food food food.........

Here it goes then! Stavroula's stifado!

1Kg lean beef - cubed.
500g baby shallot onions - peeled.
1 large onions chopped.
1 large juicy tomatoes - chopped.
2 table-spoons of tomato paste.
1/2 nutmeg crushed (put it into a bag and hit it with a rolling pin!)
1 cinnamon stick and 3 cloves.
4 garlic cloves - finely chopped.
1 vegetable stock cube (optional)
Rosemary sprig or two.
1 small wineglass of extra-virgin olive oil.
1 glass of red or white wine (preferably red!)
2 table-spoons of vinegar.
Fresh coarsely ground black pepper and salt.
1. Add the beef to large frying pan or casserole dish. Place on a high heat, stirring occasionally until meat is sealed.
2. Add the olive oil, chopped onions and garlic. Continue cooking on a high heat, until the onions have turned soft. (About 5mins)
3. Add wine and vinegar, leave on heat but covered for another 5 mins.
4. Next nutmeg, cinnamon, cloves, bay leaves, rosemary, stock cube and a good pinch of black pepper. Keep stirring while the ingredients blend, on a moderate heat. Add salt to taste.
5. Keep heating while adding the chopped tomatoes and tomato paste.
6. Turn out into a casserole dish (Terracota), with lid. Add 1 litre of hot water so as to cover the meat. Cook in oven until the meat is nearly cooked - about one hour.
7. While waiting, peel the baby shallot onions, wash them and shallow fry them in a little olive oil, until soft, not letting them burn.
8. Add the shallots (but not the oil) to the simmering meat and leave in the oven until the meat is thoroughly cooked (soft and tender) - at least another hour - add water if needed (don't let it dry out), so that you end up with a rich thick sauce.
This is a Corfiot recipe guys, my grandma's, so I'm giving away the family secrets so you know!

... I always remove the plastic wrapper from the pizza before I put it in the oven!

Volker

Looks delicious, but I'm not sure I could make it if my life depended on it. I'm the stereotype of the oldfashioned male who can't cook (which is amazing, considering I've lived alone since I was 18).

I can't cook anything fancy, anyway.

I'm a mediocre cook at best, I guess, with some strong points.
But I do love to cook when I find the time (which is all too little ) , and this recipe is in no way daunting. I'm gonna give this a shot this week and will report back here!

...i just don't have a terracotta dish....need to think how I can best substitute this (I know, I know. Blasphemy.)

I don't have a terracotta dish either but I do have a good heavy-duty metal casserole pot.

I want to try some North African recipes soon so I'll need to invest in some terracotta dishes.

I've just spotted a cherry tree in next doors garden* and some branches are overhanging into mine, they look near ripe, all I need is something to hook the branches so I can reach these delight

*I didn't notice until I saw the fruits growing today

Römertopf! A new one or still one from the seventies?
I remember my mom had one, I think it was a trend back then. Now you see tajines everywhere.

About cherries. I bought some last weekend, just from the supermarket, but they were perfect. The most perfect cherries I ever had in my life. A bit too perfect perhaps, I checked if they weren't fake first. OK, they could be sweeter, but still, very beautiful and juicy.

Tonight I'll have diner at an Italian restaurant. I hope it will be good.

I agree with you Sarah, done well there is nothing boring about a good salad, dressing is key. I add artichoke to your list.

The stifado has been slightly delayed, but slated for tomorrow.
Watch this space for exciting updates!

Salad is a sidedish, not a meal! Although on a few occasions, I have been known to consume a salad as meal too -- but only if it contains meat of some kind (chicken, tuna fish etc.) and there's bread on the side.

Oh, and pine-nuts, I love pine-nuts.

Sounds very good Martijn. I'm guessing the evaporation problem is caused by not having the terracotta dish.

I'm waiting until we do a BBQ around at mine in a couple of weeks before doing this recipe which I intend to try on a few people.

Point noted