This a Filipino dish, I love so much. I can eat it every day. For those who may not know, the Philippines was colonized by the Spaniards for quite some time. This is why most of our dishes are similar to Spanish ones. The most common attributes include – meaty , greasy and good. Of course, there are substitutes if you are on a diet, but for me nothing beats the real thing. There are many versions of this recipe. I have tried most of them. So, I decided to make some adjustments to suit my taste.
Here’s my version of Caldereta. Enjoy!
1 kg beef (blade), cubed
¼ kg potatoes, peeled and cubed in big chunks
¼ kg carrots, peeled and cubed in big chunks
175 g pitted green olives
1pc red bell pepper, pitted and sliced
4 cloves garlic, chopped
100 g tomato paste
½ L beef broth
3 tbsp olive oil
3 tbsp butter
1 cup grated cheddar cheese
1 tsp salt
½ tsp pepper
½ tsp chili flakes
1. Boil beef until tender, usually around 30 minutes to an hour. You can also use a pressure cooker to save time. Set aside.
2. Heat olive oil in a pan. Add garlic and red bell pepper. Saute for 3 minutes.
3. Add beef and stir-fry for 5 minutes.
4. Pour in beef broth. Add potatoes and carrots. Boil until vegetables are cooked.
5. Add tomato paste, mix well. Put salt and pepper to taste. For a spicier dish you may add some chili flakes.
6. Stir in olives and butter and boil for 5 minutes.
7. Top with cheese and serve warm. Preferably eaten with rice.