A short personal update...

This just a short update on what is going on with my health and things.

The good news is that I am feeling a bit better on an everyday basis. The really bad, painful infection I had has finally (mostly) cleared up, so I’m not reliant on heavy duty painkillers anymore. The bad news is that, my actual health condition is a bit worse than the infection. Which means that I’m going to have to start a course of radiation therapy again. But not to worry anyone too much…since I am now getting regular checkups (unlike the last time when you know, I stupidly tried to tough it out until I was almost bleeding to death(!!)) I am not going to have to get surgery or things like that. I guess I will have to face the ongoing fatigue issues, but well…I what to expect, and have strategies to deal with it.

In the meantime, if you want to see short posts from me and you are on Facebook, please consider Liking my Facebook JustBento/JustHungry page, which has been growing steadily since early this year (when I finally started paying attention to it. ^^;) I am continuing to translate a few Cookpad recipes every day (previously) - if you want to find ones I’ve done, look for ‘translated by makikowi’ at the bottom of the recipes. I also have a new series in store for JustHungry starting next week, which I hope you’ll enjoy. And for you bento fans, yes JustBento is coming back in full force soon - it’s not dead by any means! You may see some other writing for me somewhere very soon too. ^_^ Stay tuned!

And…thank you so much for your continuing patience and support as I battle my health issues.

(Cross posted to both JustBento and JustHungry.)

View the original article here

Short Rib and Foie Gras Caldereta

Short Rib and Foie Gras Caldereta - Burnt Lumpia: Filipino Food | Filipino Recipes | Culinary HijinksBurnt Lumpia: Filipino Food | Filipino Recipes | Culinary HijinksLumpia FillingAbout Burnt LumpiaFilipino Food Recipe ArchiveLinks Get My FeedWelcomeRecent PostsShort Rib and Foie Gras CalderetaSwill to Twenty: Food and Wine FundraiserGiveaway: Philippine Heirloom RiceAbalone KinilawGone FishingFilipino Chocolate and Wine PairingBeer-Steamed Blue CrabsSalted Butter Caramel Ice Cream (& Turon)Giveaway: Philippine Sea SaltBangus SisigCategoriesAdobo RecipesBeefBeer, Liquor, & WineBL OriginalsBL Restaurant ReviewsCookbooksDessertsFruits and VeggiesGiveawaysHow to Make LumpiaKalamansiKinilawLasang PinoyMy Cookbook!On The GrillOtherPancit (Filipino Noodles)PorkPoultryRiceSeafoodThe BL FamThe Manila MachineTravelUbe RecipesVinegar (Suka) « Swill to Twenty: Food and Wine Fundraiser |Main

September 14, 2011Short Rib and Foie Gras Caldereta

Caldereta (or Kaldereta if you're nasty) is an honest to goodness meat stew influenced by both Spain and the United States, but yet remains uniquely Filipino.

Caldereta's roots in Spain can be found in its Spanish name (of course), but also in its preparation wherein Spaniards braised meat (usually mutton) and vegetables in a tomato-based sauce. Filipinos began making their own version of their colonizer's stew by utilizing goat meat and then thickening the tomato sauce with mashed pork livers (take that Spain!).

And with the American occupation of the Philippines came all the trappings of post-war convenience foods and canned goods. Soon, the likes of tomato paste, canned tomato sauce, canned pork liverwurst, and even processed cheese, all made their way into Caldereta (this all tastes a lot better than it sounds).

While I do love a warm and hearty bowl of goat kaldereta thickened with liverwurst (seriously, I do), I have tried to fancify the dish once before by making a wonderful version with beef, red wine, and a homemade chicken liver pate. And although I was quite pleased with that version, I've since found that nothing beats caldereta thickened with canned liverwurst. But there is always room for experimentation.

So when my older brother recently returned from a trip to Europe and gifted me a couple cans of foie gras, the first thing that popped into my head wasn't to eat the foie with toast points and some sort of sweet/sour fruit--it was Caldereta.

Yes, I was going use fancy canned foie gras in place of the usual $2 can of pork liverwurst in my Caldereta. This was either going to be the greatest beef stew ever made, or a complete waste of foie gras.

