Tortilla Soup

Ingredients

• 3 dried mulato or ancho chile peppers
• 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 onion, sliced
• 3 cloves garlic, smashed
• 1 28-ounce can plum tomatoes
• 1 tablespoon coriander seeds (or roughly 2 teaspoon ground coriander)
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin
• 8 cups low-sodium chicken or vegetable broth
• 2 bay leaves
• 4 sprigs fresh thyme
• Kosher salt
• Add-ins: 1 to 2 grilled sliced chicken breast, crumbled queso fresco, diced avocado, fresh cilantro, Southwest Cabbage Slaw, hot sauce.

Instructions

1. 1

   Place dried chiles in a bowl, cover with...: Place dried chiles in a bowl, cover with hot water and soak until soft, about 20 minutes.

2. 2

   Drain the chiles, pull out the stems and...: Drain the chiles, pull out the stems and most of the seeds and transfer to a blender (or food processor) and process to make a smooth-ish puree.

3. 3

   Heat the olive oil in a large pot...: Heat the olive oil in a large pot over medium heat, then add the onion and garlic and cook until the onion is translucent. Add the tomatoes with their juice, 1/4 cup chile puree, the coriander seeds and cumin and cook about 5 minutes. Add the broth, bay leaves and thyme and bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer and cook about 30 minutes.

4. 4

   Strain the broth through a medium-mesh strainer into...: Strain the broth through a medium-mesh strainer into another pot, discarding the solids. Season with salt, to taste.

5. 5

   Place a small amount of chicken, queso fresco,...: 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.