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In a flat-bottomed skillet heat 2 cups of the oil over medium heat; you want the oil to be hot, but not smoking. Gently place peppers into oil and fry for not even a minute, just to soften them, and set aside in a bowl. Next, fry up whole tortillas one at a time and then fry the strips. Place on a pile of paper towels and lightly blot to soak up extra oil. Discard the cooking oil.
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In a large, non-reactive pot, combine broth, canned tomatoes (squishing the whole tomatoes with you hand), peppers, and garlic, and bring to a boil. Break up whole tortillas and add them to the soup. Turn heat down to a rolling simmer and cook for 15 minutes. Add sea salt to taste.
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Working in small batches, puree soup. Don't go to far, leave some texture, but try to get all of the large chunks.
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Serve in big bowls with tortilla strips, sliced avocados, and large drops of crema or diluted sour cream. Because I had a little lying around, I diced up a teaspoon or two of preserved lemon and whisked that into my sour cream mixture.