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Southern Smoked Chicken Masa Soup

Serves 8

Main Ingredients:
2 whole chickens - breast and leg meat removed (retain carcasses for smoking)
breast and leg meat - boned and skin removed (retain for garnish)
4 ears of fresh corn - with husks
3 tbsp. canola oil
1 large carrot - peeled and chopped
2 small onions - peeled and chopped
2 stalks of celery - chopped
6 cloves of fresh garlic - peeled and chopped
2 bay leaves
1 tsp. black peppercorns
1 tsp. white peppercorns
1 tsp. cumin seeds
12 oz. of Mexican beer
12 cups chicken stock or chicken broth
1 large red bell pepper
1 large yellow bell pepper
1 large poblano pepper
8 oz. fresh masa
6 oz. jalapeno jack cheese
2 tsp. cornstarch
2 tsp. water
2 cups heavy cream
juices from 2 fresh limes
cayenne pepper to taste
black pepper to taste
salt to taste

Garnish:
3/4 cup uncooked black beans
corn, blue and ancho tortillas
Smoked chicken breast and legs
Roasted corn kernels from 4 ears of corn
1 bunch fresh scallions - chopped
red, yellow and poblano peppers - diced

In a smoker or on a grill, smoke shicken carcasses for 1 hour.  Smoke chicken breasts and legs until done.  Set aside to cool.  Roast ears of corn, with husks on, at 350 degrees for 20 minutes.  Remove kernels from cobb and set aside.  Reatin cobb for stock.

In a large pot, saute in oil, carrot, onions, celery and garlic until medium brown.  Add bay leaves, black peppercorn, white peppercorn, coriander seeds and cumin seeds.  Saute until slightly toasted.  Deglaze with beer then add chicken stock/broth and smoked carcases.  Bring to a boil, then simmer.  Dice red, yellow and poblano peppers 1/4" x 1/4" and set aside, retaining all scraps except seeds and membrane.  Add corn cobbs along with pepper scraps to the stock:  Simmer slowly for 1 hour, then strain off stock.

Put stock in a clean pot and return to heat.  Whip in fresh masa and jalapeno jack cheese, then slightly thicken with cornstarch and water mixture.  Add cream to finish.  Season to taste with lime juice, cayenne pepper, black pepper and salt.  Steep cilantro in stock for 10 minutes and strain through a fine mesh china cap.

Cook black beans until tender (about 30 minutes).  While beans are cooking, cut tortillas julienne style 1/4" x 2", fry until crisp and set aside.  Dice smoked chicken meat 1/4" x 1/4" and in a saute pan, saute chicken, black beans, corn, scallions, and diced red, yellow and poblano peppers until hot.

Assembly:
Split garnish evenly into 8 bowls and pour finished shoup over garnish.  Top with crisp tortillas.

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