Kouneli Stiffado or Moschari Stiffado (also written stifado), is a Greek stew which is usually made with hare or beef and lots of shallot onions.
I have also created a recipe of Salmon Stiffado and snails stiffado, based on this recipe.

However, domestic rabbits or veal are just as good for this dish.
What is essential for a good kouneli stiffado or Moschari stiffado are lots of onions, preferably baby shallots but whole onions can also be used and this gives the meat and sauce a wonderful taste and sweetness.
In Cyprus no tomato is used and the stew is cooked with red wine and vinegar and spiced with cinnamon, bay leaves and lots of peppercorns.

Ingredients needed for stiffado
- You will need some meat. This dish is usually made with hare or domestic rabbit or stewing beef or veal.
- Shallots or onions and garlic.
- Red dry wine and vinegar.
- Tomatoes.
- Spices: bay leaf, cinnamon, allspice berries, black peppercorns.
How to make stiffado
- Wash and drain the meat.
- Peel the onions.
- In a sautéing pan heat the olive oil and sauté the meat on both sides.
- Remove to a platter and add the onions.
- Sauté until translucent and then add the meat back as well as the garlic.
- Add the wine and cook for 2 – 3 minutes until alcohol evaporates.
- Add the two types of vinegar, tomato, petimezi or honey as well as all the spices.
- Bring to a boil and lower heat to a simmer; cover with the lid and cook, mixing regularly, until the meat is tender.
How to serve stiffado
You can serve stiffado the traditional Greek way, with mashed potatoes, rice pilaf or Greek style fried potatoes.

You can also serve it with Greek pasta, such as orzo (kritharaki) or hilopites (egg pasta).

Kouneli Stiffado (Rabbit stew) or Moschari Stiffado (Veal or Beef)
Kouneli or Moschari Stiffado (also written stifado), is a Greek stew which is usually made with hare but domestic rabbits are just as good for this dish
Ingredients
- 1 kilo rabbit (or 500 grams veal), cut into smaller pieces
- 1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
- 1 kilo baby shallot onions
- 2 whole cloves of garlic
- 1 1/2 cups red dry wine
- 2 cups ripe tomatoes, peeled and blended
- 3 tbsp wine vinegar
- 2 tbsp balsamic vinegar
- 1 tbsp petimezi (grape molasses) or honey
- 2 bay leafs
- 10 black peppercorns
- 1 cinnamon stick
- 3 - 4 allspice berries
- 1 tsp salt
Instructions
- Wash and drain the meat. Cut it into smaller pieces.
- Peel the onions.
- In a sautéing pan heat the olive oil and sauté the meat on both sides Remove to a platter and add the onions
- Sauté until translucent and then add the meat back as well as the garlic.
- Add the wine and cook for 2 - 3 minutes until the alcohol evaporates.
- Add the two types of vinegar, tomato, petimezi or honey as well as all the spices.
- Bring to a boil and lower heat to a simmer; cover with the lid and cook, mixing regularly, until the meat is tender. (If the meat is not tender, add some water and cook until it is tender soft).
- Serve with rice pilaf, fried potatoes or mashed potatoes.
Nutrition Information
Yield 4 Serving Size 1Amount Per Serving Calories 550Total Fat 46gSaturated Fat 11gTrans Fat 0gUnsaturated Fat 32gCholesterol 161mgSodium 744mgCarbohydrates 65gFiber 13gSugar 31gProtein 52g
You will find the recipe for the Rabbit Stiffado in my Cookbook “Mint, Cinnamon & Blossom Water, Flavours of Cyprus, Kopiaste!”. The recipe with veal which follows is almost the same with a few minor differences.
Other related Recipes:
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Kopiaste and Kali Orexi,

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BILL
Friday 26th of July 2013
My mom always used rabbits for stew,with carrots,potatoes,and onions,in a sauce made from milk,flour, butter,and seasonings.
philiposs
Thursday 15th of July 2010
were is your receipe for sheftalia please send me it its my favorite dish many thanks philposs xx,,
ivyliac
Friday 16th of July 2010
This recipe and all my Cypriot recipes will be soon published in a cookbook.