A Variation on Tortilla Soup

I used to travel to Mexico City on business , and whenever possible, stayed at the Camino Real, a fabulous hotel built for the Mexican Olympics that combines Mexican heritage with a modern aesthetic.  My favourite thing to order from room service at the end of a long day was their Tortilla Soup.  This meal in a bowl was smokey and fresh at the same time, with just a touch of heat.  This is inspired by my memories of their Tortilla Soup.   

Tortilla Soup with Chicken

• 1 small dried chipolte pepper
• olive oil
• 2 large chopped  yellow onions
• 2 cloves of finely chopped garlic
• 1 tablespoon of ground cumin
• a handful of fresh oregano leaves
• 2 sprigs of thyme
• 1 dried lime leaf
• 1 28 oz can of whole stewed tomatoes
• salish salt
• freshly ground pepper
• juice from 1 lime
• 6 cups of chicken stock
• 1 roasted chicken
• 1 coarsely chopped avocado
• fresh cilantro, chopped 
• tortilla chips

You may want to wear rubber gloves and be sure to keep your hands away from your face when working with the pepper.  Start by soaking the chipolte pepper in boiling water and leave until soft, maybe 20 minutes.  Drain and pat dry.  Cut  the softened pepper in half and clean out the seeds and discard.  Chop the pepper into smallish bits and set a side.  

Meanwhile, in a large cast iron pot, heat some olive oil.  Add onions and cook until translucent.  Add garlic and cook for another minute or so then add the chopped peppers, and cumin.  Stir, and add the tomatoes and chicken stock.  Add oregano and thyme and dried lime leaf.  Bring mixture to a boil and turn heat down.  Simmer for 15 minutes.  Remove lime leaf, and purée the mixture with an immersion blender or food processor. Add lime juice and taste. Add salt and pepper as needed.  

I have served the soup immediately and also left it on a very low heat simmering for up to an hour.  I prefer it left simmering for at least 30 minutes.  It give all of the flavours a chance to meld.  

To serve, I put the soup in the bowl, place a big chunk of warm roasted chicken in the bowl and then add chunks of avocado and coarsely broken tortilla chips and some chopped cilantro.

Traditionally, this is served with smaller pieces of chicken and small chunks of fresh Mexican cheese, avocado and tortilla chips on the side to allow for individual garnishing to individual taste.  

Red-Hot Salsa

Red -Hot Salsa

This fall, I had a bounty of tomatoes and peppers as the first frost approached. I made three different types of salsas with the tomatoes and peppers, and I have finally tasted the Red-Hot Salsa this weekend. After a couple of months of mellowing, this year's, Red-Hot is particularly good I think, because it was a very hot and sunny summer, resulting in fabulous tomatoes and peppers.  I used a combination of the brandywine, beefsteak and plum tomatoes, with the scotch bonnet, chili, and jalapeño hot peppers, that I grew in my garden this summer.   

Brandywine Tomato on the Vine

• 6 cups of chopped red tomatoes
• 4 cups of a selection of red, orange and yellow sweet peppers, chopped
• 2 cups of chopped onions
• 4 cloves of minced garlic
• 2 cups of cider vinegar
• 1/2 cup of finely chopped hot peppers with the seeds removed (be sure to wear rubber gloves and keep hands away from face)
• 1/4 cup of sugar
• 1 tablespoon of salt
• 2 tablespoons of  Spanish hot smokey paprika
• 3 tablespoon of chopped  fresh oregano
• 1/4 cup of chopped fresh flat leafed parsley

Put all of the ingredients, except the parsley, into a large heavy enamelled or stainless steel pot.  Bring to a boil, stirring often.  Reduce  the heat and simmer for about an hour, stirring often.  When the salsa is thick enough, a tablespoon of the salsa dropped on a cold plate will flow slowly when tilted. Stir in the parsley and simmer for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. 

Place the salsa in preserving bottles, remove air bubbles, screw lids on tightly and process  1 cup jars for 15 minutes, and 20 minutes for 2 cup jars.  This makes about 8 cups of salsa.  

If you can wait, the salsa tastes better after it has had a chance to mellow for a month or two. 

Heritage Green Zebra Tomato and Yellow Tomato Soup

Green Zebra Tomatoes on the Vine

One of my favourite tomatoes is the green zebra tomato.  I love the texture combined with the fabulous colour and sweet flavour, with very little acidity.  Last spring I planted a few more zebra tomato plants than necessary and somehow forgot to plant your basic red tomato.  I did, however, plant heritage pineapple tomatoes which were fabulous, and are now included in my list of favourite tomatoes.  With the risk of frost, I picked the last of my green zebra tomatoes and yellow tomatoes and so made this soup. Next time I think I will not mix the yellow and the green so that the colour is cleaner. this soup tasted good hot, and then even better, cold the next day.  

