Tortilla Soup with Shrimp and Queso Fresco
Serves 4

soup:
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 cup yellow onion, small dice*
½ cup carrots, small dice*
½  cup celery, small dice*
2 tablespoons garlic
2 tablespoons smoked paprika
1 tablespoon cumin, fresh ground
1 teaspoon coriander, fresh ground
1-14 ounce can fire roasted tomatoes
4 cups chicken stock
4 cups loosely packed tortilla chips, white corn ( 3 ounces to be exact)
2 teaspoons red wine vinegar
coarse salt and fresh ground black pepper

garnish:
olive oil
8 medium shrimp, peeled, deveined, spilt in half lengthwise
coarse salt and fresh ground black pepper
4 tablespoons queso fresco, crumbled
2 tablespoons fresh cilantro leaves, picked and clean

soup:
In a large sauce pan over medium heat, add the olive oil.  Add the onions, carrots, and celery to the pan and sweat for 5 minutes.  Add the garlic, paprika, cumin, coriander and cook for 5 minutes until the garlic is soft.  Add the tomatoes and cook until the liquid reduces in volume by half.  Add the chicken stock, and increase the heat and bring to a boil.  Reduce heat to low and add the tortilla chips.  Stir the tortilla chips into the broth. Cook for 20 minutes until the tortilla chips are soft and falling apart.  Remove the pan from the heat.  Let the soup cool for 20 minutes before blending.  Puree the soup in small batches using a blender.  Return the soup to a large sauce pan and bring to a simmer.  Season the soup with red wine vinegar, salt, and pepper.  Cover until you are ready to serve.

garnish:
In a small sauté pan over high heat add the olive oil.  Season the shrimp with salt and pepper and quickly sauté until cooked.  Remove the shrimp from the pan to a plate for serving.

To serve, ladle soup into shallow bowls, place the shrimp in the middle, and garnish with queso fresco and cilantro leaves.

* The exact size of dice is not critical as the soup will be blended.

Enjoy with a glass of Viogner or other medium bodied, fruit forward white wine.