Page 29 - ALG Issue 4 2023

Tortilla Soup
Vegan version
Use vegan cheese for garnish or omit
Erin Baker is a chef, cookery teacher and food writer based in Stroud. She offers evening, 3 and 5-day courses, private classes, catering and has recently published a book ‘The Veg Bible’ featuring her fresh, full-of-flavour tried and tested recipes.
Visit her website for more details: www.naturalcookeryschool.com Photographs: ©Michael Ruggier
GF VE Serves 4
Tortilla soup is very satisfying and soulful. This recipe is based on the traditional way to make it; however; I’m leaving the option to make additions like courgette, sweetcorn and beans
to make the soup more of a meal. The combination of beans, sweetcorn and squash provides a hearty base for the soup, but the soup is also lovely and light without. The broken tortilla chips add texture and flavour. If making this outside the squash season, courgette
is a great alternative. Traditionally day-old tortillas are cut into thin strips and flash fried until crunchy; however, tortilla chips can also be used. Chipotles are smoked jalapeños. Chipotle paste
is easy to find in big supermarkets; however, if you are able to find chipotles in adobo (whole chipotles in a tomato garlic sauce), they are a great final garnish to this recipe.
Ingredients
6 large plum tomatoes or medium regular tomatoes
1 small onion, peeled and cut in half 4 cloves garlic, unpeeled
3 tbsp rapeseed oil
1 litre vegetable stock or water
2 tsp chipotle paste or chipotle in adobo salt and pepper
Optional additions
300g winter squash, cut into 2.5cm (1 inch) cubes
150g frozen sweetcorn or fresh, removed from the cob
400g tin pinto or black beans, drained and rinsed
Garnishes Tortilla
Heat the oil in a saucepan, add the sieved tomato mixture and fry until it thickens a bit, about 5 minutes. Add
the vegetable stock and chipotle paste and bring to a boil. Season with salt and pepper, taste and adjust the seasoning.
At this point, any of the optional additions can be added. Cook the
soup until the vegetables are tender. Otherwise, ladle into soup bowls and garnish with tortilla strips or chips, avocado, cheese, coriander and lime. A bit more chipotle paste can be added to individual bowls to make it a bit spicier if you do not have chipotles in adobo.
Tortillas cut into thin strips and fried or tortilla chips, broken avocado
Grated cheese (optional)
Fresh coriander leaves
Wedges of lime
Whole chipotle in adobo as a garnish
Method
Heat a heavy frying pan over a medium high heat. Add the tomatoes, peeled onion and unpeeled garlic cloves. Dry roast in the frying pan with no oil, turning regularly until the garlic is soft, about 5-8 minutes. When the garlic is soft and slightly blackened, remove from the pan and set aside to cool. Continue roasting the tomatoes and onions until charred and blackened, about 5 minutes.
Peel the garlic and place in a blender or food processor along with the charred tomatoes and onion. Blend until smooth, then pass through a sieve.
soup is very satisfying and soulful
Allotment and Leisure Gardener 29