Tortilla chips, hold the oil

I love Mexican food. I love going out to a Mexican restaurant and being presented with a big basket of piping hot chips. I love their crunchy mouthfeel, their salty corn taste. The one thing I don't like is the calories, 138 per ounce.

When I'm at home, I cut the calories way down by baking my chips. (One corn tortilla has 58 calories, 61 per ounce). No, I don't spritz them with the oil mister. I simply douse the tortillas with water, break them into eighths, sprinkle them lightly with kosher salt, then put them on a cookie sheet and stick them

in a 350-degree oven for 10 minutes, or until they are a light golden brown. I then turn off the oven and let them sit there for at least 15 minutes until they are very crispy and no longer stick to the cookie sheet.

They hold up well for dipping into bean dip and salsa, but don't use them for any dish where they need to be in liquid for long, because they will dissolve.

Top photo: The raw tortillas, torn into eighths

Bottom: Ready for the salsa

Photos © Lori Korleski Richardson

Souper celebration

St. Paul's Memorial Church's first Guadalupe Day service and dinner to raise money for PACEM was enjoyed by about 50 people on Dec. 12, 2008. Here, as promised to those who asked, is the recipe I used for the tortilla soup. Meredith Frazee (who turns 7 today) made the quesadillas to go with them; and many, many thanks to Pam Dennison who made the delicious flan. Many thanks, too, to the many hands who made the work light, especially Jane Rotch who chopped the onions, and Lisa Inlow and Jim Richardson who diced the jalapeños. And gratitude beyond measure to the cleanup crew, spearheaded by Simeon Fitch.

Tortilla soup
Prep time: 15 minutes / Cook time: 1 hour / Serves: 6

I adapted this recipe from the soup served at The Mansion on Turtle Creek in Dallas. -- Lori Korleski Richardson

Ingredients:
2 tablespoons olive oil
4 garlic cloves, peeled and crushed
2 cups diced onions
1 15-ounce can tomato puree
1 15-ounce can small dice tomatoes
1 large can Ortega diced chilies
1 tablespoon ground cumin
1 tablespoon epazote (optional)
1 teaspoon coriander seeds
1 large bay leaf
1½ quarts chicken stock
½ cup frozen corn
½ cup frozen peas
4 tortillas chips, crunched up
Garnish
Fresh lemon wedges
2 tablespoons chopped cilantro (or 1 tablespoon epazote)
2 fresh jalapeno chilies, chopped
1 cooked, whole skinless, boneless chicken breast, seasoned with cumin and salt, cut into thin strips
1 large ripe avocado, peeled, seeded and cut into small cubes
1½ cups shredded cheddar cheese

Instructions:
Heat the oil in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add the garlic and saute until golden brown, about 5 minutes. Add the onions and cook 5 minutes. Add the tomato puree, tomatoes, chilies, cumin, epazote (if using), coriander, bay leaf and stock. Bring to a boil. Add corn and peas. Lower heat and simmer for 40 minutes. Prepare garnishes while soup is cooking.

Process soup through a food mill if desired. Season soup to taste. Ladle over tortilla chips into warm bowls and garnish as desired, with fresh squeezed lemon and the other garnishes. Serve immediately.