Cooking class

Paco Barriente holds cooking classes just about every Saturday.  He, or rather his wife, cooks a typical Mexican dish.  This is a great way to try cooking something new and you get to eat it. Paco explains what the different ingredients are and helps you through the process step by step.  It was a fun class.

I wanted to learn how to make the wonderful tortilla soup that you can get anywhere. There are as many variations as there are restaurants.  I have posted the recipe below for anyone who is interested.

Paco’s wife Azena and their daughter

Paco on the left explaining what his wife is doing

Some participants

a plate of fried tortillas

The finished product – it was so delicious

AZTEC OR TORTILLA SOUP

For 4 people

8 corn tortillas
½ onion
2 cloves of garlic
1 ½ litre chicken broth
4 chile pasilla  (dried chile)
6 tomatoes
1 or 2 avocados
Sour cream
Grated cheese

The previous day, leave 8 corn tortillas in the open to dry.

On the cooking day, cut tortillas into strips and fry in corn oil until crisp.

Boil tomatoes and peel.

Add peeled tomatoes, garlic and ¼ of the onion to a blender.  Add a little chicken broth. Blend

Fry the remaining onion in a pot.  Add the blender mixture to the pot.  Simmer for a few minutes.

In the meantime, open the chilies and scrape out seeds and veins.  Add a LITTLE oil to a frying pan and fry the chilies until soft and then cut into strips.  Add to soup mixture in pot.

Cut the avocado into squares.

Pour some soup into a bowl, add tortilla strips and garnish with avocado, sour cream and grated cheese.

Enjoy