Stifatho (in Greek: στιφάδο) is a delicious traditional Greek stew.
The secret to achieving melt-in-the-mouth stifatho is simmering the meat and ingredients for a few hours to allow its flavours to mingle into something much much more!
You may also like to add some other vegetables to the stifado including carrots, cauliflower, potatoes, sweet potato, eggplant, zucchini or yellow squash.
Traditionally stifado is served with orzo pasta or potatoes. And of course some bread on the side to scoop up the tasty tomato sauce.
Ingredients:
- 1kg veal, cut into portions
- 1/2 cup olive oil
- 1 chopped onion
- 1kg pearl onions (peeled)
- 1/2 cup red wine
- 4 tablespoons vinegar
- 1 large ripe tomato, roughly chopped
- 1 bay leaf
- Chopped parsley
- 2 garlic cloves minced
- Pinch of nutmeg
- Salt and freshly ground pepper
Directions:
- Preheat oven to 160°C.
- Heat oil in a flameproof casserole dish over medium heat.
- Add the meat (in batches) and cook for 2-3 minutes or until brown on all sides. When done, transfer the meat to another dish, cover and set aside.
- In the same oil used to brown the meat, add chopped onions and sauté until soft.
- Add the tomatoes, vinegar, wine, bay leaf, and 2 cups of hot water. Let it simmer for 3 minutes.
- In the meantime, peel the onions and cut a small cross in the root end of each one to prevent them from bursting.
- Add the onions, garlic, nutmeg, 1 cup of water and season with salt and pepper.
- Transfer the meat back to the casserole dish.
- Cover the dish and cook in preheated oven for 1.5- 2 hours or until meat is tender and the sauce has thickened.
- Serve the stifado with orzo pasta and grated cheese, or potatoes.
- Don't forget to add parsley on top and enjoy!
