If you want to see how different my sister Amy and I are from each other, compare her version of Tortilla Soup with mine.

Where hers has big chunks of veggies, mine is finely pureed. Where hers has a chicken broth base and additional spiciness, mine gains most of its flavor from tomatoes and corn. Hers is chockful of chicken while mine is vegetarian except for the chicken broth. And the last difference I’ll point out, crunchy store-bought tortilla chips are crumbled into her soup almost as an afterthought; in my soup the tortillas fried right into the soup with the onions and garlic with homemade tortilla strips added as a garnish, too.

Both soups are tasty in their own ways, despite being worlds apart in technique and final product.

As I watched her in action preparing her soup in Kansas last week, we decided that we could do a very entertaining (if combative) cooking show on the Food Network where the producers give us each and assigned dish to prepare and we bicker our way through the process using our very disparate styles and preferences. Then we could have a “taste-off” to settle the arguments. We would call it “The Bickering Sisters” or something to that effect. It would be so compelling, don’t you think?

By the way, if anyone happens to make both soups, please feel free to email me and let me know your objective thoughts!

So to complete my portrait of two very different chefs who happen to be sisters, here is my version of Tortilla Soup. It’s based on the California Pizza Kitchen recipe which I love every time I eat there. I’ve changed it quite a bit over the years and I love its final incarnation.

Beth’s Tortilla Soup
Serves 6-8 people

3 T. olive or corn oil
6 small corn tortillas, cut into 1″ squares or thin strips (divided into two equal piles of 3 tortillas each)
1 1/2 T. minced garlic
1/2 of a medium onion, chopped (or more to taste)
1 1/2 tsp. minced jalapeno pepper and/or 1/2 of a small can of diced green chilies
2 cans white (or yellow) corn kernels
1 28-ounce can diced stewed tomatoes, with the juice
1/3 c. tomato paste (about 1/2 a container)
1-2 tsp. ground cumin, depending on taste
1 T. Kosher salt
1/8 tsp. ground white pepper
1/4 - 1/2 tsp. chili powder
1 qt. chicken stock

Garnishes:
2 c. shredded Cheddar cheese
1/2 c. chopped fresh cilantro

Optional:
sliced ripe avocado (I’ve never added this before, but I imagine it’d be great!)

Over medium-high heat, fry tortilla squares in oil until they begin to crisp and turn a golden yellow. Add garlic, onion and jalapeno, along with a pinch of salt; cook 1 to 2 minutes, until onion becomes translucent. Add half the corn along with all other ingredients (except garnishes), reserving other half of corn to be added at the end. Bring the soup to a low, even boil. Boil for 5 minutes.

Remove soup from heat. Use a hand-held propeller blade processor to process in batches to the consistency of a course puree. You can also process in batches in a blender. Return the soup to the burner and add the reserved
corn. Bring the soup to a boil once again being extremely careful to avoid scorching or burning the soup.

Meanwhile, take the other half of the uncooked tortilla strips and put them on foil in the toaster oven, sprayed with olive oil or Pam. Toast on medium for 5-10 minutes (watch carefully) and then keep them aside for garnishing the soup right before serving.

To serve, garnish with tortilla strips, freshly chopped cilantro and sharp cheddar cheese.

Yum!