Beef stew recipe

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One of the classics of Greek meat cookery is a one-pot stew called kokinisto, which means “red,” so named for the tomato that goes into it. This is a variation of that recipe, enriched with a complex nexus of herbs and spices that give the dish a rich, multifaceted flavor.

Ingredients

  • 4½ to 5 pounds (2 to 2.3 kg) boneless beef, cut into stew-size pieces
  • Extra-virgin Greek olive oil
  • 1½ cups (270 g) fine semolina flour, for dredging
  • 2 red onions, coarsely chopped
  • 1 fennel bulb, chopped
  • 2 large carrots, quartered lengthwise
  • 6 garlic cloves, chopped
  • 2 cups (480 ml) dry red wine, such as xinomavro or agiorgitiko
  • 1 (14-ounce / 410 g) can plum or chopped tomatoes, with juices
  • 12 pitted prunes: 8 whole, 4 very finely chopped
  • 1 small orange, unpeeled, cut into 8 to 10 sections
  • 4 bay leaves
  • 1 large cinnamon stick
  • 10 allspice berries
  • 4 dried sage leaves
  • 10 fresh thyme sprigs
  • Salt and freshly ground black pepper
  • 3 tablespoons balsamic vinegar, plus more to taste
  • 3 tablespoons petimezi (grape molasses), plus more to taste
  • 2 to 3 tablespoons Greek honey, plus more to taste
  • 2 tablespoons good-quality tomato paste
How to Make It
  1. Rinse the meat and pat dry.
  2. In a large wide pot or deep skillet, heat about ½ cup (120 ml) olive oil enough to coat the surface of the pot—over medium-high heat. Place the semolina in a deep bowl. Working in batches, add some of the meat to the bowl and toss to coat in the semolina, shaking off the excess. Add the dredged meat to the hot oil and cook, turning as needed, until well browned on all sides. Transfer the browned meat to a bowl. Repeat with the remaining meat, adding more olive oil if needed between batches.
  3. While the meat is browning, in a separate large wide pot or a Dutch oven, heat ½ cup (120 ml) olive oil over medium heat. Add the onions and fennel and cook until soft and translucent. Add the carrots and stir to coat with the oil. Stir in the garlic.
  4. Add the browned meat to the onion mixture. As it starts to heat up, pour in the wine. As soon as the alcohol cooks off, add the tomatoes, the chopped prunes, orange, bay leaves, cinnamon stick, allspice, sage leaves, thyme, and salt and pepper to taste. Add enough water to come just below the surface of the meat.
  5. Cover, raise the heat to bring the liquid to a boil, then reduce the heat to low and simmer for about 2 hours, or until the meat just begins to get tender. Add the vinegar, petimezi, and honey. Simmer until the meat is tender, another half hour or so. About 15 minutes before removing from the heat, add the remaining whole prunes, stir in the tomato paste, taste, and adjust the seasoning with salt, pepper, and additional acidity (vinegar) or sweetness (petimezi or honey). Serve hot.
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