Name: Sofrito
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 50 min
Total time: 1 h 10 min
Yield: 4
Ingredients: 800 g veal or tender beef, cut into thin slices; 75 g plain flour, for dusting; 100 ml extra virgin olive oil; 6 garlic cloves, finely chopped; 1 large bunch flat-leaf parsley, finely chopped; 150 ml dry white wine; 60 ml white wine vinegar; 250 ml beef stock or hot water; Salt and plenty of freshly ground white or black pepper

About Sofrito

Sofrito is one of Corfu's signature dishes: thin slices of veal or beef, lightly floured and cooked until tender in a powerful but balanced sauce of garlic, parsley, vinegar and white wine. Despite its name, it is quite different from the better-known Italian or Spanish sofrito.

Ingredients

800 g veal or tender beef, cut into thin slices
75 g plain flour, for dusting
100 ml extra virgin olive oil
6 garlic cloves, finely chopped
1 large bunch flat-leaf parsley, finely chopped
150 ml dry white wine
60 ml white wine vinegar
250 ml beef stock or hot water
Salt and plenty of freshly ground white or black pepper

Method

Season the meat, dust lightly with flour and shake off the excess.
Heat the olive oil in a wide casserole and brown the slices in batches. Remove to a plate.
Reduce the heat. Add the garlic briefly, taking care not to burn it.
Pour in the wine and vinegar and scrape up the browned flavour from the pan.
Return the meat, add the parsley, pepper and enough stock to create a shallow braising liquid.
Cover and simmer gently for about 35-45 minutes, until the meat is tender and the sauce has reduced to a silky consistency.
Taste for the characteristic balance of garlic and vinegar, adjust the seasoning and scatter with fresh parsley before serving.

Plan your visit

Recipe tips

Use thin slices so the meat becomes tender without a very long braise.
The garlic and vinegar should be noticeable: their balance is central to Corfiot sofrito.
Do not burn the garlic or the sauce will become bitter.

What to serve with it

Traditional accompaniments include mashed potatoes, fried potatoes or rice. Add bread for the sauce and a simple salad alongside.

The story behind the dish

Sofrito is regarded as one of Corfu's emblematic dishes and reflects the island's Venetian culinary inheritance. The Corfiot preparation centres on meat, garlic, parsley and vinegar rather than the chopped vegetable base that the word sofrito suggests elsewhere.

Where to try it in Corfu

Sofrito is one of the easier traditional Corfiot dishes to find. Aegli Restaurant on the Liston in Corfu Town is a particularly useful place to look for traditional Corfiot cooking including sofrito. It is also worth checking traditional tavernas around the island, as individual family recipes can differ in the balance of garlic, parsley and vinegar.

Sofrito