Calderetta

½ kilo  pierna corta (beef round), cut in serving pieces
¼ cup  vinegar
10 pcs.  peppercorn, crushed
1 tsp.  salt
2 cloves  garlic
¼ cup  cooking oil
1 cup  onion, sliced
½ cup tomato sauce
1½  - 2 cups  boiling water
1 cup  red or green pepper, cut into strips
1 pc. laurel or bay leaf
dash of hot sauce
¼ cup  liver spread

Marinate beef in mixture of vinegar, peppercorn, salt and crushed garlic for 1½ to 2 hours.  Fry pieces of beef in cooking oil.  Add onions and saute until tender.  Pour in tomato sauce and boiling water.  Add the green pepper, bay leaf and hot sauce as desired.  Cover and simmer until meat is tender.  Blend in liver spread.  Cook 5 minutes more.  Serves 5.

Trivia
This is a dish of Spanish origin and the name comes from the Spanish word caldero which means cooking pot.  Calderetta is often found in fiestas from Batanes to Jolo.

At the Philippine restaurant in Paris, this was one of the popular items which was prepared with lamb shoulder, green olives, liver and other spices.

Our own calderetta has liver with a touch of chili for added spice.  Marinating the meat is an essential step in the preparation of this dish.

Whether one's favorite is calderetta made of beef, lamb or goat's meat, the prime objective is to find the blend of flavors that suits one's taste best.