I’d like to preface this with a few qualifications. I’ve never posted a recipe on here, although I’ve wanted to for some time. So if you enjoy this, please let me know in the comments. Also, I’m not a food photographer or a professional photographer at all. So if my technique needs work, please feel free to email me some friendly advice, but don’t leave a mean comment. I’m delicate you know.
Project STIR is a series of documentary films launching this fall on Kickstarter. The films will follow Abuelitas, Nans & Mamaws passing down heirloom recipes in kitchens around the globe including countries like: Panama, New Zealand, Turkey, Croatia & England. Learn more about how to get involved at https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/sarahshotts/project-stir-global-heirloom-recipe-films
This recipe hasn’t been in my family for generations and generations. But it has been shared from my mother to me, and that’s how it begins isn’t it? And now I share this with my children.
Many years ago (hahaha love you Mom!!!) my parents would go to various Mexican restaurants, and try the same dish over and over, to see what they did and didn’t like. My Dad would go for the chimichangas, and my Mom would sample the tortilla soups. And over time she developed her preferences and created this soup.
At some point in my childhood I tried this soup, and fell instantly in love with it. Normal children ask for things like pizza or chicken nuggets on their birthday. I asked for Sopa San Antonio. Every year. For years. And now that I’m grown and away from home, my husband usually makes it for my birthday. He’s just that cool.
Sopa San Antonio
1 Tbsp cooking oil
1 cup chopped onion
1 clove garlic, minced
4 oz. chopped green chiles
1 Tbsp. minced jalapeno
1 tsp. ground cumin
4 cups chicken stock
2 cups water
1 28 0z can tomatoes, pureed in blender
12 oz chopped cooked chicken
2 Tbsp. chopped cilantro
1 cup shredded cheese
12 corn tortillas
oil for frying tortillas
In that photo you can see cheese, cumin, garlic, cilantro (yum!), corn tortillas, diced tomatoes.
Not shown: Chicken (because it was boiling at the time), chicken stock (because I’m human), green chiles (ditto), jalapeno (forgot to buy one).
Bonus: The big jahonkin’ shell his momma gave us one year. You’re welcome.
There’s the cooked, shredded chicken. In case you thought we secretly forgot it, and covered it up. It’s a vital part of this soup!
I also took a photo of the pureed tomatoes, but I’ve gotta tell you… those really aren’t that pretty. So I deleted that photo. I know you’re disappointed, but I’ll try harder next time. 😉
Heat up the oil; saute onions and garlic. And we all know that makes everything better, right? Add chiles, jalapeno and cumin and heat briefy until fragrant. Add stock, water tomatoes and chicken. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer 20 minutes.
For our soup we had to make a slight alteration because we forgot to buy a jalapeno. Plus we have beautiful fresh green chiles because we got some in a Bountiful Baskets, so we just chopped those up instead of using canned green chiles, and we used that to cover for the jalapeno too.
Meanwhile, cut tortillas into 1/4-1/3 inch strips and fry until crisp. I know what you’re thinking… uhmmm Amanda, those don’t look like they’re 1/4-1/3 inch. That is correct. My husband thinks recipes are a starting point. And directions are like rules. And rules are like guidelines. Soooo he’s obviously one of the Pirates of the Caribbean.
Everyone knows when you photograph a recipe that you pretend like you always use the nice dishes. So here’s the pretend nice dish we used. Just kidding. We really used it… mostly because my husband said “I’ve already put the soup into it, we’re not wasting a dirtied dish”. In case you’re curious, the super kid friendly, colorful plastic bowls are behind it. Actually we’d use this bowl more often if I hadn’t accidentally picked out dishes that were dishwasher UNsafe. Whoops.
Alright. Time to get down to business. Put in a good handful of chips. And then put a little more. Just because homemade chips! And then you put cheese. I took a photo of that too, but it looked weird. (Again, I’m not a food photographer.)
Now you ladle in the soup. Mmmmmm soup.
And then you sprinkle on a bit more cheese, and put sprinkle pile on the cilantro. And if you don’t like cilantro, we can’t be friends. Just kidding. No I’m not. Okay I am. Maybe. And most importantly, you enjoy!