Filipino Beef Stew

Filipino Beef Stew
 

This well-known Filipino stew, called kaldereta, is made all over the archipelago, often with beef (especially in Manila) but usually with goat. It's characteristic of the hybrid Spanish-Filipino style of cooking, a result of more than 400 years of Spanish rule and trade. As with all Filipino dishes, serve this stew with rice.


Ingredients

3 lbs (1.5 kg) beef shank with bones, or beef brisket
1/2 tsp (2 mL) black pepper
5 tbsp (75 mL) olive oil
3 tbsp (45 mL) fish sauce
1 onion, quartered
1 inch (2.5 cm) piece gingerroot, smashed
8 whole cloves
3 bay leaves
2 inch (5 cm) piece cinnamon bark
2 oz (60 g) beef liver or 2 chicken livers
1 lb (500 g) potatoes, peeled
1/2 cup (125 mL) thinly sliced shallots
3 cloves garlic, minced
1/4 cup (60 mL) tomato paste
1 tsp (5 mL) paprika
1/2 tsp (2 mL) ground cumin
1/2 tsp (2 mL) salt
1/2 tsp (2 mL) cayenne pepper
1 tsp (5 mL) annatto powder or 1 tbsp/15 mL annatto seeds soaked in 3 tbsp/45 mL boiling water (optional)
3 carrots, cut into chunks (2 cups/500 mL)
1-1/2 red bell peppers, cut into chunks
2 hot banana peppers or mild green hot peppers or 2 cubanelle peppers, seeded and cut into chunks
1/2 cup (125 mL) pitted green olives

Preparation

Sprinkle beef with pepper. In skillet over high heat, in batches, brown beef in 2 tbsp/30 mL of the oil. Transfer beef to large saucepan; deglaze skillet by adding 1 cup/250 mL water to hot skillet and, with wooden spoon, scraping up brown bits. Pour liquid over beef.

Add 2 cups/500 mL water, fish sauce, onion, ginger, cloves, bay leaves and cinnamon; bring to boil, reduce heat and simmer until almost tender, about 90 minutes.

While beef is simmering, poach liver in the same saucepan until no longer pink in centre. Remove liver from pan; let cool and chop. Set aside.

Cut potatoes lengthwise into wedges. In nonstick skillet, heat 1 tbsp/15 mL of the oil; fry wedges until golden brown all over. Set aside.

Drain and reserve liquid from saucepan; skim off fat and remove whole spices. Set aside 2 cups/ 500 mL of the liquid. Pour remaining liquid into blender and add liver; purée and set aside.

In Dutch oven, heat remaining 2 tbsp/30 mL of the oil over medium heat; add shallots and fry until light golden. Add garlic and fry until garlic is golden. Stir in tomato paste and fry, stirring, for 1 minute; stir in paprika, cumin, salt and cayenne.

Mix annatto powder with 1 tbsp/15 mL water until smooth (or strain water from annatto seeds); stir into Dutch oven. Stir in reserved beef cooking liquid, beef, carrots, bell and hot peppers, and potatoes; cover and simmer until meat and vegetables are tender, about 30 minutes. Stir in olives; simmer for 2 minutes. Stir in liver mixture and simmer until thickened, about 1 minute.

Makes 6 to 8 servings.

Variation: Goat or Lamb Kaldereta

Replace beef with 3 lb/1.5 kg bone-in or 2 lb/1 kg boneless goat or lamb. Marinate meat in 2 tbsp/30 mL Filipino vinegar (coconut, nipa or cane) or rice or cider vinegar, and 3 cloves garlic (pressed or minced) for 30 minutes to 2 hours before browning. Proceed as above.
 

Roopesh Nair