I happen to have an advanced copy (well, an uncorrected proof) of Alice Waters’s forthcoming cook book, “The Art of Simple Food.” I tried out one of the recipes (for Tortilla Soup) the other night, and by golly, it was a keeper! First, the picture:

Now, the recipe (with my notes in italics):

Tortilla Soup
(Makes 2 quarts; 4-6 servings)

Heat to a simmer:
1 1/2 quarts chicken broth

Add:
1 chicken breast half (w/skin and bones for best flavor) - I just used a boneless, skinless breast, and it was still delicious.

Cook at a bare simmer until the chicken is done, about 20 minutes. Turn off the heat, transfer the breast to a plate, and let cool. Remove and discard the skin and bones and shred the meat. To shred, use a fork and ‘rake’ the chicken.

Into an 8-inch heavy-bottomed skillet over medium-high heat, pour:
1/2 cup peanut or vegetable oil

Then add:
4 corn tortillas, cut into 1//2-inch strips

Fry in small batches until golden brown and crispy. Drain on paper towels and season with salt.

In a large, heavy pot heat:
2 T olive oil

Add:
1 Anaheim green pepper, seeded and thinly sliced
1/2 medium yellow onion, thinly sliced
2 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
Salt

Cook until soft, about 5 minutes. Pour in the hot broth, then add:
2 tomatoes, peeled, seeded, and diced; or 3 small canned whole tomatoes, diced (juice included)
1 dried chipotle chile, seeds removed
Salt
I used 2 1/2 large tomatoes, and kept the peel and seeds. I think that’s where the best flavor comes from. I also didn’t have any dried chipotle chiles on hand, but I did have a dried Guajillo chile that I added, seeds and all. The soup wasn’t spicy.

Bring to a boil and then turn down to a simmer and cook for 30 minutes. This is when I’d do the tortilla strip frying. You have 30 minutes to kill, and frying the tortillas will take about 10-15. Then, prepare the garnishes. Chop some cilantro, grate some Jack cheese, slice a lime into wedges, and cube an avocado. Once that is done, you might even have time to clean up the extra dishes before the soup is ready.

Add the shredded chicken meat and heat through, but do not boil. Taste for salt and adjust as needed.

Serve hot.

So, the sandwich part of this post…
I just wanted to say how much I hate the word “sammies” or “sammiches” when talking about sandwiches. It sounds stupid.

Also, I ate a grilled cheese and tomato sandwich for lunch today. I was going to take a picture. But then I ate and ate and ate until. . .