#stifatho

[vezene]

Wagyu #stifatho. #vezene #athens #greece #tradition #simplicity (at Vezene Athens)

[breaktheplate]

How to make Traditional Beef Stifado the Greek Way (Greek Beef Stew)

Stifado, (pronounced "Sti-fath-o" in Greek), is a savory, traditional Greek dish. There are many variations of this dish (using beef, veal, octopus, chicken, rabbit, beans or even snails), although in Greece rabbit, beef and octopus are most common. Regardless of which meat you use, vinegar, rosemary, tomatoes and onions must be used in order to call it "stifado." With this dish, the preparation is more important than the actual cooking. So you must be extra patient, since proper preparation is the secret to making a delicious stifado. The recipe below uses beef, since it is generally easier to find...but feel free to substitute one of the other meats listed above (or beans) if you prefer. However, if you choose to use something other than beef, you may need to adjust the cooking instructions and preparation accordingly.

2lb, 3.2oz of beef (or veal).

2lb, 3.2oz of pearl onions, peeled

2 large tomatoes, chopped

1 cup of tomato sauce

1 sprig of rosemary, finely minced

1 bay leaf

1/4 tsp of ground allspice (or 3-4 allspice berries)

1/2 tsp of black pepper

1/2 tbsp of salt

1/2 cup of vinegar

1/2 cup of red wine

1 cup of olive oil

1 cup of flour

Traditional Stifado Beef

Cut the meat in large pieces, roll them in the flour and set aside. In a big pot, add the olive oil and warm it on medium heat (do not let the oil boil or burn). Then add the pieces of meat, and cook completely until they are browned on all sides. When they are ready, put them on a plate to rest and set them aside for now. Inside the pot with the used oil, add the onions (whole, not cut) and let them simmer on low heat for approximately 15 minutes. As they cook, the juices from the onions will combine with the oil, creating a kind of "sauce." When that sauce thickens, add the wine and vinegar and mix them all together. Then, add the meat (and all the leftover juices on the plate too), tomatoes, tomato sauce, pepper, allspice, bay leaf and rosemary. Simmer on low heat for approximately an hour and a half, until the beef is tender...adding the salt after an hour has passed. Serve with fried potatoes, rice, or a fresh piece of bread. Enjoy!

Greek cooking secrets…

The reason we add the salt an hour after the rest of the ingredients, is because it hardens the meat.

Photo credit: http://bit.ly/1ClRhtG