Now entering the game for Steve Urkel...

...Kobe Bryant

Like many other cultures around the world, Filipinos have been eating nose-to-tail since, like, forever. So the use of pork livers as a sauce thickener isn't anything out of the ordinary for us. Pork livers also pop up in Pinoy dishes like Igado, a pork and liver stew. And we also utilize pork livers in a sweet-ish sauce used for dipping lechon and lechon kawali. But fancy pants duck liver?

I realize that there may be some foie gras lovers out there that would gasp at the thought of throwing the prized duck liver into a homey stew like Caldereta. Egads man! What are you doing with that foie!

But it's not like I was using an actual lobe of duck liver, or even a homemade torchon de foie gras--rather, it was merely prepared foie gras in a can ($15-$20 for a 250g can). And besides, I was gifted two cans. So I rationalized that not all would be lost if things went horribly wrong with this experiment.

Luckily, nothing was lost.

To make this fancier-pantsier version of Caldereta, I used beef short ribs rather than the chuck I used previously. I browned the short ribs in a big Dutch oven and then set them aside. I then sauteed some onions, carrots, and garlic with some red pepper flakes in the same Dutch oven for a few minutes until the veggies softened, then threw in a hefty tablespoon of tomato paste and let that cook for another 5 minutes.

I then dumped in a cup of red wine to deglaze the pot, and let the wine reduce for a few minutes. Then to the pot came a small can of tomato sauce, and a bay leaf, and only half of the can of foie gras (about 125g). After breaking up the foie with a spoon and stirring it into the sauce, I returned the browned ribs back to the pot, added just enough water to cover the ribs, and let the whole shebang simmer for 3 hours.

After 3 hours, I took the ribs out of the pot and reduced the sauce over high heat for about 10 minutes. Then, I took my trusty stick blender and blended the sauce until it was nice and smooth and all of the veggies and foie had become one. In went some diced red and green bell peppers (these remained unblended for some texture), some salt and pepper, and the ribs again.

I also sliced up the rest of the foie gras (I only used half a can in the sauce, remember?) and served some slices alongside the short ribs.

Voila, short rib and foie gras caldereta. Deathly rich and meaty for sure.

Foie on the side, foie in the sauce

The ribs were incredibly tender as expected after braising for three hours. The richness of the foie gras was not lost amidst the spicy tomato sauce. The flavor of foie gras can't be described unless you've had it before, but I like to think it's akin to meat-flavored butter, or maybe butter-flavored meat, but way better.

And that sauce! It was unbelievably rich with duck liver, but still had some spiciness from the pepper flakes, and sweetness from the carrots--without overpowering the wonderful tomato base. And best of all, it was still an undeniably comforting Caldereta--fancy pants or not. Even after all the short ribs were consumed, there was still so much of that luxurious sauce that I simply ate it with some rice the next day.

This little experiment was among the best calderetas I've enjoyed, but something I probably won't make again considering the cost (although I do have one more can at my disposal, hmmm). And it was indeed an untraditional pairing to foie gras that I'm sure is making some French dude curse me as he reads this (je suis désolé, my man).

Posted by Burnt Lumpia at 03:21 PM | Permalink

Reblog (0) | |

TrackBack

TrackBack URL for this entry:
http://www.typepad.com/services/trackback/6a00d8341bfcac53ef0153918b73b5970b

Listed below are links to weblogs that reference Short Rib and Foie Gras Caldereta:

Comments

Oh my goodness, this Kaldereta looks so yummy! I can just imagine the flavors on a mound of white steamed rice! Delish!

Posted by:Elizabeth of AsianinAmericamag.com |September 14, 2011 at 05:43 PM

So *sosyal*! I want some right now... It would be such a shame if you were never to make one of 'the best calderetas [you've] enjoyed' again. We'll just have to pool together to keep you well-stocked in foie gras! 8-)

Posted by:Tracey@Tangled Noodle |September 14, 2011 at 05:53 PM

Oh man, how do you come up with this stuff? Bravo! I wish I could taste it! Hope the family is well :)

Posted by:Krizia |September 14, 2011 at 07:36 PM

I can only imagine the depth of these flavors!

