Chicken Tortilla Soup

What is it about chicken soup? Every country has a version of it and everybody has a favorite recipe. The veggies and starches may vary; carrots, celery, onions, fennel, potatoes, pasta, rice, matzo balls, wontons, you name it. But at its core all chicken soups are made from the same alchemistic formula of a chicken cooked in water, reduced to its essence. So simple but so satisfying. My favorite happens to be a Mexican version popularly known as Chicken Tortilla Soup. The first time I tasted it was in Mexico City in 1981 at Carlos and Charlies. I was brought a bowl of soup with a platter of accoutrements like dried chiles, cilantro, avocado, lime, cheese and tortilla strips to add to it. I flipped over it then, and every time I make it, I fall in love with it all over again. One of the big attractions in food for me is always contrast and this soup delivers--crispy tortilla strips and smooth avocado, chilled queso fresco and the heat of the chile. This recipe was one of the most popular items on my cafe menu, and I think you'll find it's as easy as it is good.