← Nouns Cooking · Mexican

Ingredients

• 1 kg bone-in beef shank, in thick slices
• 500 g beef marrow bones
• 1 white onion, halved
• 1 clove Garlic
• 2 Bay leaves
• 3 l Water
• 2 tsp salt, plus more to taste
• 4 Dried guajillo chillies, stems and seeds removed
• 2 dried ancho chillies, stems and seeds removed
• 2 small tomatoes
• ½ small white onion
• 1 clove Garlic
• 1 tsp dried Mexican oregano
• ½ tsp black peppercorns
• 2 corn cobs, each cut into 3
• 2 Carrot, in chunks
• 400 g waxy potatoes, in chunks
• 2 Courgette (zucchini), in chunks
• 150 g Green beans, halved
• 2 sprigs epazote or coriander sprigs
• 2 limes, in wedges, to serve

Method

1. Put the shank, marrow bones, onion halves, garlic, bay leaves and water in a large pot. Bring to the boil, skim well, then add the salt and simmer, partly covered, for 2 hours, until the meat is tender.
2. While the broth cooks, toast the guajillos and anchos in a dry pan for 20–30 seconds per side and soak them in hot water for 15 min.
3. Blend the drained chillies with the tomatoes, onion, garlic, oregano, peppercorns and a ladle of broth until smooth. Strain the paste straight into the pot and simmer for 5 min.
4. Add the corn, carrots and potatoes and simmer for 15 min.
5. Add the courgettes, green beans and epazote and cook for 8–10 min more, until all the vegetables are tender. Taste for salt.
6. Serve in big bowls with a piece of meat and plenty of vegetables, with lime wedges, chopped onion, chopped green chilli and warm tortillas on the side.

Tips

• Scoop the marrow out of the bones and spread it on a hot tortilla with salt: the cook’s treat.
• Chayote and cabbage wedges are classic additions; add them with the courgettes.

Sources

Written in our own words after cross-checking these recipes:

Maricruz Avalos My Latina Table