Ana Garcia of Cuernavaca, Mexico, writes: "My great-grandmother, Josefina, was a highly regarded butcher, and she taught me the communal style of cooking that Mexico is known for. That's one of the reasons I opened my own cooking school, La Villa Bonita — to show others how authentic Mexican cuisine is prepared, as opposed to the usual tacos, burritos, and Tex-Mex dishes."
My husband, Robb, and I also run our own restaurant, Reposado. He insisted that we open the place because he thought my recipes deserved a wider audience. At the restaurant I like to experiment — the menu at Reposado is nouvelle Mexican — but at my cooking school I feature more traditional recipes. Working at both places gives me the chance to show off both cooking styles.
When beets are cooked as they are in this recipe, they turn a bright fuchsia color. Wear disposable plastic gloves when working with beets. Puree only one or two cups of hot soup at a time, holding the top of the blender firmly to keep it from flying off.
Recipe information
Yield
Makes 6 servings
Ingredients
Preparation
Step 1
Melt butter in heavy large saucepan over medium-high heat. Add beets, onions, celery, cabbage, and chiles; sauté until celery is soft, about 10 minutes. Add 5 cups broth and lime juice; bring to boil. Reduce heat to medium-low. Cover and simmer until vegetables are very tender, about 1 hour 15 minutes.
Step 2
Working in small batches, puree soup in blender until smooth. Return soup to pot; season to taste with salt and pepper. Thin with more broth by 1/4 cupfuls, if desired. Ladle soup into bowls and top with tortilla chips and sour cream.
