Thick and Creamy Tortilla Soup

• 2 Hatch chile or poblano peppers
• 2 tablespoons canola oil
• 1 medium onion, peeled and chopped
• 4 large cloves garlic, peeled and chopped
• 2 large tomatoes, seeded and chopped
• 1 28-ounce can crushed tomatoes
• 3 ¾ cups chicken or vegetable stock or broth
• 1 bay leaf
• 1 Guajillo or Arbol dried chile
• 1 ¾ teaspoons cumin
• Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
• 6 corn tortillas
• 1 tablespoon canola oil
• 2 chicken breast halves, skinned, poached, and shredded
• Sour cream thinned with milk, for garnish
• Chopped avocado, for garnish

Grill or broil Hatch chiles until the skin blackens, place them in a plastic zipper bag, and seal to steam until they are soft. Peel away the skin and discard. Slice peppers open, remove the stem, and reserve seeds. Slice peppers into 1-inch pieces and set aside.

Heat a Dutch oven over medium low heat; add 2 tablespoons oil. Saute onion until it is soft, stir in garlic and cook 1 minute. Raise heat to medium, add chopped tomatoes and cook 5 minutes until they soften, stirring often. Stir in canned tomatoes, chicken stock, and bay leaf. Add chopped Hatch chiles and seeds, cover, and bring the soup to a boil. Reduce heat to low and simmer 10 minutes.

Grind dried Guajillo chile and seeds in a small electric food mill until it forms a powder and add it to the soup. Stir in cumin, salt, and pepper. Slice tortillas in half, then into thin strips with kitchen shears. Saute in the remaining oil until the strips are crisp, about 1 minute. Remove them from the pan, drain on paper towels, and set them aside.

Remove bay leaf. Puree soup with a handheld blender or allow it to cool until it is lukewarm and puree it in a blender or Vitamix. (Hot liquids can explode in a blender and cause burns.) Reheat the soup over low heat, stirring often. Taste for seasonings.

To serve, place shredded chicken in soup bowls and ladle the hot soup into the bowl. Top with sour cream, crisp tortilla strips, and chopped avocado.

Yield: 8 servings