CALANDRACAS was certainly one of the greatest flagship dishes of my childhood. Growing up, my lola served calandracas to us quite often when our family gathered in her house for the usual Sunday lunch. Ahh, her food was fabulously gratifying! Simple home food that rocked til the very end!
My lola dished out the most unforgettable tinumis, the best torta and her gastronomic rendition of the classic pochero. I sorely miss her. The scent of her hand-me-down food just plesantly haunts me. Yeah, I miss her…
Today, I swung by my mom’s place and had lunch there. She had lola’s Calandracas. Beef cubes slow cooked and blended in with chorizos, pasta and cabbage.
Warm, hearty and filling, this dish was packed with all the beefy goodness that spells YUM-O (font 94! Haha!). Truly, one ‘hot’ heirloom from my lola!
To do, it you will need:
1/2 kilo beef brisket or kenchie
about two cups macaroni or penne pasta
4 medium-sized potatoes. quartered
1 can chorizo de bilbao (or 2 sticks), sliced horizontally
1 small head of cabbage, cut into four parts
2 large onions, quartered
3/4 cup chickpeas or garbanzos, drained
salt and pepper to taste
water
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1. Season Beef with salt and pepper. Add onions. Cover with water. Cook until tender.
2. Mix in potatoes, chorizos, chickpeas and pasta. Cook until potatoes and pasta are tender. Add in the cabbage. Serve hot.
The Eating Room 
Hi Caren! The way you described your Lola’s Calandras made me miss my lola too 😦 especially how she made simple dishes to taste delish and comforting!
I will definitely try this dish! Thanks for sharing this recipe.
thanks, christine. please do try it:)
Thank you my mom and lola used to cook this recipe for us. I am from the Philippines,Cavite City
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My Mom is also from Cavite and she used to cook this hearty soup also.
Hi, Millie! Wow, that’s good to hear. Do you also call it calandracas?
Hi Caren, I was born and raised in the fabulous city of Cavite, Philippines. Through my childhood to adulthood, I enjoyed my mom’s version of Calandracas soup which was passed to her by her father my Lolo which I believe the best cook in the east. Only with slight difference in ingredients. My grandpa’s version is made of mixture of beef and chicken and 3 veggies were added celery, carrots and squash. I am sure there’s not much difference in taste as compare to your recipe. More power to you.
There is a correction on my comment dated December 17, 2011. On the additional veggies, carrots is out and Pechay (Bochoy) is in. Sorry!