Stifatho is a Greek stew. I fell in love with it in Greece when I had the good fortune to travel there in pre pandemic times. It was served at a family gathering by our Greek hosts. They cook this with rabbit most of the time as beef is too expensive and not plentiful. You can try either.
Ingredients for 8 to 10
- 2kg beef chuck steak cut into 3cm cubes
- 1 extra large onion diced
- 8 cloves garlic diced
- 750ml young shiraz
- 1 cup extra virgin olive oil (EVOO)
- 1 cup red wine vinegar
- 2 420g cans diced tomatoes
- 3 teaspoons tomato paste
- 1 cup flat leaf parsley diced
- 1kg shallots cleaned whole
In a small gauze bag
- 4 bay leaves
- 2 cinnamon sticks
- 2 sugar cubes
Method:
- Put the meat in a large bowl with the shiraz, onion, garlic and gauze pouch containinng bay leaves, cinnamon and sugar. Mix really well and rest in the fridge for half a day or overnight.
- Next remove the meat, strain the marinade into a pot and cook until reduced by 50 per cent. Save the onion and spices for later.
- Put half the EVOO in a large pot and fry the meat until it’s a little browned.
- Add the onion, garlic, and gauze spices (the sugar will have dissolved by now).
- Pour in the reduced marinade, red wine vinegar and simmer with the lid on the pot. Stir occasionally and don’t allow the stew to dry out. Cook for one hour then add tomatoes and tomato paste; stir thoroughly. Season with salt and pepper and cook for 30 minutes more.
- Fry the shallots in a frypan with half a cup of EVOO at high heat until brown then add to the stew, cooking for a further 30 minutes until the beef is tender.
- When the stew is ready, serve with parsley mixed through.
Crusty bread and a glass of shiraz and it’s a family party you can invite Greeks too.
Kali Orexi
Vince is the proprietor of Mondo Butchers located at 824 Beaufort Street, Inglewood.
They are open Tuesday to Friday 9am to 5.30pm, Saturday 9am to 2pm.
Phone 9371 6350 or visit www.mondo.net.au.