Zebra Tomato and Yellow Tomato Soup with slice of Pineapple Tomato  

• 4 green zebra tomatoes
• 2 yellow low acid tomatoes
• 1 onion
• 1 clove of garlic
• sprig of thyme 
• 1/2 cup of white wine
• 1/2 cup of broth, chiken or vegetable
• 2 tablespoons of sugar
• 1 tablespoon of white balsamic vinegar
• 2 tablespoons of olive oil
• salt and pepper

Chop onions and and sauté in olive oil until soft in large acid resistant pot.  Add chopped garlic and sauté.  Chop tomatoes and add to onion mixture.  Add broth and wine, and thyme. Add balsamic vinegar, bring to boil, and reduce heat to simmer and cook until tomatoes are soft.  Taste, and add sugar  salt and pepper as required.  Works well as a hot or cold soup.  

Heritage Tomato and Quinoa Tabbouleh Salad

This past weekend I visited my brother and his family at their weekend place and brought a selection from my garden including heritage tomatoes, parsley, mint, onions and garlic.  We decided to make tabbouleh and because of gluten sensitivities in the group, used quinoa instead of wheat berries.  My nephew Matthew, provided the commentary while I chopped vegetables, and Debbie made the quinoa. 

Red, Yellow and Green Heritage Tomatoes with Quinoa in Tabbouleh Salad

1 cup of quinoa

4 or 5 tomatoes, about 2 cups when chopped

1 onion

2 cloves of garlic

1 large bunch of parsley

1 branch of mint

juice of 1 lemon

3 tablespoons of olive oil

sea salt to taste

Rinse quinoa and prepare.  Set aside to cool.  Dice tomatoes and place in  serving bowl.  Finely chop onions and garlic and add to tomatoes.  Chop parsley and mint and add to bowl of chopped vegetables.  Mix and add lemon juice, olive oil.  Add cooled quinoa, and toss.  Salt to taste.  

Aunt Garrie's Tomato Soup Cake

Growing up, my Aunt Garrie made Tomato Soup Cake for family events.  It was something we always looked forward to, partly because of the novelty of a cake made with tomato soup, but also because it tasted very good; and so when she asked what she could bring to the barbecue, I suggested the Tomato Soup Cake.  This recipe was passed down from my great grandmother, to my grandmother, to my aunt, and now she is passing it on to the next generation.

Aunt Garrie with her Tomato Soup Cake with ice cream

• 2 cups flour
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon cloves
• 1 teaspoon nutmeg
• 1/2 cup shortening
• 1 cup white sugar
• 1 10 oz. can tomato soup
• 1 cup chopped walnuts
• 1 cup raisins or currants

Sift dry ingredients together.  Whisk  shortening and sugar until fluffy.  Dust raisins and nuts with flour.  Alternately add dry ingredients and soup beating well each time. Stir in nuts and raisins. Mixture will be thick.  Bake at 350 degrees for 50-60 minutes in a greased loaf pan, or 45 minutes in a ring pan.

Tomato and Garlic Scape Tart

I made this tart for my friend Ann's potluck birthday party, and so, after a perfect weather weekend in the country, I came back to the city, tart in hand, to Ann's empty house with partially deflated balloons on the front porch.  I had missed the party by a day.  I have promised to make this again the next time Ann visits, hopefully with fresh tomatoes from my garden instead of from the store. 

I used garlic scape pesto, however you could substitute finely chopped garlic or shallots in its place. Traditional pesto made with basil would also be good, however I would substitute a milder cheese for the cheddar when using the basil version.

Pastry

Use your favourite sturdy pastry recipe. 

Filling

• a selection of tomatoes
• sharp cheddar cheese
• olive oil
• garlic scape pesto
• salt and pepper to taste

Slice large tomatoes into thick slices and salt, let rest on paper towels to drain off excess fluid. If cherry tomatoes are large, cut in half and treat the same way.  

Roll pastry into large circle about 12" in diameter.   Place on parchment paper, on baking sheet with out edges.    Cover centre 8" diameter of pastry with 1/8" slices of cheese.  Arrange tomatoes over cheese.  Mix olive oil and scape pesto.  Paint tomatoes with mixture.  Fold up edges of pastry to contain tomatoes.  Salt and pepper top.  Bake at 375F for about 40 minutes until tomatoes look done.