Caldo de Res

Take a large pot or Dutch oven. Add water, beef shanks, garlic, bay leaves, and salt to it. Place the pot over high heat and bring the contents to a boil. Once boiling, cover the pot, reduce the heat to low, and let it simmer for 1 ½ to 2 hours, until the meat becomes tender.

Using a spoon, skim off any white or brown foam floating on the surface of the pot. Discard the foam, along with the bay leaves and garlic cloves. Transfer the cooked bone - in beef shank to a bowl and set it aside to cool slightly.

Add carrots, corn, potatoes, zucchini, cabbage, cilantro, and tomato paste to the pot. Stir the ingredients well until the tomato paste has fully dissolved. Place the pot over high heat and bring the soup to a boil. Once boiling, reduce the heat to low and simmer for 15 - 20 minutes, until all the vegetables are tender and cooked through.

While the vegetables are cooking, take the cooled beef shank. Remove the bones and any tough sinewy pieces from the beef shank and discard them. Cut the tender meat into small bite - sized chunks. Once the vegetables are fully cooked, add the meat chunks back into the pot.

Use a spoon to stir all the ingredients in the pot together. Take a small taste of the soup. If needed, season the soup with more salt.

Ladle the soup into large bowls, making sure that each bowl contains a little bit of all the ingredients. Top each bowl with more fresh cilantro, freshly squeezed lime juice, and a few dashes of hot sauce if you'd like.