Whats for dinner?

{picture via here}

This recipe for Greek Stifado is a wintertime treat for me. Its incredibly delicious and rich; a perfect cold weather dish.

Ingredients (to feed 6)

• 1.5kg braising steak
• 100g plain flour
• 4 onions
• 1/2 bottle of red wine
• 2 tbspns red wine vinegar
• 3 cloves of garlic (minced)
• oil for frying
• 1 cinnamon stick, broken in half
• 2 bay leaves
• 1 tsp allspice
• 2 tbspns tomato puree
• 6 carrots, sliced (optional)
• 200ml beef stock (one stock cube)
• salt and pepper

Preheat oven to 160 deg. C (Gas Mark 3)

1. Cube the steak. Season the flour with plenty of black pepper and some salt. Coat the steak cubes with flour and fry until meat is sealed and brown. Place in casserole pot when done.
2. Add oil to frying pan and cook fry sliced onions over a medium heat until they start to brown. Add garlic and fry for a further few minutes. Place in casserole pot with the beef. Pour half a bottle of wine into the pot, add the red wine vinegar, cinnamon, allspice and return to heat until it comes to boiling point. Add the beef stock, carrots and bay leaves. Stir in the tomato puree.
3. Put the lid on the casserole pot and place in oven for at least 3 hours. I think its best at 4-5 hours when the steak becomes very tender with a thick glossy sauce.

Serve with chunks of fresh bread (I like ciabatta for this recipe) or plain rice.