Tortilla Soup

I am wary of cooking things that are somewhat common menu items in Mexican restaurants, but for which I don't have a very strong food memory. I have had tortilla soup a few times, but that was a long time ago. Looking at the ingredient list, I was skeptical as to how it would come together. Was it too simple? Would it taste right?

Well, we had a bite, and I got the nod from Vanessa. It was right.

This is super simple and awesome. Give it a go. As for the cooked chicken, I seared them off seasoned with salt, pepper and cumin and finished them in the oven.

SOUP
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 large onion, sliced
2 bay leaves
10 peppercorns
9 tomatoes, cut in half
2 heads garlic
4 quarts water
1 chicken bouillon cube
3 drops Tabasco sauce, or to taste
1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce, or to taste
Salt to taste

GARNISH
3 cups diced cooked chicken
2 Hass avocados, peeled, pitted, and sliced
2 cups crumbled queso anejo (crumbly white Mexican cheese) or feta cheese
Fried tortilla strips
3 tablespoons chopped cilantro

Heat the vegetable oil in a large stockpot over medium-high heat. Add the onion, bay leaves, and peppercorns and saute until the onion is softened, 3 to 4 minutes. Add the tomatoes, garlic, and water and bring to a boil. Boil until the tomatoes ate starting to fall apart, about 30 minutes.

Add the bouillon cube and cook for 20 minutes. Strain the soup into a large pot, pushing down on the solids with a potato masher or wooden spoon to force out all the juices. Discard the solids.

Bring the broth to a simmer over medium heat. Add the Tabasco sauce and Worcestershire, and season with salt. Ladle into bowls and garnish with the chicken, avocados, cheese, fried tortilla strips, and cilantro.