Beef Stifado

For 6

1.5 Kgs Stewing steak

100g plain flour

1/2 bottle of red wine

2 Tbsp (30ml) red wine vinegar

3 Cloves of garlic, thinly sliced

800g baby onions or shallots

Olive oil for frying

1 cinnamon stick, broken in half

3 Bay leaves

1 tsp ground allspice

2 Tbsp tomato puree

200ml beef stock (made with oxo / stock cube)

Salt and freshly ground black pepper

Preheat the oven to 160 deg C / Gas mark 3

Cut beef into large chunks around 2" Season the flour with plenty of black pepper and a bit of salt, and coat the chunks of beef. In a fairly hot pan, heat the olive oil and when hot, fry beef until sealed on all sides and slighty browned. Put into a large casserole or a pot with a lid when done.
Add some more oil to the pan and fry the onions over a medium heat until they start to brown - about 5 minutes. Add the garlic and fry for a further minute. Put this into the casserole with the beef. Pour the wine into the pan, add the red wine vinegar, cinnamon, ground allspice and heat until it just begins to boil. Add this to the casserole along with the beef stock and the bayleaves. Stir in the tomato puree.
Put the lid onto casserole and put it into the oven. Occasionally give the stifado a stir. It will take at least 3 hours to cook, but 4 will be better.When it's done, the meat should be very tender and the sauce nice and thick.
Traditionally, this dish is served with crust bread to mop up the gravy,
Can't remember where this recipe originally came from, but thanks to whoever ; )