This past month has mostly consisted of me trying to figure out back-to-school madness while trying to stay on top of freelance work and dealing with the dog. We had a fairly lazy summer so it hasn't been the smoothest of transitions. Actually, the kids seem to be handling it totally fine—I'm the one spinning (you might have noticed I've barely posted on the blog!). But I feel like I've got a new meal plan schedule in place that might actually work. I had to buckle down on cooking earlier in the day or slow cooking at the beginning of the week and shift our Plated meals to later in the week. I need to still ratchet down on the dining out, but I also have to let go of the idea that I can actually cook every weeknight (although the kids' sushi habit needs some reining in too).
In any event, it's most definitely fall in D.C. and we've all been craving warm, spiced, slow-cooked meals. This Greek Stew is one of our family's most favorites and I always double it for leftovers. Some of the ingredients sound kind of random (currants?), but don't skip them, they all make the dish.
Stifatho
Ingredients
- 3 tbsp olive oil
- 2 - 3 lb stew beef cut into 1.5" cubes
- 1 medium onion, chopped
- 10 garlic cloves, lightly crushed
- 1 cup tomato puree
- 1/2 cup dry red wine
- 2 tbsp red wine vinegar
- 2 bay leaves
- 1 cinnamon stick
- 4 whole cloves
- salt and pepper to taste
- 2 tbsp currants
- 1 cup walnut halves
- 1/2 cup crumbled feta cheese
Directions
1. In a dutch oven, heat olive oil and sear meat on all sides. Work in batches to get a nice sear on all meat. Place in bowl to catch the drippings.
2. Add onions and garlic and cook until translucent, about 4 minutes. Add tomato puree, wine, and wine vinegar to deglaze the dutch oven. Return meat. Add the bay leaves, cinnamon stick, clove, and salt and pepper to taste.
3. Cover dutch oven and braise over low heat for about an hour. Add the currants and braise until meat is very tender, about another hour. Add the walnuts and cook 20 minutes more. Sprinkled with feta cheese and serve.
* * *
Day 1 (W) --
Baked Beef Meatballs with Sweet Spices
Day 2 (Th) -- dinner out
Day 3 (F) -- dinner in Chicago
Day 4 (Sat) -- dinner in Chicago
Day 5 (Sun) -- dinner in Chicago
Day 6 (M) -- dinner out
Day 7 (T) --
Greek Chicken Sausage Sandwiches;
roasted potatoes
Day 8 (W) -- Cod Basquaise with Yellow Rice (Plated)
Day 9 (Th) -- Seared Pork Chops with Mushroom, Zucchini, and Pea Gratin (Plated)
Day 10 (F) -- brinner
Day 11 (Sat) -- dinner out
Day 12 (Sun) --
Grilled Lemon Chicken Salad
Day 13 (M) -- dinner out
Day 14 (T) --
Slow Cooker Jalapeño Popper Chicken Chili
Day 15 (W) -- Crispy Salmon with White Beans and Kale (Plated)
Day 16 (Th) -- Sticky Sesame Cauliflower with Vegetable Fried Rice (Plated) -- everyone loved the fried rice, the all veggie dinner not so much.
Day 17 (F) --
Greek Marinated Flank Steak and veggie tray
Day 18 (Sat) -- dinner out
Day 19 (Sun) -- dinner out
Day 20 (M) -- dinner out
Day 21 (T) --
Crockpot Turkey White Bean Pumpkin Chili -- several friends recommended this and while it was good, I thought it needed a lot more seasoning. Will try again and add a little kick!
Day 22 (W) --
Sheetpan Chili Dijon Pork Tenderloin; roasted potatoes; spinach salad
Day 23 (Th) -- Salmon Burgers with Chive Aioli and Mache (Plated)
Day 24 (F) -- dinner out
Day 25 (Sat) -- dinner out
Day 26 (Sun) -- burgers and salad in NJ for Joel's family birthday dinner
Day 27 (M) -- Beef and Cheese Empanadas with Salsa Roja and Spinach Salad (Plated)
Day 28 (T) --
Slow Cooker Chicken Parmesan Soup -- I tried to rush this one and added extra pasta too soon. So it came out more like a bake with soggy pasta. But the flavors were there, so I'll try again.
Day 29 (W) -- Indian Butter Chicken with Sautéed Spinach + Naan (Plated)
Day 30 (Th) -- Soy-Glazed Steak with Carrot, Edamame, and Avocado Salad (Plated)
