Chipotle Chicken Tortilla Soup

Ingredients

• 14 ounces firm-ripe avocados 
• 0.3 teaspoon peppercorns black
• 15 ounces black beans rinsed canned
• 3  carrots coarsely chopped
• 3 rib celery coarsely chopped
• 1.5 tablespoons chipotles in adobo finely chopped
• 0.5 cup cilantro leaves finely chopped
• 25  cilantro stems 
• 400 servings corn tortillas (7-to )
• 0.5 teaspoon cumin seeds 
• 1 head garlic halved
• 2  garlic cloves 
• 2  limes cut into wedges
• 2  onions coarsely chopped
• 1 cup medium-or short-grain brown rice 
• 1.5 pounds sweet potatoes peeled cut into 1/2-inch pieces ( 2)
• 2  turkish bay leaf 
• 6 tablespoons vegetable oil 
• 3.5 quart water cold
• 1 medium onion white chopped
• 3  allspice whole
• 3.5 pounds meat from a rotisserie chicken whole

Equipment

• bowl
• frying pan
• baking sheet
• oven
• pot
• sieve
• blender
• cutting board

Directions

1. Bring all stock ingredients to a boil with 2 teaspoons salt and 1/2 teaspoon pepper in an 8-to 10-quart heavy pot, then skim foam.
2. Reduce heat and gently simmer, uncovered, skimming foam occasionally, 2 3/4 hours.
3. Transfer chicken to a cutting board, then pour stock through a fine-mesh sieve into a large bowl and discard solids. Reserve
4. cup stock and return remainder to cleaned pot.
5. Toast spices in a dry small skillet (not nonstick) over medium-low heat, shaking skillet occasionally, until fragrant and a shade darker, about 2 minutes.
6. Transfer spices to a blender along with onion, garlic, chipotles with adobo sauce, 2 1/2 teaspoons salt, and reserved stock.
7. Blend until mixture is smooth and spices are ground, about 2 minutes (use caution when blending hot liquids).
8. Add purée to stock in pot along with rice and sweet potatoes and bring to a simmer over medium heat. Simmer, covered, until sweet potatoes and rice are tender, about 45 minutes.
9. While soup simmers, discard skin and bones from chicken and cut or shred meat into bite-size pieces.
10. Meanwhile, preheat oven to 375°F with racks in upper and lower thirds. Stack tortillas and cut into 1/4-inch-thick strips, then toss with oil.
11. Spread strips in 1 layer on 2 large baking sheets and season with salt.
12. Bake, stirring frequently and switching position of sheets halfway through baking, until deep golden and crisp, 20 to 25 minutes.
13. When rice and sweet potatoes are tender, add chicken and beans to soup and simmer, uncovered, until just heated through, about 5 minutes.
14. Meanwhile, quarter avocados lengthwise and cut into 1/2-inch cubes.
15. Season soup with salt and pepper, then serve with lime wedges, chopped cilantro, avocados, and tortilla strips.
16. •Stock can be made 3 days ahead and chilled (covered once cool).
17. Remove chicken from bones and chill separately. Reheat stock before proceeding with recipe.•Chipotle-spice purée can be made 1 day ahead and chilled.