Tortilla Soup

Recipe taken from The New Vegan by Aine Carlin, published by Kyle Books. Photography by Nassima Rothacker.

SERVES

PREP TIME

00 min

COOK TIME

00 min

Ingredients

olive oil, for frying, plus 1 tablespoon for the tortilla

1 red onion, finely chopped

½ fennel bulb, finely chopped

1 celery stalk, finely chopped

sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

3 garlic cloves, sliced

1 red bell pepper, seeded and finely chopped

1 small zucchini, finely chopped

1 red chile, seeded and sliced

1 heaping teaspoon smoked paprika

½ teaspoon ground cumin

pinch of cayenne pepper

14-ounce can plum tomatoes

1 cup sweet corn kernels

7-ounce canned kidney beans, drained and rinsed

1 tablespoon tomato paste

1 large flour tortilla

1 ripe avocado, peeled, pitted, and diced

fresh cilantro leaves and lime juice, to serve

Heat a little oil in a large saucepan. Add the red onion, fennel, and celery to the pan. Season, cover, and sweat gently until they begin to soften before adding the garlic. Sauté for another 5 minutes until fragrant.
Add the red bell pepper, zucchini, and chile. Season, cover, and sweat gently until soft.
Sprinkle in the spices, season, cover, and let them infuse for a few minutes before pouring in the plum tomatoes. Simmer for about 5 minutes to soften before breaking up the tomatoes with the back of a spoon. Season generously and add 6 cups water. Add the sweet corn, kidney beans, and tomato paste and bring to a very gentle simmer for about 20 minutes— be sure not to let the soup boil.
While the soup is warming, preheat the oven to 400°F. Cut the tortilla into small strips, toss in 1 tablespoon oil, lay out on a baking sheet, and bake for 10 to 12 minutes until golden, turning once.
Divide the soup between four bowls and adorn each with the crunchy tortilla strips, some diced avocado, a smattering of cilantro, and some fresh lime juice.

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