CALDO DE RES: SPANISH BEEF SOUP

CALDO DE RES: SPANISH BEEF SOUP image

Yield 4-6 Servings

Number Of Ingredients 18

2 large beef shanks, bone-in, about 3 to 4 lbs
2 lbs short ribs (meaty)
salt, to taste
pepper, to taste
2 T oil
1 medium-sized onion, small dice, plus 1 cup chopped onion, for garnish
28 ounce carton beef stock
28 ounce carton chopped tomatoes
4 ears corn
4 baking potatoes, like russets, unpeeled
2 chayote, zucchini may be substituted
1 lb bag baby carrots
1/4 cup chopped cilantro, plus more, for garnish
Water, to cover
1/2 head cabbage
1 lime or lemon, cut into wedges
Corn tortillas, for garnish
Sliced jalapenos, for garnish

Steps:

1. Season the shanks and short ribs. Brown in oil until well browned. Remove and set aside. 2. Drain excess oil, then brown the chopped onions in the same oil used for the meat. 3. Combine the meat with the onions, then add the beef stock and the stewed tomatoes. Bring the mixture to a boil and then simmer just below boiling point for about one hour, until the beef is "spoon tender." 4. Remove shanks from pot, cut meat into small chunks and return meat and bones to the pot. (Make sure bone marrow gets returned to pot also) 5. Wash the vegetables. Cut each ear of corn and each potato into quarters. Cut equivalent chunks of chayote (if zucchini is used, keep pieces bigger as they will cook faster than chayote). Add the vegetables (carrots also) to the soup. Chop 1/4 cup of cilantro and add it to the mixture. Add water, to cover, the vegetables and bring the mixture to a boil. 6. Reduce the heat to medium and simmer for 20 minutes. Cut the head of white cabbage into 1/2 and then into thirds, leaving the stem of the cabbage in. Wedge the cabbage chunks into the mixture and simmer for 10 more minutes. 7. Serve, making sure each bowl has chunks of all the vegetables. Garnish with a squeeze of lemon or lime. Serve with heated corn tortillas. Caldo de Res is accompanied by chopped sides of onion and cilantro which may be added according, to taste. Also, chopped jalapenos may be added for the perfect hangover cure.