Mexican cabbage soup

efore this dish disappears completely from memory (we appear to have moved into summer eating, it seems, the past two weeks), I want to get it down on "paper" so that I can return to it when the weather cools again. Of course, knowing the wacky weather we've had the past few months, it could be that I'm hauling out the soup pot next week and putting on my wooly socks...

This soup has (almost) endless variations, but the basics are as follows:

Mexican cabbage soup
1 onion, chopped finely
1 cup carrots, diced fine
1 cup celery, diced fine

Saute in a large soup pot until onion is translucent and the carrots and celery soft. Then add:

2 tsp. cumin
1 bag of chopped cabbage (oh, the ease of prepackaged salads) (3-4 cups, if you're using "real" cabbage) (I also chop the cabbage a bit more than it comes)
2 (19 oz.) cans of red enchilada sauce
3-4 cups of chicken or vegetable broth
2 cups chopped zucchini
2 cans (16 oz.) of Great Northern Beans

Make sure you have enough liquid to cover the soup adequately, to your tastes. We like a more stewy concoction, so tend to go a little shy on extra liquid. But feel free to add extra broth as desired.

Bring the soup to a gentle boil and simmer for 20-30 minutes, until the zucchini and cabbage are tender.

Like all soups, the flavors tend to improve with a little sitting around, so enjoy the leftovers over the next couple of days. Or make ahead, if you're wanting the prepared soup all flavor-ready for guests and such.

As for variations, I have added extra tomatoes (stewed), skipped the zucchini, added green chiles for a little extra heat, and added green and red peppers just because I had them around. All were yummy in their own way...

This soup is a real lunch favorite for husband, and I think it will be for some time (even through the summer months). I hope you enjoy it too!