Recipe: Mexican Tomato Broth with Avocado and Lime

MEXICAN TOMATO BROTH WITH AVOCADO AND LIME
"This light soup might open a dinner or suffice for someone with a small appetite. Add heat to your liking with some finely sliced Serrano chiles or a dab of pureed chipotle chile in adobo sauce."


4 to 6 cups Mexican Tomato Broth (recipe follows)
1 large avocado, peeled and sliced
1/4 cup finely sliced white onion
Several pinches of dried Mexican oregano
1 Serrano chile, thinly sliced, or a scant teaspoon pureed canned chipotle chile in adobo, to taste, optional
1 lime, quartered

Heat the Mexican Tomato Broth.

Divide it among 4 bowls and divide the avocado slices among them. Add some onion and a pinch of oregano to each bowl. Add the chile if desired and serve with the lime on the side.

Makes 4 to 6 cups

MEXICAN TOMATO BROTH

"Traveling in Mexico for the first time in the 1960s, I experienced many new flavors and dishes: a simple bowl of chicken broth with sliced onion, avocado, oregano, and lime floating in it; the famous Caldo Tlapeno with its chickpeas, vegetables, and chile; and, of course, tortilla soups. This red vegetable broth supports soups like these with success, so it's well worth making if these are soups you enjoy.

The assembly is a snap - literally a matter of minutes. But it's a two-hour simmer that creates the depth you'll want. While the broth can be refrigerated, it loses its luster with each passing hour. So if you want to enjoy it adorned only with avocado and onion, plan to use it right away. For the tortilla soup or for use in other soups, it can be used later."

1 large onion, sliced
1 large zucchini, sliced
1 cup diced canned or fresh tomato
6 plump garlic cloves
1 large carrot or several smaller ones, sliced
3 celery ribs, chopped
1 or 2 big handfuls of cilantro
Large handful of parsley
Several chard or beet leaves
Handful of lentils
Several anise hyssop leaves or a good pinch of anise seeds
2 teaspoons dried Mexican oregano or 8 regular oregano sprigs
1 jalapeno chile, halved
2 teaspoons sea salt
1 teaspoon peppercorns, lightly crushed
Tomato paste to taste, optional

Put all the ingredients except the tomato paste in a pot with 3 quarts water. Bring to a boil, then lower the heat. Simmer, partially covered, for 2 hours, then strain.

Taste for salt and, if you wish to fortify the flavor a bit, stir in a teaspoon or more tomato paste to taste

Makes 2 quarts
From: Vegetable Soups from Deborah Madison's Kitchen by Deborah Madison