MAKES: 6 servings
PREPARATION TIME: 15 minutes
COOKING TIME: 8 hours
One thing’s for sure: Greeks know their way around the kitchen. This popular dish is proof: It’s served in almost every Greek tavern, and it features beef cooked in a rich tomato-and red-wine sauce that’s enhanced by fragrant oregano and warming spices, like cloves, nutmeg, and allspice.
Ingredients
2 pounds (900 g) beef chuck
3/4 teaspoon fine sea salt, or to taste
Ground black pepper
1/4 cup (55 g/1.9 oz) ghee or other healthy cooking fat, divided
1 small (70 g/2.5 oz) yellow onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
11/2 cups (360 ml) dry red wine (see here for substitutions)
1/4 cup (60 ml) red wine vinegar
1 cup (240 g/8.5) canned chopped tomatoes
1 tablespoon (15 g/0.5 oz) unsweetened tomato paste
2 bay leaves
2 teaspoons dried oregano
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground allspice
1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
1/8 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1.3 pounds (600 g) baby turnips, halved, or regular turnips, diced
Fresh herbs for garnish (basil, oregano, or parsley)
Instructions
Preheat the slow cooker. Cut the beef into large (about 11/2-inch/4-cm) chunks and season with salt and pepper. To brown the beef, grease a large heavy-based saucepan or Dutch oven with half of the ghee. Cook the beef in batches until browned on all sides and transfer to the slow cooker.
Grease the saucepan with the remaining ghee. Add the onion and cook over medium-high heat for 5 to 8 minutes, until lightly browned. Add the garlic and cook for a minute. Add the red wine, wine vinegar, tomatoes, tomato paste, bay leaves, oregano, cinnamon, allspice, cloves, and nutmeg. Bring to a boil, scraping the browned bits off the bottom. Pour into the slow cooker over the beef, cover with a lid, and cook on low for 8 hours.
Add the turnips in the last 2 to 3 hours of the cooking process, and stir to combine with the meat and juices. When done, remove the bay leaves, garnish with fresh herbs, and serve. To store, let it cool, and refrigerate for up to 4 days or freeze for up to 3 months.
NUTRITION FACTS PER SERVING:
Total carbs: 11.8 g / Fiber: 2.9 g / Net carbs: 8.9 g / Protein: 30.4 g / Fat: 36.4 g / Energy: 543 kcal
Macronutrient ratio: Calories from carbs (7%), protein (25%), fat (68%)
