Nilagang Baka (Beef Broth with Veggies)

 Nilagang Baka is simply a broth from beef shanks, which is lightly seasoned with salt, peppercorns and bay leaves. The beef shanks are boiled in a huge stock pot over on a stovetop for couple of hours until the meat is nice and tender. It is also considered to be one of the comfort dishes in the the Philippines that is usually served with boiled or steamed vegetables such as potatoes, cabbage or bokchoy, long string beans, then using fish sauce with kalamansi (a common Philippine citrus fruit like a lemon) as a condiment. 

This dish is definitely one of my favorites growing up as kid in the Philippines that even now and then, I still get a craving for especially in the cooler months over here in the northeast region of the States. Slurping this beef broth, and meticulously dripping tiny amounts of fish sauce and freshly squeezed kalamansi juice over the tender strip of meat from the shank and bits n' pieces of the gelatinous bone marrow with every spoonful of steamed rice is like eating a piece from my childhood. Remembering my Grandmother (Lola Carmel) that once said, "Drink all the soup, that's where all the vitamins and minerals are!" It is indeed very soothing to taste and so comforting. So basic, yet flavorful and nutritious, too! 

So when Tropical Storm Nicole swept through the East Coast last Thursday, this is the only meal I could think of having that evening. It rained. It poured. All day and through the night until the next morning. And all I wanted is something warm, something slurpy, and something that's close to my heart. And this broth can really warm every man's heart and soul. It definitely did to me and I'm glad I was able to make it for dinner that night and share the memories of this dish with my husband...


Ingredients:
Beef Shanks
Water
Salt
Peppercorns, ground and whole
Bay leaves
Small red potatoes, boiled
Cabbage, quartered and steamed
Long String Beans, cut into 2" strips and steamed
Fish Sauce with freshly squeezed kalamansi (Philippine lemon) as condiment

Directions:

Place beef shanks in a large stock pot. Lightly season with salt. Bring to a full boil over high heat. Discard the first boiled water. Fill stock pot with water again. Season with salt and peppercorns (ground and whole). Add bay leaves. Let it boil again over medium-high heat, skimming off the foam (or what I call dirt) that surfaces on the top. Do this periodically as the broth continues to boil. Keep boiling it until the meat is soft and tender. Season to taste or as needed.

In another stock pot with steamer, boil potatoes first (without the steamer) until slightly cooked. Add the quartered cabbage and long string beans in the steamer then add it to the pot of boiling potatoes (remove excess water or enough water for steaming). 
Serve the shank in broth with the boiled potatoes and steamed veggies in a big bowl. This is great eaten with steamed rice and a side of fish sauce with fresh kalamansi juice as a condiment. Then, it's nom-nom time!