Estofado which translates to stew is a Spanish dish that has been localized to Filipino taste and consists of meat stewed with tomatoes. A hearty stew like this is best accompanied by a generous serving of kanin (cooked rice) and I have always considered this a comfort food good for a cold night.

Ingredients

1½ lb | 0.68 kg of stewing beef cut into 1-inch cubes
2 cloves | 10g of garlic
1½ tsp | 7.3g of salt
1½ tsp | 4.9g of black pepper
1½ cup | 64g of flour
½ cup | 59ml of vegetable oil
¼ cup | 29.5ml of cider vinegar
1 medium onion coarsely chopped
1 medium tomato chopped
3 bay leaves
1 cup of green beans, cut into 1-inch lengths
1 cup of carrots, cut into 1-inch lengths

Preparation

1. Sprinkle the beef with salt and pepper and let it stand for 10-15 minutes.
2. Dredge the beef with the flour.

Cooking

1. Fry the beef cubes in the vegetable oil until brown and set aside.
2. Pour off all but 2 tablespoons of oil in the pan, and sauté the garlic, onions, and tomatoes until the mixture is soft.
3. Add the vinegar, bay leaves, and enough water to cover the beef.
4. Stir well, bring to a boil, lower the heat, and simmer covered for 1½ to 2 hours until the beef is tender adding more salt or pepper to taste if desired.
5. Bring the stew back to a boil, add the green beans and carrots and simmer covered until the vegetables are tender, about 10 minutes.