Stifado with Beef and Caramelized Onions

This, I hasten to say, is my personal version of stifado, to which several of my Greek friends gently object. For one thing, I brown the beef first to deepen the flavor, something most Greek cooks don’t do. For another, I make my stew a day ahead to allow the flavors to mellow completely. This also gives me time to remove the bones, cut the meat into smaller pieces, and remove all the fat from the sauce.

Serve the stew hot along with chunks of feta cheese and plenty of crusty