Daube de Boeuf: Classic Provençal Beef Stew vs Kokkinisto: Hearty Greek Beef in Rich Tomato Sauce

Both stews begin by browning beef in olive oil, then building a base of onion, garlic and tomato paste deglazed with red wine, yet they end up in very different places. The daube relies on 750 ml of wine, crisp bacon lardons, carrots, thyme and orange zest, braised in the oven for hours, with mushrooms and black olives stirred in near the end for earthy, briny depth. Kokkinisto uses far less wine and lets crushed tomatoes take the lead, warmed by cinnamon and oregano into a thick, gently spiced red sauce around fork-tender beef.