Tortilla Soup

Ingredients

• 3  ancho chile peppers dried
• 1  avocado diced
• 2  bay leaves 
• 28 ounce canned tomatoes canned
• 1  to 2 grilled chicken breasts sliced
• 1 tablespoon coriander seeds 
• 4  corn tortillas cut into strips and fried
• 6 servings cilantro leaves fresh
• 4 sprigs thyme leaves fresh
• 3 cloves garlic smashed
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin 
• 6 servings kosher salt 
• 8 cups chicken broth low-sodium
• 1 tablespoon olive oil extra-virgin
• 1  onion sliced
• 0.8 cup queso fresco crumbled
• 1 tablespoons cup heavy whipping cream sour

Equipment

• bowl
• pot
• sieve
• blender

Directions

1. Remove the stems and seeds from the chile peppers.
2. Place in a bowl, cover with hot water and soak until soft, about 20 minutes.
3. Drain the chiles, transfer to a blender and process to make a smooth puree.
4. Heat the olive oil in a large pot over medium heat, then add the onion and garlic and cook until the onion is translucent.
5. Add the tomatoes with their juice, 1/4 cup chile puree, the coriander seeds and cumin and cook about 5 minutes.
6. Add the broth, bay leaves and thyme and bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer and cook about
7. minutes. Strain the broth through a medium-mesh strainer into another pot, discarding the solids. Season with salt.
8. Place a small amount of chicken, queso fresco, avocado, cilantro, fried tortilla strips and sour cream in each bowl, then pour about 1 cup hot broth around the garnishes.
9. Photograph by Yunhee Kim