San Pasqual Beef Shanks with Black Beans (Recipe)

This is named after the street on which the friend who shared it with me lives.  The chipotle chiles lend a pleasant, slightly smoky flavor and although the dish is not too spicy, you can make it hotter by increasing the amount of chipotle chiles.  For color, serve garnished with shredded radishes and chopped cilantro.

Ingredients

1 (16 ounce) package dried black beans, rinsed and picked over

1 large onion, chopped

1 (28 ounce) can cut-up peeled tomatoes

1 (7 ounce) can diced green chiles

7 garlic cloves, minced

1 (14 1/2 ounce) can beef broth

1 tablespoon ground cumin

1 tablespoon dried oregano

1 teaspoon salt

1 tablespoon diced canned chipotle chiles in adobo sauce

3 1/2 pounds beef shanks, trimmed of fat

1/4 cup masa harina

Grated zest and juice of 1 lime

1 (15 ounce) can hominy, drained

Steps

1.  In a 6 quart electric slow cooker, combine the dried beans, onion, tomatoes with their liquid, green chiles, garlic, broth, cumin, oregano, salt and chipotle chiles.  Mix well.  Add the beef shanks and push them down into the bean mixture.

2.  Cover and cook on the low heat setting 9 to 10 hours, or until the beef and beans are tender.

3.  Remove the beef shanks to a cutting board.  Skin off any excess fat from the top of the beans.  Increase the heat to the high setting and sprinkle the masa harina over the beans; mix to blend well.  Stir in the lime zest, lime juice, and hominy.  Remove the bones from the beef shanks and return the meat to the slow cooker.  Cover and cook 15 minutes longer, until heated through.