Beef Stifado Stew
An Original Recipe by Lorraine Elliott via Valentina Jones
Preparation time: 10 minutes
Cooking time: 2.5 hours
Serves: 4 people
- 4 tablespoons olive oil
- 1kg/2.2lbs. wagyu gravy, chuck or brisket beef
- 6 cloves
- 1 cinnamon stick
- 1/2 teaspoon allspice
- 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 3 bay leaves
- 500g/1.1lbs small or pearl onions, peeled but kept whole
- 500g/1.1lbs medium potatoes, peeled (I used Royal Blue potatoes)
- 4 garlic cloves, peeled and sliced
- 4 cherry tomatoes or 1 tomato
- 500ml/17flozs. beef stock
- 185ml/6flozs. white or red wine
- 3 tablespoons red wine vinegar
- 2 tablespoons tomato paste
- Sugar, salt and pepper for seasoning
To serve:
- 250g orzo or risoni
- 3-4 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- Fresh dill fronds, roughly chopped
- Salt and pepper for seasoning
Step 1 - Heat a large cast iron pot with lid to medium heat. Add oil and brown beef, keeping it in large pieces. Do this in two lots so that the beef browns all over. Remove beef from the pot and set aside. Add the cloves, cinnamon, allspice, nutmeg and bay leaves and heat for 1 minute or until fragrant.
Step 2 - Place the beef back into the pot and add the onions, potatoes, garlic, tomatoes, beef stock, wine, vinegar and tomato paste. Bring to a boil and then gently simmer for 2.5 hours with the lid on or until the beef is very tender. Try not to stir it too much. When it is ready, season with sugar, salt and pepper.
Step 3 - Boil the orzo in plenty of salted, boiling water until al dente (around 10 minutes). Drain and then toss with olive oil and dill. Season and serve along with the beef stifado.