Although this recipe is not as quick as some it is extremely easy to make and makes a great alternative to a Sunday Roast, and by adding potatoes to the stew, it becomes my favourite, a one pot meal.

Scottish Stifado, Greek Stew

Serves 4

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Ingredients

• 2tbls olive or rapseed oil
• 400g beef stew
• 500g baby potatoes halved
• 3 cloves of crushed garlic or 3tsps of garlic granules
• 1 large onion diced
• 4 or 5 mushrooms (optional)
• 2 beef tomatoes or 4 large tomatoes chopped
• 1tbl tomato purée
• A squirt of lemon juice
• 200mls of hot water  or
• 150ml of red wine & 50mls water
• 2 bay leaves
• 3 cloves
• 1/2tsp cinnamon powder
• 1/4tsp nutmeg
• 2 stock cubes beef or your own choice
• Glug of olive or rapseed oil
• Shallots, one or two per person (optional)

Side Carrots

• 4 carrots battened
• 50g butter

1. Heat your oil in large pan and add the onions
2. Cook onions for 5 mins until softened
3. Add beef and mushrooms and cook for a further 5 mins.
4. Add the garlic, cloves, cinnamon and nutmeg and stir for a minute
5. Add the tomatoes, tomato purée, lemon juice, water and or wine, stock cubes and a glug of oil.
6. Bring to the boil and then add the potatoes and the bay leaves
7. Bring back to the boil and cook slowly for approximately 1 3/4 hrs.
8. Do not allow to dry out and add a little water if needed about half way through
9. If you like a very rich sauce add 2 tbls tomato purée
10.  Caramelise the shallots in a little oil and add to your stew with around 30mins left to cook
11. In a separate pan melt the butter, add the carrots and cook for approx 15 mins until soft.

Serve together with home made crusty bread and if allowing yourselves a weekend treat a glass of very cold Retsina is a great accompaniment to this dish.