Stifado - Greek Beef and Onion Casserole
If you want a quick, no tears way of peeling button onions or shallots, top and tail them and cover them with boiling water - leave for a minute - drain and then squeeze them out of their skins.
Preparation time: 20 minutes Quantity: Serves 4 Cooking time: 2 hours
Ingredients
3 tablespoons olive oil
600g / 1&1/4 lb. diced beef - braising/chuck
400g / 14 oz shallots - peeled and core trimmed
4 cloves garlic - crushed
100 ml red wine (glass)
2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
2 bay leaves
1 stick cinnamon or 1/2 teaspoon ground
1 pint /550 ml water or stock
2 tablespoons tomato puree
seasoning
Method
- Heat the half of the oil
- Add the beef and cook for a minute or two on a high heat while stirring, to seal/ brown the meat
- Spoon in to a bowl
- Place the pan back on to the stove and heat up the rest of the oil
- Fry of the onions till golden brown
- Pour the beef back in to the pan with the onions
- Add the wine and vinegar, stirring well in to the mix, cook until the liquid has reduced by half
- Add the bay leaves, cinnamon and water
- Bring to the boil
- Simmer covered for 1 & 1/2 hours, checking occasionally, topping up with water if needed so the meat is just covered - Alternatively, transfer in to an ovenproof dish and cook covered in the oven gas 6 / 200*c / 400*f
- Test that the meat is tender, if not cook for longer
- Remove the lid, skim off any fat on the top (If the dish is too watery, boil further to evaporate the water and thicken the dish)
- Add the puree and cook for a further 10 minutes
- Taste to season, remove the cinnamon and bay leaves and serve