Greek Lamb Stifado Recipe (Slow-Cooked Stew)

Stifado is a Greek stew defined by its onions: small whole onions or shallots, roughly equal in weight to the meat, slowly cooked with red wine, vinegar, tomato, cinnamon and cloves until sweet and soft. Beef is the most common meat, but lamb, rabbit and octopus versions are just as traditional.

Serves: 4 | Prep: 30 min | Cook: 2.5 hours

Ingredients

  • 1 kg boneless lamb shoulder or leg, in large chunks
  • 1 kg small onions or shallots, peeled and left whole
  • 5 tbsp olive oil
  • 4 garlic cloves, whole
  • 250 ml dry red wine
  • 3 tbsp red wine vinegar
  • 400 g chopped tomatoes
  • 2 tbsp tomato paste
  • 1 cinnamon stick
  • 5 whole cloves
  • 5 allspice berries
  • 2 bay leaves
  • Salt and pepper

Method

  1. Brown the lamb in batches in 3 tbsp olive oil and set aside.
  2. Brown the whole onions in the remaining oil for 10 minutes, shaking the pan so they colour evenly. Add the garlic.
  3. Return the lamb, pour in the wine and vinegar and let it bubble for 2 minutes.
  4. Add the tomatoes, tomato paste, cinnamon, cloves, allspice, bay leaves and enough water to barely cover. Season.
  5. Cover and simmer very gently for 2 to 2.5 hours, shaking the pan now and then rather than stirring, until the meat is tender and the sauce thick.
  6. Remove the whole spices and bay leaves before serving.

Tips

  • Blanch the onions for 1 minute in boiling water to make peeling much easier.
  • Shake the pan instead of stirring so the onions stay whole.
  • Serve with bread, rice or orzo.

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