Manitaria stifado – Greek braised mushrooms in wine-onion sauce Recipe
This is a vegetarian version of Greek stifado stew, where the meat is replaced with mushrooms braised with plenty of onions, wine, and spices. The dish is thick, aromatic, and pairs wonderfully with rice or bread. The flavor is reminiscent of French wine stew, but with a Greek accent of cinnamon and herbs.
A classic Greek stifado turned into a fully vegetarian dish, where mushrooms take center stage instead of meat. Long, slow braising with onions, wine, and spices creates a deep, rich flavor with a distinctive Greek touch of cinnamon and herbs.
Chef's tips
Use small whole onions or shallots if you want to get closer to traditional stifado, where the onions remain in larger pieces. Don’t rush the braising time – the longer, gentle simmering allows the sauce to thicken naturally and the flavors to develop fully.
How to serve
Serve in deep bowls with plenty of sauce, alongside rice, bulgur, or crusty bread. For contrast, add a dollop of thick yogurt or tzatziki and a simple green or cucumber salad with lemon.
Ingredients
- mushrooms - 600 g
- onion - 4 pieces
- garlic - 3 cloves
- tomatoes - 400 g
- red wine - 150 ml
- olive oil - 40 ml
- bay leaf - 2 pieces
- cinnamon - 0.25 teaspoons
- oregano - 0.5 teaspoons
- sugar - 0.5 teaspoons
- salt - 1 teaspoon
- pepper - 0.5 teaspoons
Preparation
- Clean the mushrooms; cut larger ones in half or into quarters, and leave smaller ones whole. Peel the onions and cut them into thick slices or quarters. Finely chop the garlic.
- In a wide pot or deep frying pan, heat half of the olive oil over medium-high heat. Add the mushrooms and fry for 6–8 minutes, stirring, until they release their liquid and then start to brown lightly. Transfer them to a plate.
- In the same pot, pour in the remaining olive oil, add the onion, and fry for 5–7 minutes over medium heat, until it softens and is lightly browned on the edges.
- Add the garlic and fry for another 1–2 minutes, stirring, until it becomes very fragrant.
- Pour in the red wine, stir, and cook for 2–3 minutes, until some of the liquid evaporates and the strong smell of alcohol disappears from the bottom of the pot.
- Add the canned tomatoes, bay leaves, cinnamon, oregano, sugar, salt, and pepper. Stir, then add the previously sautéed mushrooms along with any juices they released on the plate.
- Bring everything to a gentle boil, reduce the heat to low, cover, and simmer for 25–30 minutes, stirring from time to time, until the sauce thickens and the flavors meld together.
- Taste at the end and, if needed, season with extra salt, pepper, or a pinch of sugar if the sauce is too acidic. Remove the bay leaves before serving.
Storage
Danie dobrze się przechowuje i zyskuje na smaku następnego dnia. Po rozmrożeniu podgrzewaj na małym ogniu, w razie potrzeby dodając odrobinę wody.
