astray recipes: Southwestern soup

Categories: Soups
Yield: 6 Servings

Measure	Ingredient
2 tablespoons	Canola oil
⅔ cup	Chopped yellow onion
1	Garlic clove -- minced
1 teaspoon	Ground cumin
1 tablespoon	Fresh oregano -- minced
1 small	Jalapeno pepper -- core seed
	Mince
1 medium	Red bell pepper -- core seed
	Mince
1 quart	Vegetable broth
1 cup	Corn kernels -- cooked
¼ cup	Fresh lime juice
2 cups	Cooked white beans --
	Drained and rinsed
1 cup	Tomatoes -- peel seed chop
1 medium	Avocado -- see note
3 tablespoons	Fresh cilantro -- minced
	Salt and pepper
4	6 inch corn tortillas -- cut into 1/2" strips

Note on Avocado: peel, pit, chop and toss with a little lime juice.

Heat 1 tablespoon of the oil over medium heat in a large heavy pot.

Add the onion, garlic, cumin, oregano, jalapeno, and bell pepper and cook, stirring, until the onion is transparent, 6 to 8 minutes. Add the broth and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to low, cover, and simmer for 20 minutes. Add the corn, lime juice, and beans and bring back to a simmer. Add the tomatoes, avocado, and cilantro and remove from the heat. Season with salt and pepper.

While the soup is simmering, heat the remaining oil in a nonstick skillet over medium-high heat, then fry the tortilla strips until crisp, about 3 to 5 minutes. Drain on towels. Put several strips in each bowl, then pour in the soup.

Recipe By : Maggie Oster's Herb Garden (1993:43) NY: MacMillan

southwestern soup