Appetizers, Soups and Salads
Tortilla soup
At Wolfgang Puck at Hotel Bel-Air we are proud of our authentic menu of modern Californian cuisine, made with fresh, locally sourced ingredients. We have an ever-changing menu of favorites, but it’s our signature dishes that remain the most popular with our guests year after year.
Ingredients
Servings: 6
For the soup
4 sweetcorn cobs, husked
3 Guajillo chillies, deseeded and destemmed
8 garlic cloves, crushed
2 onions, chopped
2 jalapeños, chopped
4 corn tortillas, chopped
4 large ripe vine tomatoes, deseeded and chopped
4 tbsp tomato purée
½ tsp cumin seeds, toasted and ground
1.2L chicken stock
½ tbsp vegetable oil
Kosher salt
Freshly ground black pepper
For the toppings
¼ of chicken breast
¼ of a medium diced avocado
2½ tsp crème fraîche
½ a dried red chilli, cut into very thin strips (more or less depending on spice preference)
Small sprig of fresh coriander
4 fried corn tortilla strips (cut thinly)
Method
Sauté the chicken breast, dice and season with salt and pepper.
Divide the chicken pieces and avocado between separate bowls, then add a quenelle of crème fraiche.
Carefully pour the soup into each bowl.
Garnish with the fried tortilla strips, chilli threads and coriander.
Directions
Preheat oven to 177oC/350oF.
Soak the Guajillo chillies in 235ml of hot water for 15 minutes until softened.
Once soft, use a hand blender to blend the chillies with water and tomato purée until smooth.
Cut the corn off the cobs and set the cobs aside.
Toss the onion, garlic, jalapeños, sweetcorn and tomatoes with 45ml of oil, 1½ tbsp kosher salt and ½ tbsp of freshly ground black pepper. Roast for 12-15 minutes until lightly caramelised. Set aside.
Fry the tortillas in a fryer at 180 oC/360 oF degrees or in a very hot pan until golden brown. Set aside.
In a large braising pan, add the roasted vegetables, chicken stock, corn cobs, tortillas, Guajillo chilli purée and ground cumin. Cook over a medium heat until the soup is reduced by around a third to the desired consistency – approximately one hour.
Discard the corn cobs, tilt the pan forward and blend the ingredients with a hand mixer to combine. Divide into large bowls.
Blend the soup a second time until completely smooth.
