Sizzling Bulalo with Creamy Mushroom Sauce

Put a twist on the classic bulalo by smothering the beef in creamy mushroom sauce. Yum!

Serves 4  Prep Time 15 minutes  Cooking Time 1 hour 20 minutes

1 1/2 kilos beef shanks, cut into  2-inch pieces
1 onion, quartered
1 carrot, cut into three pieces
2 stalks celery, chopped roughly
1 teaspoon whole peppercorns
1 teaspoon salt
8 cups water
oil for deep-frying
chopped parsley for garnish (optional)

For the creamy mushroom sauce
2 tablespoons butter or margarine
1 tablespoon oil
1/2 cup chopped onions
2 teaspoons chopped garlic
1 (198-gram) can sliced mushrooms, drained
2 1/2 tablespoons flour
1 cup beef stock (from the water used to boil the beef shanks)
1/2 cup heavy cream
1 teaspoon soy sauce
salt, pepper, and liquid seasoning to taste

1  In a large stockpot, combine beef shanks, onion, carrot, celery stalks, peppercorns, salt, and water. Bring to a boil then reduce to a simmer. Cook for 40 minutes to 1 hour, or until beef is very tender. Skim off scum and oil. Let cool. Transfer beef shanks to a strainer. Strain stock and set aside.

2  Make the mushroom sauce: Heat butter or margarine and oil on a medium saucepan. Sauté onions until translucent. Add garlic and sauté until fragrant. Add mushrooms and cook for 1 minute. Add flour and mix well. Cook for 1 to 2 minutes. Pour in beef stock and mix well. Bring to a boil then reduce to a simmer for 10 minutes. Add heavy cream and soy sauce. Season to taste. Mix well and let sauce thicken. Set aside.

3  When ready to serve, deep-fry beef shanks until lightly browned on the surface, about 1 to 2 minutes. Drain on paper towels.

4  Heat 2 sizzling plates until smoking and turn off the heat. Immediately add beef and pour in mushroom sauce. Garnish with parsley if desired. Serve immediately.


Budget-saving tip  Get big savings by choosing inexpensive cuts of meat. These are the cuts coming from the shoulder, hind, and leg such as chuck, round, and shank for beef and head, leg (pata hind), and rib shoulder (sinigang cut) for pork. These cuts can be tough, but by braising, boiling, and stewing—they become fall-off-the-bone tender and yield a lot of flavor.

Photography by Miguel Nacianceno | Styling by Rachelle Santos

• Be the first one to comment...