Dinner tonight and I'm in a bit of a quandary...

It's Friday and that means it's the end of the week, a week that has seen being relatively healthy food wise, so I'm going to push the boat a little by way of celebration. I'll be preparing and cooking my take on some Greek cuisine for our meal tonight and this is what it'll be.

Moshari Kokkinisto 

Moshari Kokkinisto

Moshari Kokknisto sounds quite exotic doesn't it, but actually it's just a Greek style tender and juicy beef stew in a rich tomato sauce seasoned with cinnamon and clove.

Greek beef stew is typically cooked at a relatively low temperature (simmered, not boiled) allowing flavors to mingle. For juicier results, the key is to pick the right kind of meat. Go for choose large cuts of meat from either the front shoulder or the rear end of beef, which, when cooked for a long time become fork tender. Serve with a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil, sprinkle with some salty grated cheese and enjoy over a glass of good red wine!

Ingredients

• 1 kg of quality stewing beef 
• 2 small red onions, chopped
• 2 cloves of garlic, chopped
• 4 ripe tomatoes, peeled and chopped
• 1 tsp tomato paste, dissolved into a teacup of water
• 100ml olive oil (2/5 of a cup)
• a glass of red wine
• 1 cinnamon stick
• 1-2 whole cloves, or a pinch grounded
• a pinch of sugar
• 400g spaghetti (14 ounces)
• salt and freshly ground pepper
• grated cheese (kefalotyri) to serve

Method

1. Cut the beef into approx. 100g pieces. Wash thoroughly and dry with paper towel.
2. Heat a large, deep pot to high heat and once hot add the oil along. Brown the pieces of beef in batches doing one side without stirring, then turn and brown the other side. Do not to overcrowd the bottom of the pan.
3. Use a slotted spoon to remove the pieces of meat from the pot and place them on a plate.
4. To prepare the sauce for the Greek beef stew, add into the pot the chopped onions and reduce the heat. Sauté for 3 minutes, until softened. Stir in the garlic and saute for 1 more minute. Pour in the red wine, increase the heat and cook for 2 minutes, until it evaporates. Add the chopped tomatoes, the tomato paste (dissolved in a teacup of warm water), the cinnamon stick, the cloves, a pinch of sugar and salt and pepper.
5. As soon as the sauce comes to the boil, add the beef and enough hot water to cover the 2/3 of the meat. Return the sauce to the boil, reduce the heat to a simmer and half-cover with the lid. Simmer for about 1 1/2 hour, until the meat is tender and the sauce thickens, stirring occasionally.
6. If the meat is tender and cooked, but the sauce is not thick enough, remove the pieces of meat with a slotted spoon and boil the sauce alone until it thickens. On the other hand, if the sauce becomes thick before the meat is done, add some warm water or a little more red wine.
7. When the stew is ready turn off the heat, cover with the lid and set aside.
8. Cook the pasta; drain and place in a serving dish. Place the pieces of beef on top of the pasta and cover with the sauce.
9. Serve the Greek beef stew with a drizzle of olive oil, sprinkle some grated cheese and enjoy over a glass of red wine.

Alternatively you can serve this dish with Greek lemon roasted potatoes... and this is my dilemma, do I go with the traditional pasta or these little beauties?

Greek lemon roasted potatoes

I think it may have to be the potatoes... my mouth is already watering at the thought!