Mexican Cocido

Every time our family would go to our favorite local Mexican restaurant, Karen and I always ordered the Cocido.

We love soup.

The bowl was filled with vegetables in a hot, rich beef broth, served with a side of Spanish rice, some chopped cilantro, onions, and a lime wedge.

That's how we have it at home, too.

It's easy to make.

Really!

Mexican Cocido

Ingredients:

3 lbs. beef short ribs or beef shank

4 cloves garlic

2 bay leaves

4 carrots

2 onions

2 celery ribs

1 small head cabbage

6 red potatoes

2 zucchini

2 corn on the cob

Season the broth with 1 teaspoon ground cumin, 1 teaspoon of dried oregano and 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme.

salt & pepper to taste

cilantro

jalapeño

limes

onion

Serve with corn tortillas and Spanish rice.

I bought 2 pieces of beef short ribs from the butcher at the local Mexican market, about 3 pounds.

He said that cocido is also made with beef shank.

Trim off some of the visible fat from the short ribs.

Put the meat into a large pot and cover with water by 1 inch and bring to a boil for one minute, then drain.

Clean out the pot, rinse the meat, and again, cover with water and bring to a boil.

That makes it so your broth will be clear.

When the fat renders and comes to the surface, you skim that off, but otherwise, the broth is pretty clear.

Or, you can use a fine sieve or coffee filter to strain the broth.

Add the seasonings--4 cloves garlic, 2 bay leaves, 1 teaspoon each of ground cumin, dried oregano and 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme.

Salt and pepper, also.

Simmer the meat for about 2 hours until tender.

While the meat is simmering, get the vegetables ready.

Cut them into chunky pieces.

Add all vegetables except the zucchini and cabbage, bring to a boil and simmer for 15 minutes.

Then add the zucchini.

Cut the cabbage with part of the core attached so it will stay together in a wedge, and place them on top of the other vegetables in the pot.

Bring to a boil, lower the heat, and simmer for another 10 minutes until the cabbage is tender.

My family says this tastes like a lighter version of cocido than the one at the restaurant, since I skim off the fat.

Use tongs to put a piece of each ingredient into a soup bowl, then ladle the broth over the top.

Squeeze a bit of lime, sprinkle a few finely chopped sweet onions and chopped cilantro on top of the cocido--that makes it extra delicious.

Serve with warm tortillas and Spanish rice.

¡Buen provencho!

***

Yesterday, I had lunch with the girls.

Gail.

And Susan.

 This is us being adventurous and lunching outside our neighborhood.

I've known Gail for a long time.

She went to kindergarten with my husband.

She married her high school sweetheart and he and my husband have been friends since junior high.

Susan is lots of fun.

I haven't known her as long as Gail, but it feels like I've known her forever.

We come from diverse American backgrounds--Chinese, Mexican and Japanese.

 That makes for interesting conversations.

But mostly we talk about our families and home.

Gail just remodeled her bedroom and went on a cleaning spree.

In an already spic and span house.

Gail is so clean that I once saw her sweep dirt.

The ground.

We were camping--but still!

Gail is Mrs. Clean.

Susan loves to eat.

With her high-energy, she burns calories fast, so she needs to eat a lot.

She does, too.

She always orders what I wish I could eat if I didn't have a super-slow metabolism.

Susan loves jigsaw puzzles.

Susan! Have you already finished all the puzzles you got for Christmas?

When you're done, my mother-in-law needs help with her 2000 piecer!

Susan's always great company, I especially appreciate her company in cyberspace.

I enjoy our time together immensely.

Thank you, Gail and Susan, for your time and love.

No printable recipe for cocido yet.