Cabbage soup, how do I love you? Let me count the ways. Those of you who are ardent followers will remember the variations on cabbage soup I’ve posted over the last six months (Scandinavian, Mediterranean and Asian) and here is yet another!
I figure that you could make cabbage soup in the style of any cuisine by the addition of different herbs and spices. For this Mexican version I added half a chilli (left as a whole half so I could fish it out), a bay leaf and pretty much equal quantities of chilli powder, ground coriander, ground cumin, red pepper flakes, oregano and paprika. Lots of garlic and some chopped tomatoes finished off a basic, but tasty soup. The light broth and spiciness make it acceptable for spring/summer too – nothing like eating a bowl of steaming hot soup when it’s 90° out, but this is England and that doesn’t happen quite as often as you’d hope.
If we weren’t trying to make up for a few weeks of excess – and I lived in a place where these traditional ingredients were readily available: California – I would have added crumbled cotija cheese, fried tortilla strips and diced avocado. But healthy was the order of the day and this is definitely that. I did manage a bit of leftover buttermilk dressing (buttermilk and a tablespoon of yogurt), to which I added some smoked paprika and cumin, drizzled over the top – let’s call it a crema. In any case, there’s a great kick from the chilli and the red pepper flakes which tickles your taste buds and convinces you that you’re enjoying this simple supper, even without all the frills. Although, if I could just get hold of some cheese…
Bon appetit!
Looks delicious!
It was! The flavor was great, just had to eat two bowls before I felt full.
This looks incredible. I’m a sucker for all things Mexican. The cheese and avocados would really kick it up, but as it is, it looks gorgeous. What is the white sauce? Is that sour cream?
It’s actually a southwestern flavoured buttermilk dressing I made for our weekday lunches, but I used it as sour cream. Although it kind of solidified when it hit the hot soup. Still good though.
Wow. That sounds delicious!
Creative modification of a classic. Cabbage doesn’t seem Mexican, but remember it’s a key ingredient in Baja tacos! Thanks for the recipe.
I can’t remember a single day living in England that reached 90 🙂
And this soups looks delicious.
It’s pretty warm today, but probably not more than 80. Better than 55 though!