Stefado of Beef & Garlic
Submitted by cadien
Thirty cloves of garlic, white wine, cinnamon, and cumin transform beef stew into a Greek stifado that smells like a Mediterranean kitchen. Topped with crumbled feta and crunchy walnuts for the finish.
YIELD
6 servingsPREP
20 minCOOK
90 minREADY
110 minThirty cloves of garlic. Yes, thirty. And that’s exactly what makes this stifado unforgettable.
Beef cubes braise in white wine, red wine vinegar, and tomato paste with a spice lineup of cinnamon, cumin, oregano, and bay leaf until the meat practically falls apart at the touch of a fork.
All those garlic cloves mellow and sweeten as they simmer, melting into the thin, fragrant sauce.
Pearl onions add their own gentle sweetness, and the whole thing gets topped with crumbled feta, toasted walnuts, and fresh parsley for a garnish that’s really more of a second course.
Pro Tips
- Parboil the garlic cloves and pearl onions ahead of time so they peel easily and cook evenly in the stew
- Keep the sauce at a gentle simmer, not a rolling boil, to keep the beef tender rather than tough
- Don’t reduce the sauce too much; the thin, brothy consistency is intentional and traditional
- Serve with crusty bread or over thick egg noodles to catch every drop
Ingredients
Directions
Preheat oven to 350℉ (180℃).
In a heavy pot that can be covered, combine all the ingredients except the feta, walnuts and ½ cup parsley.
Cover tightly and bake for 1½ hours or more, until the meat is very tender.
Lower the oven temperature during this time, so that the contents of the pot remain at a gentle simmer.
Skim off the fat. Do not boil the sacue down; it should remain rather thin.
Ladle the stew into a deep platter.
Granish with feta, walnuts, and the remaining parsley.
Comments
