For the real aficionado, just thinking about Mexican food conjures up fond memories of the robust tastes and spicy aromas of this unique and flavorful cuisine. There was a time when most Mexican dishes were found only in the Southwest, but now they are popular throughout the world.
It is the intense flavor of Mexican food that makes it possible to convert many of the most popular dishes from relatively high-fat fare to extremely low-fat, without losing the integrity of the original dish. The reason for this is that fat is added to any dish primarily to carry flavor. Therefore, less fat is necessary to achieve the desired taste in already highly seasoned food.
One of my favorite Mexican dishes is this delicious tortilla soup. It is hearty enough to serve as an entree. You can also serve this soup buffet-style and allow your guests to add the chicken, cheese and tortilla strips to their soup bowls themselves–perfect for Super Bowl parties later this month.
TORTILLA SOUP
Preparation time: 25 minutes
Cooking time: 30 minutes
Yield: 6 servings
6 corn tortillas
6 cloves garlic
1 large onion, chopped
2 tablespoons chopped cilantro, plus sprigs for garnish
8 cups fat-free chicken broth
2 pounds plum tomatoes, peeled, or 1 can (28 ounces) tomatoes, drained
2 teaspoons each: ground cumin, chili powder
2 bay leaves, crumbled
1/2 teaspoon salt (omit if using salted stock)
1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper
3 boned, skinless chicken breast halves, cooked, julienned
3/4 cup (3 ounces) grated, reduced-fat Monterey Jack cheese
1. Heat the oven to 350 degrees. Cut 3 of the tortillas into thin strips, about 1/4-inch wide; place them on a non-stick baking sheet. Bake until crisp and golden brown, about 15 minutes (watch carefully; they burn easily). Set aside.
2. Coarsely chop remaining tortillas; put them in large, heavy saucepan. Add garlic, onion, cilantro and 2 cups of the chicken broth. Heat to a boil, reduce heat; simmer until tortillas are soft, about 5 minutes.
3. Combine 1 cup of the chicken broth and tomatoes in blender; puree. Add to saucepan. Add cumin, chili powder, bay leaves, salt and cayenne pepper. Add all the remaining broth; heat to a boil. Reduce heat; simmer, uncovered, 30 minutes, stirring frequently.
4. Strain soup; pour into warm bowls. To each bowl add 1/4 cup cooked chicken strips and 2 tablespoons grated cheese. Garnish with toasted tortilla strips and cilantro sprigs.
Nutrition information per serving:
Calories ………… 275 Fat …………. 7 g Saturated fat .. 2.7 g
% calories from fat .. 24 Cholesterol … 45 mg Sodium …… 1,220 mg
Carbohydrate ……. 25 g Protein …….. 27 g Fiber ………. 4.2 g
