Mushroom Stifado Food

MANITARIA STIFADO - MUSHROOM AND ONION STEW

Steps:

• Place the dried porcini in a bowl and cover with warm water. Leave to soak for 30 minutes.
• In a large wide pot, heat ¼ cup of the olive oil and add the onions, tossing to coat. Cover and cook over low heat for 25 to 30 minutes, until the onions are tender, translucent, and caramelized.
• While the onions are cooking, clean and trim the fresh mushrooms. Cut the portobellos in half.
• Add all the mushrooms except the porcini to the pot. Add the bay leaves, rosemary, and peppercorns. Toss very gently to combine, cover, and simmer, over low heat for another 15 minutes. Add the porcini and their soaking liquid, strained through a coffee filter or fine mesh sieve, the vinegar and wine. Cook for about 5 to 10 minutes for flavors to meld and pan juices to reduce and thicken.
• While the mushrooms are cooking, bring a pot of water to a rolling boil, season generously with salt, and cook the noodles. Drain.
• Serve the mushrooms over the noodles, garnished with chopped parsley.

MUSHROOM STIFADO

Steps:

• Soak the dried porcini in warm water for 1 hr. Heat half the oil in a large, wide-bottomed pan. Add the whole onions and a pinch of sea salt, and cook over a low heat until caramelised, about 20 mins, stirring occasionally. Remove the onions and set aside.
• Meanwhile, cut the fresh mushrooms into halves and quarters, to give rough 4cm pieces. Once the onions have been removed from the pan, add the remaining oil and cook the fresh mushrooms and garlic over a medium heat for 10 mins until browned, stirring frequently. Return the onions to the pan, pour in the wine and cook for 5-10 mins until reduced by half.
• Strain the porcini, reserving 200ml of the soaking liquid. Tip the porcini and reserved liquid into the pan with the tomato purée, vinegar, bay leaves, allspice, cinnamon, cloves, peppercorns and tomatoes.
• Cook, uncovered, over a medium-low heat for about 1 hr, stirring occasionally, until the liquid thickens. Add the olives and honey, and season to taste. Sprinkle with the parsley and cheese and serve with Horseradish mash (see 'Goes well with').

MUSHROOMS STIFADO (A VEGETARIAN GREEK STIFADO)

Steps:

• In a pot heat olive oil anD cook onion and garlic stirring for 3-4 minutes. Add the mushrooms and the onions. Cook in high heat for 5-6 minutes. Add the wine and after 2 minutes the tomatoes. Salt and pepper stirring carefully.
• Transfer the onions and mushrooms in a pyrex and cook in a preheated oven at 390F for 45 minutes.

ONE-POT BEEF STIFADO

Steps:

• Heat the oven to 180C/160C fan/gas 4. Heat 2 tbsp oil in a flameproof casserole over a medium-high heat and brown the beef all over, removing it to a plate with a slotted spoon as you go (you may need to do this in batches). Drizzle the rest of the oil into the pan. Peel the onions (but leave whole) and add to the pan, then scatter over the sugar. Sizzle for 5 mins, stirring now and then until starting to brown. Add the garlic, bay, cinnamon stick, allspice, cloves and oregano, and cook for 1 min more. Stir in the tomato purée and cook for another minute, then tip in the beef along with any resting juices. Stir to coat in the spiced onion mixture.
• Add the red wine vinegar and chopped tomatoes. Rinse the cans out with the wine and pour it in, then add a third of a can of water. Season with salt and stir well. Bring to a simmer, stir again, then cover with the lid and transfer to the oven for 1 hr.
• Remove from the oven and stir again. If the sauce looks very thick, add a splash more water. Cover again and return to the oven for another hour, or until the meat is fork-tender - the timing will depend on the cut you've used. Serve hot. To get ahead, leave to cool completely, then transfer to an airtight container and chill for up to three days or freeze for up to three months. Defrost completely in the fridge overnight, then reheat in a pan over a low heat with a splash more water to loosen, if needed.