Julia Busuttil Nishimura’s Greek-style beef stew (plus a trick for peeling fiddly onions)

Serve the stifado with mashed potato (pictured), orzo or crusty bread.William MeppemThis comforting Greek stew is a firm favourite of mine: falling-apart meat and whole, tender shallots or baby onions gently spiced with cinnamon, cloves, allspice and nutmeg. A good splash of red wine vinegar gives this stew the classic brightness expected in a Greek stifado. I often serve this simply with crusty bread to mop up the sauce, but mashed potatoes or cooked orzo are wonderful options, too.Ingredients1.2 kg beef chuck, cut into 5-6cm pieces3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil1 kg French shallots (eschalots) or baby onions, trimmed, peeled and left whole*3 garlic cloves, roughly chopped1 cinnamon stick4 cloves6 allspice berries (pimento)½ tsp ground cinnamon½ tsp freshly grated nutmeg2 fresh bay leaves1 tbsp tomato paste150ml red wine2 tbsp red wine vinegar1 tbsp brown sugar500ml chicken or beef stocksea salt and black pepper, to tastehandful flat-leaf parsley, finely choppedMethodStep 1Season the beef with salt and pepper.Step 2In a large, heavy-based dutch oven or pot, heat 1 tablespoon of the olive oil over a high heat and brown the beef in batches. Remove the beef from the pot and lower the heat to medium. Step 3Add the remaining olive oil and brown the shallots or onions. Add the garlic and cook for a minute further or until fragrant, then add all the spices and bay leaves and cook for 1 minute, stirring well to coat. Add the tomato paste and cook for 1 minute.Step 4Pour in the red wine and increase the heat to medium-high. Bring the liquid to a simmer and cook for 1-2 minutes or until beginning to reduce. Add the red wine vinegar and sugar and cook again for 1-2 minutes.Step 5Return the beef to the pot, nestling the pieces among the shallots or onions. Pour over the stock, adding a little extra water to ensure the beef is mostly covered (usually about 150ml, but this will depend on the size of your pot). Season with salt and pepper.Step 6Bring to a simmer, reduce heat to low, then partially cover. Cook undisturbed for 2.5 hours or until the beef is very tender and the sauce has reduced. (Minimal stirring keeps the shallots intact.)Step 7Stir through the parsley, check for seasoning and serve with crusty bread, mashed potatoes or orzo.