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Stifado me Legumes: My Athenian Braised Beef
This is my version of stifado, the dish I come back to whenever I want to cook something that truly means something. I grew up smelling variations of it in my yiayia's kitchen, and now I make it my own with offal cuts from the market at Varvakeios and whatever legumes I have soaking in the pantry. It is the kind of slow, generous cooking I believe in — nutritionally complete, deeply satisfying, and best shared around a table with no rush. #greek-cuisine #beef-stew #legumes #mediterranean #braised
210
min total
(Prep:
30
| Cook: 180)
6
servings
2
Beef, New Zealand, imported, rump centre, separable lean and fat, raw
500.0 gram
Olive oil
75.0 gram
Onion dip, light
200.0 gram
Garlic, raw
50.0 gram
Wine, red
250.0 gram
Tomato, roma
300.0 gram
Beef, variety meats and by-products, heart, cooked, simmered
150.0 gram
Beef, variety meats and by-products, thymus, raw
100.0 gram
Acerola juice, raw
150.0 gram
Spices, oregano, dried
10.0 gram
Thyme, fresh
8.0 gram
Salt, table
10.0 gram
Spices, pepper, black
5.0 gram
Cowpeas, common , mature seeds, raw
200.0 gram
Broadbeans , mature seeds, cooked, boiled, without salt
200.0 gram
Beans, french, mature seeds, cooked, boiled, without salt
150.0 gram
Chicken, broilers or fryers, drumstick, rotisserie, original seasoning, meat only, cooked
400.0 gram
Chrysanthemum, garland, cooked, boiled, drained, with salt
100.0 gram
Lemon juice, raw
50.0 gram
Nutrition Facts
Energy
4461.6 kilocalorie
Protein
364.2 gram
Myristoleic acid (C14:1)
0.1 gram
Pentadecenoic acid (C15:1)
0.0 gram
Palmitoleic acid (C16:1, Omega-7)
5.1 gram
Heptadecenoic acid (C17:1)
0.0 gram
Gondoic acid (C20:1, Omega-9)
0.4 gram
Erucic acid (C22:1, Omega-9)
0.0 gram
Nervonic acid (C24:1, Omega-9)
0.0 gram
Oleic acid (C18:1, Omega-9)
83.2 gram
Alpha-Linolenic acid (ALA) (C18:3, Omega-3)
0.6 gram
Docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) (C22:6, Omega-3)
0.0 gram
Eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) (C20:5, Omega-3)
0.0 gram
Pufa 2:5 N-3 (epa)
0.1 gram
Linoleic acid (C18:2, Omega-6)
4.2 gram
Gamma-Linolenic acid (GLA) (C18:3, Omega-6)
0.1 gram
Stearidonic acid (SDA) (C18:4, Omega-3)
0.0 gram
Eicosadienoic acid (C20:2, Omega-6)
0.1 gram
Eicosatrienoic acid (ETE) (C20:3, Omega-3)
0.0 gram
Dihomo-gamma-linolenic acid (DGLA) (C20:3, Omega-6)
0.0 gram
Arachidonic acid (ARA) (C20:4, Omega-6)
0.6 gram
Adrenic acid (DTA) (C22:4, Omega-6)
0.0 gram
Docosapentaenoic acid (DPA) (C22:5, Omega-3)
0.1 gram
Pufa 2:4 N-6
0.1 gram
Palmitic acid (C16:0)
29.6 gram
Capric acid (C10:0)
0.2 gram
Lauric acid (C12:0)
0.3 gram
Tridecylic acid (C13:0)
0.0 gram
Myristic acid (C14:0)
1.7 gram
Pentadecylic acid (C15:0)
0.1 gram
Margaric acid (C17:0)
0.5 gram
Arachidic acid (C20:0)
0.0 gram
Behenic acid (C22:0)
0.0 gram
Lignoceric acid (C24:0)
0.0 gram
Butyric acid (C4:0)
0.3 gram
Caproic acid (C6:0)
0.2 gram
Caprylic acid (C8:0)
0.1 gram
Stearic acid (C18:0)
12.7 gram
Palmitelaidic acid (C16:1)
0.1 gram
Linolelaidic acid (C18:2)
0.0 gram
Erucic acid (C22:1, Omega-9)
0.0 gram
Dietary Fiber
59.8 gram
Starch
0.0 gram
Lactose
0.0 gram
Maltose
0.0 gram
Sucrose
0.3 gram
Fructose
0.7 gram
Galactose
0.0 gram
Glucose
0.7 gram
Carotene, Alpha
5.2 microgram
Carotene, Beta
3291.2 microgram
Choline
1010.7 milligram
Folate (Vitamin B9)
5319.4 microgram
Retinol
159.0 microgram
Vitamin A
4747.0 microgram
Vitamin B-12
31.4 microgram
Vitamin B-12, Added
0.0 microgram
Vitamin B-6
5.0 milligram
Vitamin B1 (Thiamin)
3.4 milligram
Vitamin B2 (Riboflavin)
5.0 milligram
Vitamin B3 (Niacin)
62.0 milligram
Vitamin B5 (Pantothenic Acid)
18.2 milligram
Vitamin B7 (Biotin)
1.4 microgram
Vitamin C
2566.5 milligram
Vitamin D
26.2 microgram
Vitamin E
26.3 milligram
Vitamin K
436.0 microgram
Vitamins And Other Components
0.0 gram
Calcium, Ca
1097.8 milligram
Copper, Cu
4.9 milligram
Iron, Fe
61.7 milligram
Magnesium, Mg
957.7 milligram
Manganese, Mn
7.5 milligram
Phosphorus, P
4384.0 milligram
Potassium, K
9264.2 milligram
Selenium, Se
275.4 microgram
