stifado

(2 ratings)
Recipe by
C G
Vallèe du Willamette, OR

Adapted from a recipe I found in the current Natural Grocers' flyer. The last stew of the fall/winter season as we begin to switch over to lighter spring fare! This Greek stew was served over a bed of orzo pasta.

(2 ratings)
yield 4 serving(s)
prep time 20 Min
cook time 3 Hr
method Stove Top

Ingredients For stifado

  • 4 Tbsp
    olive oil
  • 1 lb
    grass-fed stew meat, either lamb or beef
  • 1 lb
    pearl onions, peeled and kept whole (we used 1/2 pound golden pearl onions)
  • 3-4 clove
    garlic, peeled and minced
  • 1 c
    beef or lamb stock or broth, more if needed
  • 3-4 Tbsp
    red wine
  • 1
    whole cinnamon stick
  • 2
    fresh bay leaves
  • 3-4
    whole cloves (placed in a tea infuser or small square piece of muslin cloth)
  • 1 tsp
    greek oregano (aka mediterranean oregano)
  • 14 oz
    fire-roasted crushed or pureed tomatoes
  • 1 Tbsp
    tomato paste
  • salt
  • black pepper

How To Make stifado

  • 1
    *Note: if you cannot find pearl onions, substitute with a comparable amount of red onion. Also, be very careful when buying a can of fire-roasted tomatoes. Some brands (Muir Glen as an example) include chili powder in the ingredients' list. Read the label. You don't want spicy tomatoes! It will overpower all the other flavors. Heat 2 tablespoons of the olive oil over medium heat. When the pot is hot, add half of the stew meat. Brown the meat then transfer to a plate. Add the remaining olive oil and brown the rest of the meat. Transfer the second batch to the plate.
  • 2
    Now add the pearl onions to the pot and sautè until they start to soften. Add the minced garlic and the beef broth to the pot, scraping up any of the browned bits from the bottom of the pot.
  • 3
    Add the cooked beef and *any* juices that have accumulated back into the post. Stir in the remaining ingredients and enough water to cover the meat and onion mixture.
  • 4
    Bring the mixture to a boil, reduce heat and simmer gently, partially covered 2-3 hours or until the meat is tender and the sauce has thickened.
  • 5
    Remove the whole cinnamon stick and cloves. Serve over orzo/pasta, mashed potatoes, rice, quinoa or similar. For a complete meal, serve a crisp green salad on the side. We served our stew with a spinach salad that included carrots, bell pepper, cucumber and a scattering of feta. Imported Greek olives on the side. Pass the salt and pepper shakers.
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