Beef Shank Cocido

3 pounds beef shank cut into 1- to 2-inch pieces ½ onion, halved lengthwise then cut in 4 wedges 3 cloves garlic 2 bay leaves 2 teaspoons salt 10 peppercorns 2 red potatoes, peeled if desired, cut into 1 ½ -inch pieces 2 ears corn, cut into 1 ½ -inch pieces 1 large carrot, peeled and cut diagonally into ¾ -inch slices (about ¾ cup) 16 green beans cut into 2-inch pieces (about ¾ cup) 1 sprig each oregano, marjoram and thyme 2 zucchini, trimmed and cut into 1-inch pieces 2 tablespoons chopped cilantro or 4 sprigs for garnishing Mexican rice https://www.latimes.com/recipe/mexican-rice Salsa and/or sliced jalapenos Mexican limes, halved (optional) 1 Place the meat in a large pot. Cover with water and bring to a boil. Boil 1 minute. Drain, discarding the water. Rinse the pot. Return the meat to the pot and add water to cover (12 to 14 cups depending on the pot). 2 Add the onion, garlic, bay leaves, salt and peppercorns. Bring to a boil, reduce the heat, cover loosely and boil gently until the meat is very tender, about 2 hours. Skim the surface as needed. 3 When the meat is tender, add the potatoes, corn, carrot, green beans, oregano, marjoram and thyme. Cover loosely and boil gently until the potatoes are tender, about 20 minutes. 4 Taste the broth and add more salt if needed. Add the zucchini and cook just until tender. Do not overcook or the zucchini will become soft and fall apart. 5 Serve in large soup bowls, spooning meat, some of each vegetable and broth into each bowl. Garnish with a cilantro sprig or a dash of chopped cilantro. Serve Mexican rice on the side. Accompany with hot salsa or sliced jalapenos and a bowl of Mexican limes. Some markets sell beef shank already cut; if not, ask the butcher to cut it for you. https://www.latimes.com/recipe/cocido