Sodium, Na
7308.7 milligram
Zinc, Zn
47.7 milligram
ALA (Alpha-Linolenic Acid, Omega-3)
28.7 gram
Alcohol, Ethyl
26.5 gram
Amino Acids
0.0 gram
Arginine
21.0 gram
Ash
40.6 gram
Aspartic Acid
20.6 gram
Betaine
58.8 milligram
Caffeine
0.0 milligram
Carotene, Gamma
6.4 microgram
Cholesterol
1496.0 milligram
Cis-lutein/zeaxanthin
0.0 microgram
Cryptoxanthin, Alpha
28.9 microgram
Cryptoxanthin, Beta
63.3 microgram
Cystine
2.2 gram
Fluoride, F
1.9 microgram
Folic Acid
0.0 microgram
Glutamic Acid
46.6 gram
Glycine
15.2 gram
Histidine
9.5 gram
Hydroxyproline
0.5 gram
Isoleucine
13.0 gram
Leucine
23.9 gram
Lipids
0.0 gram
Lutein
168.0 microgram
Lutein + Zeaxanthin
3926.2 microgram
Lycopene
8581.0 microgram
Lysine
25.1 gram
Methionine
7.9 gram
Nitrogen
0.3 gram
Oleic Acid (Omega-9)
0.8 gram
Phytosterols
24.9 milligram
Proline
13.8 gram
Proximates
0.0 gram
Serine
13.2 gram
Theobromine
0.0 milligram
Threonine
11.0 gram
Tocopherol, Beta
0.0 milligram
Tocopherol, Delta
0.1 milligram
Tocopherol, Gamma
3.4 milligram
Tocotrienol, Alpha
0.3 milligram
Tocotrienol, Beta
0.0 milligram
Tocotrienol, Delta
0.0 milligram
Tocotrienol, Gamma
0.2 milligram
Tryptophan
3.2 gram
Tyrosine
10.1 gram
Valine
14.5 gram
Water
2005.7 gram
Zeaxanthin
0.0 microgram
0
Start by cutting your beef into generous 3–4 cm pieces and patting them very dry with kitchen paper — do not skip this, because moisture is the enemy of a good crust. Warm your olive oil in a heavy pot over moderately high heat for 3–4 minutes until it just begins to shimmer and you see the faintest wisp of smoke. That is your signal.
1
Brown the beef in batches — never crowd the pot, this is non-negotiable. Let each piece sit completely undisturbed for 3–4 minutes until it releases easily with a deep mahogany crust underneath, then turn and colour all sides, another 4–5 minutes per batch. Set each finished batch aside on a plate and be patient with yourself here. This stage builds the entire flavour of the dish.
2
In the same pot without cleaning it, soften the onion over medium heat for 5–6 minutes, stirring now and then, until it is golden at the edges and smelling sweet. Then add the garlic and stir constantly for just 1–2 minutes — garlic burns fast and bitterness is hard to recover from.
3
Pour in the red wine and immediately scrape the bottom of the pot with a wooden spoon to lift all those caramelised bits — they are pure flavour. Let the wine bubble and reduce by half over medium-high heat, about 5–6 minutes. When the liquid looks glossy and thickened and no longer smells raw, you are ready to move forward.
4
Return the beef to the pot along with the diced tomato, the beef heart, the thymus, the acerola juice, and just enough water to barely cover everything. Season well with oregano, thyme, salt, and black pepper. Bring it to a quiet, lazy simmer — small bubbles, not a boil — then set the lid slightly ajar and leave it to braise gently for 90 minutes. Low and slow is everything here.
5
After 90 minutes, add the cowpeas, the fava beans, the French beans, and the rotisserie chicken drumsticks. Stir gently so nothing breaks apart. Cover again and continue at the same quiet simmer for 60–75 minutes more, until the beef yields completely to a fork and the beans have drunk up the braising liquid. The sauce should look reduced, deep, and slightly glossy by now.
6
In the last 15 minutes, fold in the chrysanthemum garland greens and squeeze in the fresh lemon juice. Taste the braising liquid carefully — it should be rich and round with a clean brightness from the acerola and lemon. Adjust salt and pepper now. If it tastes flat, it usually needs salt or a touch more acid, not more cooking time.
7
Take the pot off the heat and finish with a proper drizzle of good extra virgin olive oil. Let it rest for 5 minutes — this matters, the flavours settle and come together. Serve in shallow bowls with plenty of the braising liquid, crusty bread to soak it up, and crumbled feta on top if you like. A glass of red wine is not optional in my house.
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