As the weather cools and winter comes along, my family and I yearn for warm, comforting food. Caldaretta is a tomato-based beef stew which has Spanish influences. Although every family has their own version using their favourite meats (chicken, goat and offal cuts like liver) and vegetables, this is the version that I grew up with here in Australia.

I learned to make this on the stove top without using a packet mix and it was tedious to constantly watch over it, especially when it came to the gravy. This is very much a cook and walk away recipe which I hope your family will enjoy as much as mine do 🙂

Please note this recipe has been made for the TM5 so if making in the TM31, please be mindful of maximum quantities.

Prep and Cooking Time – 1 hour & 20 minutes | Serves – 4 to 6

INGREDIENTS

– 1 brown onion (100g)
– 2x garlic cloves
– 30g olive oil
– 500g chuck steak, diced (3cm pieces)
– 30g chicken stock concentrate
– 175g passata
– 325g water
– 150g carrots, cut into rounds (1cm thick)
– 300g potato, cut into chunks
– 3 dried bay leaves
– 20g fish sauce
– 20g soy sauce
– 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
– 100g tomato paste
– 100g frozen peas
– 100g capsicum, cut in strips

METHOD

Chop onion and garlic 3 sec / speed 7 \ MC on. Scrape the sides of the bowl.

Add oil, chicken stock concentrate and diced beef. Saute for 4 mins / 120oC / reverse / speed 1 / MC on.

Add passata, water, carrots, potatoes, dried bay leaves, fish sauce, soy sauce and pepper into the mixing bowl. Using your spatula mix the contents of the bowl to loosen all the ingredients. Commence cooking 45 mins / 80oC / reverse / speed soft / MC on.

Add tomato paste, capsicum and frozen peas to the stew. Continue cooking 10 mins / Varoma / reverse / speed soft / MC on.

Replace measuring cup with simmering basket to reduce the gravy. Continue cooking 10 mins / Varoma / reverse / speed soft / MC off.

Serve stew hot with freshly made fluffy Jasmine rice or cauliflower rice.