Food and drink

Channel your inner chef with our signature recipe

September 25, 2022

At Hotel Bel-Air we are proud of our authentic menu of modern Californian cuisine, made with fresh, locally sourced ingredients. We have an ever-changing menu of favourites, but it’s our signature dishes that remain the most popular with our guests year after year.

Perfect beginnings

Guaranteed to impress, tortilla soup is a hearty combination of sweetcorn, tomato and corn tortillas, with an added kick of chilli.

THE FAMOUS RECIPE

For the soup

4 sweetcorn cobs, husked
3 Guajillo chillies, deseeded and destemmed
8 garlic cloves, crushed
2 onions, chopped
2 jalapeños, chopped
4 corn tortillas, chopped
4 large ripe vine tomatoes, deseeded and chopped
4 tbsp tomato purée
½ tsp cumin seeds, toasted and ground
1.2L chicken stock
½ tbsp vegetable oil
Kosher salt
Freshly ground black pepper

Serves 6

Method

Preheat oven to 177^oC/350^oF.
Soak the Guajillo chillies in 235ml of hot water for 15 minutes until softened.
Once soft, use a hand blender to blend the chillies with water and tomato purée until smooth.
Cut the corn off the cobs and set the cobs aside.
Toss the onion, garlic, jalapeños, sweetcorn and tomatoes with 45ml of oil, 1½ tbsp kosher salt and ½ tbsp of freshly ground black pepper. Roast for 12-15 minutes until lightly caramelised. Set aside.
Fry the tortillas in a fryer at 180^oC/360^oF degrees or in a very hot pan until golden brown. Set aside.
In a large braising pan, add the roasted vegetables, chicken stock, corn cobs, tortillas, Guajillo chili purée and ground cumin. Cook over a medium heat until the soup is reduced by around a third to the desired consistency – approximately one hour.
Discard the corn cobs, tilt the pan forward and blend the ingredients with a hand mixer to combine. Divide into large bowls.
Blend the soup a second time until completely smooth.

For the toppings

¼ of chicken breast
¼ of a medium diced avocado
2½ tsp crème fraîche
½ a dried red chili, cut into very thin strips (more or less depending on spice preference)
Small sprig of fresh coriander
4 fried corn tortilla strips (cut thinly)

Method

– Sauté the chicken breast, dice and season with salt and pepper.
– Divide the chicken pieces and avocado between separate bowls, then add a quenelle of crème fraiche.
– Carefully pour the soup into each bowl.
– Garnish with the fried tortilla strips, chili threads and coriander.

We hope you enjoy making this dish at home but we’re always happy to make it for you in the restaurant. Enjoy!

Los Angeles

Hotel Bel-Air

A hidden sanctuary amongst the wooded hills, untouched by the clamour of life beyond the gates of Bel-Air. The most quintessentially private and exclusive hotel, delivering low-key elegance since 1946.

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