juices run clear when pierced with tip of knife. Serve with salsa and tortillas, if you like.

Black Eyed Pea Redemption

My good friend Marcia has the solution to my thinking that black eyed peas taste like dirt. She's a life long Texan so I think I can trust her on this and it does sound delicious. Maybe a black eyed pea salad is in my future ...

FYI....I have a blackeyed pea recipe for you to try....wash canned in colander, add chopped avocado, green onions chopped and chopped tomatoes....cilantro if you like it and salt and pepper....If you like fresh jalepanos, seed, de-membrane and then finely chop and add to mixture.......then pour catalina salad dressing and toss...leave in frig for a few hrs. or overnight to let flavors meld....I love it....maybe you won't taste dirt!!! when serving add little fritos.. it's a treat, I promise!

Thai-Style Stir-Fried Chicken

From Cooking Light magazine ... maybe the most recent issue (?). This is a quick recipe that should only take 40 minutes and actually MIGHT have taken 40 minutes if I had checked the time. If it took longer it was because I didn't have any pre-sliced mushrooms or pre-chopped carrots. It still was pretty quick and easy though. Really delicious and authentic tasting but next time I'm using only half the red curry paste. I'm still breathing flames!

STEP 1:
1/4 cup rice vinegar
2 tablespoons brown sugar
2 teaspoons red curry paste
1/8 teaspoon crushed red pepper
1 pound skinless, boneless chicken breast, cut into bite-sized pieces (I used boneless thighs)
Combine everything in a zip-top plastic bag. Marinate 15 minutes in the refrigerator.

STEP 2:
1-1/2 tablespoons vegetable oil, divided (I might have used more than this ... I didn't measure, just splashed a bit in).
1 cup chopped onion
1 cup chopped carrot
1 (8-ounce package presliced mushrooms
Remove chicken from bag, reserving marinade. Heat 1 tablespoon oil in a large nonstick skillet or wok over medium-high heat. Add chicken stir-fry 4 minutes. remove chicken from pan; keep warm. Add remaining oil to pan. Add onion and carrot; stir-fry 2 minutes. Add mushrooms; stir-fry 3 minutes.

STEP 3:
1/2 cup light coconut milk
1 tablespoon fish sauce
1/2 teaspoon salt
Add reserved marinade, scraping pan to loosen browned bits. Add coconut milk and fish sauce; bring to a boil. Reduce heat, and simmer 1 minute. Stir in chicken and salt; cook 1 minute.

STEP 4:
1 cup fresh bean sprouts
1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro
Remove chicken to dish, top with bean sprouts and cilantro. Serve with rice noodles (or regular noodles or rice or whatever you like to put a saucy dish over).

RICE NOODLES
Place 6 ounces thin rice vermicelli (thin rice noodles) in a large bowl, cover with boiling water. Let stand 20 minutes. Drain, serve chicken over noodles. (I put the noodles in a large Italian pasta bowl, poured the chicken over the top and sprinkled with the sprouts and cilantro. Very pretty it was too!)

Serves 4. (Serving size: 1 cup chicken, 1/4 cup sprouts, and 1 T cilantro)

CALORIES 271 (28% from fate); FAT 8.4 g (sat 2.2g, mono 1.6g, poly 3.4g); PROTEIN 29.7g; CARB 19.6g; CHOL 66mg; IRON 2.2mg; SODIUM 767mg; CALC 43mg)