Posted by:Belinda @zomppa |September 14, 2011 at 08:42 PM

wow. what a great post. i wish i could taste it too! :)

Posted by:freecallsphilippines |September 15, 2011 at 08:59 PM

That looks so so good.

Posted by:Joy |September 16, 2011 at 07:35 AM

Haha! You can definitely serve this foie gras caldereta in a fancy pansy restaurant. It will definitely put Filipino cuisine on a par with French cuisine. =)

Posted by:Sheila |September 16, 2011 at 12:52 PM

Now I'll have to undertake a search for some local foie gras, which will hopefully be a little more economical. Love short ribs, too. Inspired combo. Props to the chef...

Posted by:Steve |September 16, 2011 at 01:00 PM

This is so meaty! I like the caldereta version of goat meat and served with steamed white rice. I love your photos Marvin. Well done! :)

Posted by:Karen | Divine Dinner Party |September 18, 2011 at 02:30 AM

that looks delicious! I love beef caldereta with a bit of kick from being spicy! perfect with steaming hot rice and an ice cold drink!

Posted by:MrsLavendula |September 18, 2011 at 10:11 AM

Yum! Or actually, double yum!! That sounds so good. Did you give baby lumpia a taste? :)

Posted by:bagito |September 18, 2011 at 11:26 AM

Hi Elizabeth. It's definitely great with steamed rice.

Hey there Tracey! I wouldn't object to gifts of foie gras;P

Thanks Krizia. The fam is doing very well:)

Belinda, there is definitely a lot of different flavors going on in this caldereta--all good!

Thanks joy.

That's the beauty of Filipino food Sheila! It can be homey, or fancy.

Thanks steve. You can buy canned foie from dartagnan.com

I love goat meat caldereta also Karen.

You can definitely kick this caldereta up with more chili flakes if you like MrsLavendula.

Hey Bagito. I did give baby lumpia a taste, though it wasn't really to his liking.

Posted by:BurntLumpia |September 21, 2011 at 09:46 AM

Verify your Comment Previewing your CommentPosted by:  | 

This is only a preview. Your comment has not yet been posted.

Your comment could not be posted. Error type: Your comment has been posted. Post another comment The letters and numbers you entered did not match the image. Please try again.

As a final step before posting your comment, enter the letters and numbers you see in the image below. This prevents automated programs from posting comments.

Having trouble reading this image? View an alternate.

Post a comment (URLs automatically linked.)

Your Information

(Name is required. Email address will not be displayed with the comment.)

Name is required to post a comment

Please enter a valid email address

Invalid URL

Follow @BurntLumpiaTwitter Updatesnew TWTR.Widget({ version: 2, type: 'profile', rpp: 4, interval: 6000, width: 'auto', height: 300, theme: { shell: { background: '#8a8888', color: '#030003' }, tweets: { background: '#ffffff', color: '#000000', links: '#0039f5' } }, features: { scrollbar: true, loop: false, live: false, hashtags: true, timestamp: true, avatars: false, behavior: 'all' }}).render().setUser('BurntLumpia').start();Legion of DoomBurnt Lumpia on FacebookSearch
WWW
Burnt Lumpia
ArchivesSeptember 2011August 2011July 2011June 2011May 2011April 2011February 2011January 2011December 2010November 2010More...

No BitersCreative Commons License
This work is licensed under a
Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 3.0 LicenseBlog powered by TypePad document.write(unescape("%3Cscript src='" + (document.location.protocol == "https:" ? "https://sb" : "http://b") + ".scorecardresearch.com/beacon.js'%3E%3C/script%3E"));COMSCORE.beacon({ c1: 2, c2: "6035669", c3: "", c4: "http://burntlumpia.typepad.com/burnt_lumpia/2011/09/short-rib-and-foie-gras-caldereta.html", c5: "", c6: "", c15: ""});

View the original article here

Korean Braised Short Ribs (Kalbi Jjim)

Slow-cooking meat in a nice enamelled cast iron Dutch oven is a pretty sublime experience. I've done my fair share of braising in metal pots, woks, Crock-Pots, and even sauté pans, but really, nothing compares to the ease of searing and stewing everything in the same pot, and one that needs minimal heat to stay bubbling hot. When most of your favorite dishes (boeuf bourguignon, coq au vin, chicken adobo, red-cooked pork) are braises or stews, you start salivating over the Le Creusets and Staubs upon entering any kitchen supply store.

