GREEK STYLE STIFADO



Good Morning to you,

What a relief, National Chocolate Week is almost over.  As you know, my relief is not because I dislike chocolate, it's quite the opposite, it's because I love chocolate and if I'm honest with you, I think I allowed myself to indulge, just a little too much this week. All in the name of National Chocolate Week.  Will I ever learn!

So today, I am returning to my normal eating routine and I have chosen something which is easy to make, but at the same time full of flavour. A Greek style Stifado.

Doesn't this Stifado look inviting, couldn't you just get a spoon and dive right in! Sorry, I'm not really promoting bad habits!

  

THE INGREDIENTS

1.5 kg lamb cut into cubes

3 onions, sliced

3 cloves of garlic (less if you prefer)

1x 400g tin of tomatoes, chopped

or 6 ripe tomatoes skinned and chopped

1 tablespoon of tomato paste

2 cinnamon sticks

3 dried bay leaves

200ml red wine

3 tablespoons of red wine vinegar

1 teaspoon of sugar

5 tablespoons of olive oil

1 pint of vegetable stock

 Using a large, wide pan, add  three tablespoons of olive oil and add the sliced onions to the pan. 

Cook the onions on a low heat until golden brown. This will take about 20 to 25 minutes.

Add the garlic and cook for a further 2 minutes. Remove the onions and garlic from the pan and set aside.

  

Using the same pan, add two more tablespoons of olive oil and brown the lamb, a little at a time.  Don't overload the pan with the cubed lamb as it will boil rather than brown. I found browning six pieces of lamb each time worked for my pan. As each batch is browned place on a plate and continue browning with the next batch of lamb.

When you have finished browning all the lamb, return it to the pan and add the onions and garlic and stir.

  

 Add the red wine

  

Add the chopped tomatoes

 Add the cinnamon, bay leaves, salt and pepper

  

Add the tomato paste

  

Add the sugar

 

Add the red wine vinegar and vegetable stock and stir well.

Place a lid on the pan and simmer gently for 1 hour 45 minutes or until the lamb is nice and tender.

If you want to reduce the sauce, remove the lid, raise the heat to medium and cook for a further 15 minutes until you reach the consistency that suits you.  Taste at this point to see if you need to add more seasoning.







...and here you have it a delicious, warming Stifado.

I sometimes serve Stifado with mashed potato and broccoli. 

Other times I serve with couscous.  It all depends on your fancy for that day. However you decide to serve this dish, I know you will enjoy it.

Just as an added note, Stifado is usually made with pickling onions.  I find they are too fiddly and time consuming, I prefer sliced onions.  Remember what I said about adapting a recipe to your own taste.

If you would like to  make Stifado with pickling onions, then you will need 1 kg of onions.  You will also need to brown the onions before adding them to the lamb mixture.

Have fun cooking this recipe.

Take care and I will see  you later in the week.

This week I will be joining,

 Karen at Sew Many Ways
On the Menu Monday at StoneGable
Foodie Friends Friday at This and That

Best Wishes

Daphne xxx