Curtis Lime Soup Recipes

SOPA DE LIMA (YUCATAN LIME SOUP)

Steps:

• Cut the tortillas into 1/4-inch strips. Heat the oil in a medium skillet and, when very hot, fry the tortilla strips, in small batches, until lightly golden and crisp, 30 seconds to 1 minute. Transfer to paper towel lined plate to drain. Season with salt, to taste. Repeat until all tortilla strips have been fried. Set fried tortilla strips aside and reserve the vegetable oil.
• Transfer 1 tablespoon of the reserved cooking oil to a large saucepan and add the chopped onion, celery, carrot, and jalapeno pepper. Cook over medium-high heat, stirring occasionally, until vegetables have softened, about 4 minutes. Add the garlic, bay leaf, and Mexican oregano and cook, stirring, for 1 minute. Add the tomato and season lightly with salt. Cook, stirring, until the tomato is softened and has released its liquid and the mixture is nearly dry, 4 to 5 minutes. Add the chicken stock and chicken breasts and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to a slow simmer and cook until the chicken is just cooked through, 12 to 15 minutes. Remove chicken from the soup and set aside until cool enough to handle. Allow soup to continue simmering.
• When the chicken has cooled a bit, shred into bite size pieces and return to the pot along with the green onions and lime juice. Cook for 5 minutes, or until the chicken is heated through and the soup is piping hot. Season the soup, to taste, with salt and ladle the soup into wide soup bowls, with a handful of tortilla strips added to each bowl. Garnish with the avocado and cilantro and serve immediately.

SOPA DE LIMA (MEXICAN LIME SOUP)

Steps:

• Bring the chicken broth, chicken breasts, red onion, garlic, oregano, salt, pepper, and thyme to a boil in a large pot; reduce heat to medium-low and simmer until the chicken breasts are no longer pink in the center and the juices run clear, 15 to 20 minutes. An instant-read thermometer inserted into the center should read at least 165 degrees F (74 degrees C). Remove the cooked chicken to a cutting board and shred into bite-sized strips; return to the simmering pot.
• Heat the oil in a skillet over medium heat; cook the green onions and green chile pepper in the hot oil until tender, about 5 minutes. Stir the tomatoes into the mixture and continue cooking until soft, about 5 minute more; pour the mixture into the pot with the chicken soup. Season with the salt; return the soup to a simmer. Add the lime juice and 1/2 a lime; cook another 10 minutes. Remove the pot from the heat and remove the lime half; stir in the cilantro to serve.

LIME SOUP (SOPA DE LIMA)

Steps:

• Place a large skillet over medium-high heat, and add about 1/2 inch oil. Set aside a baking sheet lined with paper towels. When oil shimmers, add a strip of tortilla; oil is hot enough when tortilla becomes crisp and very lightly browned in about 30 seconds. Adjust heat as necessary and add strips in batches, transferring to paper towels as they cook.
• Heat oven or toaster-oven to 400 degrees. Place cinnamon pieces, oregano and cloves on a baking sheet or metal tray, and roast until lightly browned and fragrant, about 5 minutes; be careful not to burn.
• Place chicken stock in a medium saucepan and bring to a boil. Add roasted spices, lower heat, and simmer for 10 minutes. Pour stock through a fine-meshed strainer into a clean pan, and return to a simmer. Add diced chicken and simmer until chicken is opaque in center, about 10 minutes. Add 4 to 6 tablespoons lime juice, as desired, and season with salt to taste.
• To serve, place equal portions of chicken in center of each soup plate. Top with a small mound of fried tortilla strips and 1 to 2 tablespoons shredded cheese. Pour chicken broth into bowl, keeping mound intact. Garnish each bowl with avocado, a slice of lime and cilantro.

MEXICAN LIME SOUP

Steps:

• Heat oil in heavy large pot over medium heat. Add garlic and stir 20 seconds. Add chicken and oregano to pot; sprinkle with salt and pepper. Sauté 3 minutes. Add broth and lime juice and bring to simmer. Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer gently until chicken is cooked through, about 8 minutes. Season soup to taste with salt and pepper.
• Divide crushed tortilla chips among 6 bowls. Ladle soup into bowls. Top soup with avocados, tomatoes, green onions, cilantro and jalapeños. Garnish with lime slices and serve.