Ingredients (6 people)
  • Cinnamon sticks 2
  • Dried bay leaves 2
  • Dried oregano 1 tsp
  • Extra virgin olive oil 1/3 cup
  • Ground allspice 1 ½ tsp
  • Pomì Chopped Tomatoes 1 pack
  • Red wine (such as merlot) 1/2 cup
  • White wine vinegar 1/4 cup
  • Whole cloves 6
Meat
  • Beef chuck roast 2 lb fat trimmed, then cubed
  • Extra virgin olive oil for the meat To taste
  • Orzo pasta to serve Optional
  • Salt To taste
  • Shallots or small pearl onions 1 lb peeled
Preparation

How to make the perfect stifado. In a large, non-reactive bowl, mix the marinade ingredients together. Season beef with some salt, then add it to the marinade.
Toss to make sure beef is well coated. Cover and refrigerate for 4 to 6 hours or overnight. When ready, preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Prepare a large braising pan (or oven-safe pot). Add 4 tbsp extra virgin olive oil and heat stovetop over medium heat. Add the shallots and sauté for 5 to 7 minutes or until soft. Transfer the shallots to a dish for now.

Return the braising pan to stovetop. To the hot braising pan, add the beef only (save the marinade aside for later). Cook until browned on all sides, about 10 minutes or so, tossing occasionally. Now, return the shallots to the braising pan. Add the marinade, Pomì Chopped Tomatoes, and just enough water to cover the top of the stifado. Season with a little bit of salt and ground pepper.
Bring everything to a rolling boil for 5 minutes.

Cover braising pan and transfer the stifado to the heated oven. Cook for 1 ½ to 2 hours (check occasionally to add water if needed. Make sure the beef does not dry out, but keep just enough liquid for a nice and thick sauce). Prepare some orzo pasta according to package instructions. When beef is cooked through, serve hot atop plain orzo. Or add your favorite crusty bread. Enjoy!

Recipe by Suzy Karadsheh of TheMediterraneanDish.com

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