Stifatho

Ingredients

  • 1 ½ kilograms stewing beef pieces (chuck or top rump) cut into bite size portions
  • 1 cup extra virgin olive oil
  • 3-4 celery sticks
  • 1-2 cloves garlic
  • 3 medium carrots
  • 1 large white or yellow onion finely chopped
  • 1 cup red wine
  • 2 x 400 grams tinned whole peeled tomatoes or ripe fresh tomatoes
  • 2 tablespoons tomato paste diluted in ½ cup of water
  • 3 tablespoons red wine vinegar
  • ¼ cup brandy or cognac
  • 1 stick cinnamon or 1 teaspoon cinnamon or 1 teaspoon allspice
  • 1 tablespoon sugar
  • ¼ or a pinch teaspoon nutmeg powder
  • 2-3 bay leaves
  • 2 ½ kilograms peeled white pearl onions
  • Salt & Ground black pepper

Method

1.

Cut the celery and onion into thin slices.

2.

Chop carrots into rondelles.

3.

Sauté the chopped vegetables in a large pot in 2 tablespoons of olive oi for 3-4 minutes with the cinnamon, nutmeg and allspice. Add the crushed garlic and lower the heat to medium.

4.

Remove from the pot and set aside.

5.

In a glass bowl filled with seasoned all-purpose flour, evenly coat the meat pieces and dust off excess flour.

6.

Brown the meat pieces in the pot in batches on all sides in 2-3 tablespoons olive oil to seal the juices inside. Remove the meat and set aside.

7.

Sauté the pearled white onions in the pot in the meat juices and oil in batches until softened but not browned for 10 minutes.

8.

Pour in the red wine, red wine vinegar, brandy or cognac cover and simmer for 3-5 minutes.

9.

Return the vegetables and meat back to the pot, add the tomatoes, the tomato paste, sugar, salt and pepper and bring the mixture to the boil.

10.

Cover the pot with a lid and simmer on medium low heat for 2 hours.

11.

Season to taste with salt and ground black pepper.

12.

Serve with peeled boiled potatoes, mashed potatoes, polenta, orzo pasta or rice. Also delicious with French fries.  

(Stifatho is traditionally also made with pieces of rabbit or hare)