Tas Kebap (a Greek Beef Or Lamb Stew)

Total Time: 1 hr 45 mins Preparation Time: 15 mins Cook Time: 1 hr 30 mins

Ingredients

• Servings: 6
• 2 lbs stewing beef or 2 lbs lamb, cut into 1 inch pieces
• 2 large onions, chopped
• 1 -2 garlic clove, minced
• 1/3 cup olive oil
• 2 tablespoons minced parsley
• 2 -3 large ripe tomatoes, peeled, seeded and pureed (enough to equal approximately 1 lb) or 1 (1 lb) can plum tomato, pureed
• 1/2 teaspoon sugar
• 1/2 cup wine
• 1/4-1/2 teaspoon cinnamon (personal preference)
• 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano (mediterranean is best)
• 1 bay leaf
• 2 whole cloves (as in the spice)

Recipe

• 1 heat the oil in a medium-size saucepan over medium neat until hot and saute the cubes of meat, in batches, until browned; remove with a slotted spoon as the meat browns.
• 2 in the oil in which you have just browned the meat, add the onions and garlic and saute until just starting to turn golden, about 6-7 minutes; return the meat to the saucepan.
• 3 add the pureed tomatoes, sugar, wine, parsley, cinnamon, oregano, bay leaf and cloves and season to taste; cover pot and simmer on low until meat is fork-tender- this could take anywhere from 1 to 1 1/2 hours; fish out the 2 cloves; if, at any time, the gravy has reduced too much (there should always be some thick liquid), add hot water in 1/4 cupfuls.
• 4 you should be left with very tender meat in a thick, rich sauce, into which the onions have melted.
• 5 serve with a rice ring: molded buttered rice, cooked egg noodles, french-fried potatoes or hunkar begendi (hunkar begendi (turkish eggplant (aubergine) cream)).