Mexican Tortilla Ball Soup

PHOTOGRAPHY BY MATT TAYLOR-GROSS

Published on March 31, 2016

What do you make with a lot of leftover tortillas? Not just tortilla soup, but how about tortilla dumplings? These dumplings, from Mexican cooking sage Josefina Velázquez de León, get pan-seared, then simmered in a rich cream of tomato soup.

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Ingredients

1 lb. stale tortillas, torn
1 cup milk
2 oz. grated cotija cheese
6 epazote leaves, roughly chopped
1 garlic clove
1 small white onion, roughly chopped
1 large egg plus 1 yolk
3 oz. lard
¹⁄₂ cup heavy cream
8 cups beef stock
6 tbsp. tomato purée
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

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Instructions

Step 1

In a large bowl, soak the tortillas in the milk until soft, about 30 minutes. Transfer to a food processor along with the cheese, epazote, garlic, onion, egg and yolk, salt, and pepper and purée until smooth. Roll the mixture into 2-inch balls.

Step 2

Heat lard in a large saucepan over medium-high. Cook the tortilla balls, turning as needed, until golden, 5 minutes. Transfer balls to a plate and set aside.

Step 3

Add the tomato purée and cook 2 to 3 minutes. Add the beef stock, salt, and pepper and boil simmer for 10 minutes. Add the tortillas balls and cream and cook 5 minutes more.

In a large bowl, soak the tortillas in the milk until soft, about 30 minutes. Transfer to a food processor along with the cheese, epazote, garlic, onion, egg and yolk, salt, and pepper and purée until smooth. Roll the mixture into 2-inch balls.
Heat lard in a large saucepan over medium-high. Cook the tortilla balls, turning as needed, until golden, 5 minutes. Transfer balls to a plate and set aside.
Add the tomato purée and cook 2 to 3 minutes. Add the beef stock, salt, and pepper and boil simmer for 10 minutes. Add the tortillas balls and cream and cook 5 minutes more.