Shelly's Recipe

GREEK BEEF CASSEROLE WITH ONIONS

Category: Casseroles - Beef

1/4 cup olive oil
2 1/2 lbs top round beefsteak, cut into
1 1/2-inch cubes
3 tbsp red wine vinegar
1/2 cup dry red wine
1 cup water
1 sprig fresh rosemary
2 tbsp tomato puree
2 tsp salt
1 tsp pepper
1 cinnamon stick
5 whole allspice berries
4 to 6 tbsp vegetable oil
3/4 lb small white onions, peeled (see Note)
1 tsp sugar
Chopped fresh parsley for garnish

Preheat oven to 325F. Heat olive oil in large skillet. Add beef chunks, a few at a time, and brown quickly on both sides. Remove beef to a heavy Dutch oven.

Pour vinegar and wine over beef. Add water, rosemary, tomato puree, salt, pepper, cinnamon stick and allspice berries. Cover and bake for 1 hour, or until meat is tender.

Heat vegetable oil in a large skillet and add onions in one layer. Sauté gently for about 15 minutes, shaking and turning them over until they brown lightly. Sprinkle sugar over onions, cover, and cook very gently for 30 minutes, until onions are soft but not disintegrating. Lift them out with a slotted spoon and spread them over meat, distributing them evenly. Do not stir once the onions have been added to casserole.

Sprinkle with chopped fresh parsley just before serving.

Note: To peel small onions, trim them and cut an X in the bottom of one. Drop into boiling water for 1 minute. When cool enough to handle, slip off the skin.