I've used Le Creusets a good number of times when teaching at cooking schools, but hadn't actually own a proper Dutch oven until now. This Christmas I received a lovely red Staub "cocotte" from my chief taste tester/bf and have been using it as much as possible. (A great present, by the way, for someone craves chicken adobo every other day and can make it in her sleep.) 

One of the first thing I made in my gorgeous new cooking vessel was a Korean dish I've been craving since my trip to Seoul called kalbi jjim (also spelled kalbi jim, galbi jim, or galbi jjim). Kalbi jjim is a combination of short ribs, potatoes, carrots, and onions, slow-cooked in a intoxicating mixture of white wine, soy sauce, garlic, and sesame oil. It seemed like the perfect hearty meal for the days following the blizzard, when streets were still lined with waist-high snow banks and just getting to a restaurant two blocks away seemed like a slushy chore.   

The sauce can't be easier, made with  ingredients your pantry probably already has. Don't worry about the measurements; neither the saltiness from the 1/2 cup or soy sauce nor the sweetness from the 1/2 cup of sugar are overpowering. Such is the beauty of slow-cooking (and a little help from the sesame oil, wine, and garlic.)

You can, of course, use cuts of beef other than short ribs, such as chuck or brisket. But braising bone-in beef makes the meat much more tender, and the collagen in the bones lends a richness to the sauce. In Korea, the authentic way to make kalbi jjim is to first boil the beef in water for 10 to 15 minutes to remove impurities (some cooks add the step of soaking the beef in cold water overnight, then boil it the next day.) Then you slice grooves into the beef (each piece will look somewhat like a hand with 3 or 4 fingers), so the beef absorbs more flavor from the braising liquid and becomes fork-tender. If you're short on time, you can skip this step and still have very succulent beef, but it really does make a difference.

A pot of short ribs with this recipe will feed 6 hungry diners or 4 very hungry folks. I don't have 5 other people to feed, but I added sides of kimchi from and rice and was golden for 4 meals. The only thing missing, and still made me miss Korea, was a liquor store nearby that sold makkoli...

_________________________________________ 

Korean Braised Short Ribs (Kalbi Jjim)

Serves 4 to 6

2 pounds short ribs, cut to 2- or 3-inch lengths

2 tablespoons peanut or vegetable oil
1 medium yellow onion, cut into large dice
5 or 6 garlic cloves, finely chopped
2 cups water
1/2 cup soy sauce
1/2 cup white wine
1 tablespoon sesame oil
1/2 cup sugar
3 carrots, cut into large dice
1 potato, cut into large dice
Salt and pepper to taste.

1. Trim some of the excess fat from the short ribs (but don't go crazy). Score the meat by slicing 1/2-inch deep groves in the meat, against the grain. This helps the meat to absorb more of the braising liquid and results in more tender short ribs.

2. Place the ribs in large pot. Add enough water to cover the ribs. Bring the water to a boil, then reduce the heat to a simmer. Allow the beef to simmer for 10 to 15 minutes to remove excess blood and fat. Transfer the ribs to another dish with a slotted spoon, shaking off excess water. Discard the water.

3.  Heat the oil in a Dutch oven or large pot. Sauté the onions and garlic until aromatic and the onions are soft and beginning to brown. Pour in the water, soy sauce, white wine, and sesame oil. Add the sugar and stir until it is fully dissolved. Add the drained short ribs, carrots, and potatoes. Bring the liquid to a boil, then reduce the heat to a simmer. Cook with the lid off, stirring occasionally, for 40 minutes, until the beef is tender but not yet falling off the bone. Season to taste with salt and black pepper.

4. Transfer the beef and vegetables to a serving dish and ladle the sauce on top. Serve with rice, maybe with a little kimchi on the side.

_________________________________________ 

More beef recipes to try:

Japanese Beef and Rice Bowl 

Mongolian Beef

Sichuan Boiled Beef in Fiery Sauce (Shuizhu niurou) 

Spicy Hunan Beef with Cumin

View the original article here