Title: Stifado
Categories: Soup Greek Beef
Yield: 6 Servings

2	lb	Boneless shoulder or top round of beef, cut into
2		Inch cubes
3	tb	Olive oil (more if needed)
2/3	c	Dry red wine
2	c	Italian-style canned tomatoes, drained, chopped,
		Juice reserved
2		Cloves garlic
1	ts	Salt
2		Whole cloves, broken
1/4	ts	Cinnamon
1/4	ts	Allspice
1		Bay leaf
1/8	ts	Freshly ground black pepper
1/3	c	Parsley
2	tb	Tomato paste
2	lb	Tiny white onions, or coarsely chopped regular onions
2	tb	Butter
10-12		Greek olives

Turn oven on to 325 degrees F.

Dry meat on paper towels; it won't brown if it is wet. Heat the oil in a heavy skillet and brown the beef pieces well on all sides, a few pieces at a time. As they are browned, transfer the pieces to a lidded, flameproof casserole, with a very low flame under it. Rinse the skillet with the wine and pour the wine into the casserole. Cover and cook for 10 minutes. Stir in the tomatoes.

Using a heavy fork, mash together the garlic and salt, and stir into the stew with the cloves, cinnamon, allspice, bay leaf, pepper, 2 tablespoons of the parsley, and the tomato paste.

Drop the onions into boiling water for about 5 seconds, drain, and run under cold water. Trim the ends and slip off the skins. Make a shallow cross cut at root ends. Heat the butter in the skillet and cook the onions slowly, stirring to coat them with butter and to brown here and there, in spots. Do them in batches and add to the casserole as they are browned.

Cover casserole and place in the oven. Reduce heat as low as possible to just maintain the simmer. Check in 10 minutes and adjust oven temoerature if necessary. Cook for 2 to 2 1/2 hours, or until meat is fork tender. Add juice from tomatoes or hot water if stew gets too dry during cooking. Tip the pot and skim off fat. Check and add salt if needed.

At this point stew can be refrigerated or froazen; aftger cooling transfer to a clean casserole or baking dish if the cooking vessel looks messy. Serve sprinkled with the remaining parsley and olives.

Makes 6 servings.

From: MAIN COURSE SOUPS & STEWS by Dorothy Ivens ISBN0-06-015131-5. Harper & Row, New York. 1983 Posted by: Karin Brewer, Cooking Echo, 7/92

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