EASY RECIPE
Greek beef and orzo casserole (Giouvetsi)
A Greek cookery classic! Add even more flavour to this traditional dish with quality orzo by ILIS.
HELPINGS: 6
COOKING TIME: 45'
PREPARATION: 20'
INGREDIENTS
- 250 g ILIS orzo
- 1200 g beef round, boneless, cut into 1-2 cm cubes
- 3 large red onions, cut into thin slices
- 2 carrots, cut into 1cm slices
- 1 can tomato concasse
- 2 tbs tomato paste
- 150 ml red wine
- 2 tbs honey
- ¼ tsp cumin or star anise seeds
- Olive oil for frying
- Salt and pepper
- Zest from 1 lemon
- 1 bunch of parsley, finely chopped
- Feta cheese for serving
Thick orzo
10'
INSTRUCTIONS
- Add olive oil in a pot over high heat. Add the onions, carrots and leeks and mix for 5 minutes until the vegetables are softened and caramelised. Remove the vegetables and put them aside.
- Return the pan to the stove, add the pieces of meat and sauté until golden.
- When golden, add all the vegetables, 2 sticks of cinnamon, 2 laurel leaves and cumin. Then add the tomato paste and cook for 2 minutes.
- Add the wine and wait until it evaporates.
- Add the concasse, the honey and 250 ml water in the pot. Add salt, pepper and mix.
- Cover and boil for at least 90 minutes over low heat. When ready, transfer to a baking pan with all its juices.
- At the same time, in a saucepan, sauté the orzo in olive oil until golden and preheat oven to 180 °C.
- Add the orzo and 750 ml of water in the baking pan along with the meat. Add fresh thyme and mix.
- Cover the pan with aluminum foil and bake for 30 minutes.
- Remove the aluminum foil and return to the oven for another 15 minutes.
- When ready, let it cool down. Serve with feta cheese, finely chopped parsley and lemon zest.
