Mushroom Stifado

I've always looked on with envy whenever Julie enjoyed a really good stifado wishing that I could also experience that intense rich Greek dish. When I recently saw a recipe for a shallot stifado it me realise that perhaps I could.  That recipe was lacking in richness so I came up with this one from several sources.  It turned out well.

Ingredients
Serves 2
600g Flat Field Mushrooms
600g shallots, (or small pickling onions)
6 medium tomatoes, ripe
90ml Olive oil, plus more for frying
90ml Red wine
1 tbsp Red wine vinegar
1 bay leaf
7 black peppercorns
4 Allspice Berries
2 Garlic cloves, finely chopped
Salt
Pepper

Method
Slice the tomatoes in half and slow roast in an oven at around 150C for an hour. Allow to cool and the blitz in a food processor into a puree.

In the meantime mix together vinegar, red wine, garlic, bay leaf, whole peppercorns and Allspice Berries and half the olive oil.   Cover the mixing bowl with clingfilm and allow to stand for the hour.

Blanch the shallots in boiling water for a minute, drain and peel.
Chop the mushrooms into large bite-size pieces, similar in size to the shallots.

Heat the remaining oil in a large pan then add the shallots cooking them for 8-10 minutes until they begin to brown. Add the mushrooms and continue to cook for a further 5 minutes.

Add the puree tomatoes and pour the red wine marinade through a sieve to remove the whole spices.  Pick out the bay leaf and add to the pan then crush the remaining spices plus any garlic left and also add to the pan.

Mix well, cover and bring to a boil then reduce the heat and simmer for about 1 hour.

The sauce should be nice and thick.  If not, simmer for a bit longer uncovered.
Taste and season with salt and plenty of pepper.

It's best served when allowed to cool a little towards room temperature.