Asian In America

“When you put food infront of someone, it is an act of love.”-says The Cooking Channel. And this was so true when I recently visited my home province in the Philippines.

Simple. Unpretentious. Homemade. Wholesome.  Just plain old delicious. Everything filled with love. That’s how I can describe all the home cooking I enjoyed at the meals prepared in my sister’s home. The same house where we both grew up in.

Calderetta is a Filipino dish, that’s Spanish-inspired. It is a stew where beef chunks are simmered in tomato sauce and tomato paste, soup broth, olives, potatoes, peppers and spices. If you leave it cooking over a slow, low fire for a few hours, the tomato sauce-based broth turns into a rich, dark golden-red blend and the combined flavors of the buttery olives and sweet peppers make it even more irresistable.

Pair this hearty beef chunks and potatoes stew simmered in olives with a bowl of steamed jasmine rice, and you will never want to leave the table!

 

 BEEF SHORT RIBS CALDERETTA with  OLIVES

• Serves 4 to 6

 

5 pounds of beef short ribs

1 Tablespoon extra virgin olive oil

1 Tablespoon melted butter

1 teaspoon minced garlic

1 whole onion, chopped

1 whole red pepper, sliced thin

1 Tablespoon Worcestershire sauce

1 can tomato sauce (about 1 cup)

1 can tomato paste

3 cups broth

2 Tablespoons sherry

1 cup black olives, pitted & sliced

1/2 cup  green olives, pitted

3 whole potatoes, peeled and quartered

1 teaspoon garlic powder

1 teaspoon onion powder

1 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon black pepper

Parsley flakes, for garnish

Steamed jasmine white rice, for serving

1. In a large pot,  over medium high heat, combine the olive oil and butter.
2. Saute the garlic and onions.
3. Add the beef short ribs and pan sear for a few minutes to seal the flavors.  Add the Worcestershire sauce while beef is pan-searing.
4. Add the green peppers. Then add the tomato sauce & paste. Add the broth and sherry.
5. Add the 2 kinds of olives and seasonings.  Once the broth boils, lower heat to a slow simmer.
6. Cook till beef short ribs are tender and the tomato sauce broth turns to a thick, dark red orange color. Cooking time stove top should take about 90 minutes over a low heat.
7. Add the potatoes at the last 30 minutes of cooking. Simmer for a few minutes more so that the flavors blend together. Garnish with parsley flakes. Serve hot with steamed jasmine rice.

COOK’S COMMENTS: To save time, I cook this Calderetta in a slow cooker and adjust the settings to suit my schedule.  It’s a convenient way to just let the dish “cook by itself”.