Entree: Philippines – Luzon – Kaldereta (Hearty Filipino tomato-based beef stew with liver-enriched sauce, vegetables, and olives, served with rice)

Serving Size: 4

Approximate Time

Prep 20 min

Cook 2 hrs

Total 2 hrs 20 min

Ingredients

- 2 lb (900 g) beef chuck, cut into 1 1/2-inch (4 cm) cubes
- 1 tsp (5 g) kosher salt
- 1/2 tsp (1 g) ground black pepper
- 3 tbsp (45 ml) vegetable oil
- 1 large onion, diced
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- 3 tbsp (45 g) tomato paste
- 1 cup (240 ml) tomato sauce
- 2 cups (480 ml) beef stock
- 1/2 cup (120 g) liver pâté or liver spread
- 2 medium potatoes, peeled and cut into chunks, about 12 oz (340 g)
- 2 medium carrots, sliced, about 6 oz (170 g)
- 1 red bell pepper, sliced
- 1 green bell pepper, sliced
- 1/2 cup (75 g) pitted green olives
- 1 tbsp (15 ml) soy sauce
- 2 bay leaves
- 1 tsp (5 g) granulated sugar
- Cooked steamed white rice for serving, about 4 cups (800 g) cooked
- Additional salt and pepper to taste

Instructions

1. Season beef cubes with 1 tsp salt and 1/2 tsp pepper. Heat 3 tbsp vegetable oil in a large heavy pot over medium-high heat and brown beef in batches until browned on all sides; remove and set aside.  
2. In the same pot, reduce heat to medium and sauté diced onion until soft, about 4 minutes. Add minced garlic and cook 30 seconds until fragrant.  
3. Stir in 3 tbsp tomato paste and cook 1–2 minutes to deepen flavor. Add 1 cup tomato sauce, 2 cups beef stock, 1 tbsp soy sauce, 1 tsp sugar, and 2 bay leaves; scrape up browned bits from the bottom of the pot. Return browned beef to the pot.  
4. Bring to a simmer, cover, and cook gently until beef is tender, about 1 1/2 to 2 hours (or pressure-cook 30–40 minutes). Check liquid level and add a splash of water or stock if needed.  
5. When beef is nearly tender, add potato chunks and sliced carrots and continue simmering until vegetables are almost cooked through, about 15–20 minutes.  
6. Stir in 1/2 cup liver pâté to thicken and enrich the sauce, then add green olives and sliced bell peppers; simmer 5–10 minutes until peppers are just tender. Adjust seasoning with additional salt and pepper to taste.  
7. Remove bay leaves and serve hot over steamed white rice.