Has anyone got a traditional recipe for stifado - hubby and I tried both chicken and beef versions on holiday?

In Zakynthos - I think the beef stifado is the more traditional dish. Really want to try to make it at home, thanks in advance xHas anyone got a traditional recipe for stifado - hubby and I tried both chicken and beef versions on holiday?
STIFADO (GREEK STEW)





3 lbs. lean beef, stew meat cut into 1 1/2 inch cubes


Salt and freshly ground black pepper


1/2 c. butter


2 1/2 lbs. sm. onions, peeled


1 can (6 oz.) tomato paste


1/2 c. red table wine


2 tbsp. red wine vinegar


1 tbsp. brown sugar


1 clove garlic, minced or mashed


1 bay leaf


1 sm. cinnamon stick


1/2 tsp. whole cloves


1/4 tsp. ground cumin


2 tbsp. currants or raisins, optional





Season meat with salt and pepper. Melt butter in a Dutch oven or heavy kettle with cover. Add meat and coat with butter but do not brown. Arrange onions over meat. Mix tomato paste, wine, vinegar, sugar and garlic; pour over meat and onions. Add bay leaf, cinnamon, cloves, cumin and currants. Cover onions with a plate (to hold them intact). Cover kettle and simmer 3 hours or until meat is very tender. (Do not stir). As you serve, stir sauce gently to blend.


Makes 6 servings.





With this have sesame bread and a red wine that can hold its own. Use either a Greek bread with sesame coated crust or a good white bread.Has anyone got a traditional recipe for stifado - hubby and I tried both chicken and beef versions on holiday?
Beef Stifado Recipe


Recipe Ingredients





2 1/2 lb Lean stewing beef


3 tbsp Butter


1 can (1 lb) small onions


1 tbsp Brown sugar


1/2 cup Dry white wine


1/2 cup Water


3 tbsp Tomato paste


1/4 cup Red wine vinegar


1 tsp Mixed pickling spices


4 Whole cloves


3 Buds garlic, minced


Salt and pepper to taste


1 package (12 oz) frozen tiny peas











Recipe Preparation


SERVE WITH PILAFF, SEASAME COATED BREAD, SALAD W/FETA


Cut meat in 1-inch chunks. Melt butter in large frying pan. Brown


meat. Transfer to crockery pot.


Stir drained onions and brown sugar into frying pan.


Cook over medium high heat, shaking pan, until glazed. Transfer to


crockery pot. Add wine, water, tomato paste and vinegar to frying


pan. Stir to loosen drippings. Pour over meat and onions. Place


pickling spices and cloves in a tea ball or cheesecloth bag. Add to


pot. Season with garlic, salt and pepper. Cover. Cook on LOW 8 hours.


Thaw peas. Add the last half hour of coking. Cook down juices until


slightly reduced. Serve in ramekins.


Makes 8 servings. NOTE: Pickling spices and red wine vinegar


punctuate this Greek stew. Round out the Aegean munu with pilaff, %26amp;


salad w/feta cheese.
You will need


(serves 4-6)





1Kg lean beef - cubed.


500g baby shallot onions - peeled.


2 large onions chopped.


3 juicy tomatoes - chopped.


2 table-spoons of tomato paste.


1 whole nutmeg crushed (put it into a bag and hit it with a rolling pin!)


1 cinnamon stick and 3 cloves.


4 garlic cloves - finely chopped.


Rosemary sprig.


1 small wineglass of extra-virgin olive oil.


2 glasses of red wine.


A good splash of vinegar.


Fresh coarsely ground black pepper.








1. Add beef to large frying pan, with: the olive oil, chopped onions, garlic, and cook on a high heat until the meat is sealed and the onions have turned soft.





2. Next, add the chopped tomatoes, nutmeg, cinnamon, cloves, bay leaves, rosemary and a good pinch of black pepper. Keep stirring while the ingredients blend on a moderate heat.





3. Keep heating while adding the wine, vinegar and tomato paste. Stir well.





4. Turn out into a casserole dish - terracotta is best. Add warm water so as to cover the meat. Cook in oven until the meat is nearly cooked - about one hour.


5. While waiting, peel the baby shallot onions, wash them and shallow fry them in a little olive oil, until soft, not letting them burn.


6. Remove casserole from the oven, and add the shallots (but not the oil) to the simmering meat. Return to oven, and leave until the meat is thoroughly cooked (soft and tender) - add water as needed so that you end up with a thick sauce.
Stifado (Greek Beef Stew)





3 lbs Stewing or chuck steak


1/4 cup Plain flour


at Least 1/2 bottle of good, rich red wine


2 tbsp Red wine vinegar


3 cloves Garlic, thinly sliced


1 lb Baby onions or shallots


Olive oil for frying


1 Cinnamon stick, broken in half


3 Bay leaves


1 tsp Ground allspice


2 tbsp Tomato paste


1 cup Beef stock


Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste








Dice your beef into large chunks, the bigger the better, but around 2'; is about right. Season the flour with plenty of black pepper and a bit of salt, and coat the chunks of beef. In a fairly hot pan, heat the olive oil and when hot, fry your chunks of beef until sealed on all sides and slighty browned. These can be done in batches of a few at a time if required. Put into a large casserole or a pot with a lid when done.








Add some more oil to the pan and fry the onions (chopped in half if they're too big) over a medium heat until they start to brown - about 5 minutes. Add the garlic and fry for a further minute. Put this into the casserole with the beef. Pour the wine into the pan, add the red wine vinegar, cinnamon, ground allspice and heat until it just begins to boil. Add this to the casserole along with the beef stock and the bayleaves. Stir in the tomato puree.








Put the lid onto casserole and bake at 300 degrees for about 3 hours or until tender, stirring occasionally. It will take at least 3 hours to cook, but 4 will be better and 5 won't hurt it! When it's done, the meat should be very tender and the sauce nice and thick.








Serve with thick crusty bread.





Cook's Notes


Add 1/2 cup raisins if you like them. Plain chopped onions can be used instead of baby onions or shallots.
stewing steak or chuck


1 large onion


2 cinnamon sticks


glass red wine


1 oxo


1 tbsp gravy granuals





brown beef in frying pan


put in casserole dish


fry onions in beef juices


put in casserole dish


add cinnamon sticks wine and oxo.


cook slowly for a few hours stir then add gravy granuals to thicken sauce.


serve with crusty bread or good old fashion chips.


enjoy