Latin Tomato and Mushroom Soup

My, but how I love the winter: if for no other reason, it means lots of soups for dinner, at least at our house. This soup is quite brothy, a wee bit spicy, and can tame a mean Mexican Food craving. The pepper/corn/beans/cilantro are a great combination in any dish, and really does the trick here.

Found this recipe at We [heart] Food when trolling the Internet one day (by way of the ever helpful Tastespotting site). This recipe was originally supposed to contain "huitlacoche", which I decided I was better off without after researching it online (for the record: it is a Mexican corn fungus). Give this one a whirl, you won't be disappointed. And if you can find and use huitlacoche, leave a comment on the old blog here and tell me what it's like!

Latin Tomato and Mushroom Soup

Ingredients:

6 c. chicken broth

1 (14.5 oz.) can black beans, drained

1 c. shredded chicken

1 c. corn kernels

1/2 c. tomato puree

4 green onions, thinly sliced, white and green parts separated

1 large anaheim pepper

1 small poblano pepper

2 large portobello caps

1/4 c. chopped cremini mushrooms

1 Tbsp. olive oil

1/2 c. cilantro, chopped

1 Tbsp. lime juice

tortilla strips * (optional)

Combine the stock, chicken, corn, tomato puree, whites of green onion, peppers, and black beans in a large pot over high heat and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat, cover, and simmer 15 minutes.

Meanwhile, heat a skillet over medium heat and sautee the mushrooms in the olive oil until they give up their juices. Set aside.

Stir in the mushrooms, cilantro, lime juice, and green onions, and simmer for 2 minutes. Season with salt and pepper.

Serve hot, sprinkling each bowl with tortilla strips (optional).

* To make tortilla strips, cut 2-3 corn tortillas into thin strips, spray with cooking spray and bake in a 400F oven for 10 minutes or until crisp.