Afelia

[Ishbel]

Cypriot version of this Greek dish.

2lb boned lean pork, diced
200 ml red wine (one glass)
1-2 tablespoon of coriander seeds, coarsely crushed
salt and lots of ground black pepper (to your taste)
1 stick cinnamon
6 tablespoons veg oil or sunflower oil

Marinade meat overnight in the wine and spices. Lift meat out and pat meat dry. (Don't throw away the marinade!)

Heat oil in a heavy based casserole and brown the cubes of pork, a few at a time, until they are all crisp and brown. Use more oil if necessary. Remove all the meat from the pan and wipe to remove any excess oil. Put all the meat back into the casserole, pour n the marinade and enough cold water to just cover the meat. Cover with lid and cook gently, either in the oven or on the stove top for 30-40 minutes until the meat is tender. Almost all the liquid should have evaporatd to leave a thick sauce. If there is still too much sauce, then reduce by removing the lid and turning up the heat a little.

This is usually served with pilafi* and a Greek salad.

*in Cyprus this is usually porgouri pilafi (bulgar = cracked wheat)

[urmaniac13]

This sounds like a very nice idea for us, Izzy!! I am usually not so big on meats and don't know many variety of good meat recipes that both of us can enjoy. Though Cris usually humours me he does love meats, and especially pork. So I am always looking for a easy, simple and tasty ideas, this surely will be one of them, thanks for sharing!!
Do you think pressure cooker would work with recipe?

[Ishbel]

Hmmmmm - don't know about pressure cookers at all, Urmaniac! Had one about 25 years ago, but now only use the bottom of it as a stock pot!

In Cyprus this is a standby dish. I suspect they get Govt subsidies for pork, and that's why it's so cheap and plentiful there.

[urmaniac13]

Cristiano introduced me to pressure cooker cooking, and I found out it usually works excellently to cook meats. It takes less time, and the meat tend to remain much tenderer and moister than traditional oven method (unless I am doing something wrong...as I said I am not particularly a meat cooking expert!).
Anyhow probably I will try it the way it is described first, then we will determine if it is suitable for pressure cooking

[Ayrton]

Morning, ladies --

Ishbel, do you know what "afelia" means? It's a lovely word, meaning artlessness, naivete, simplicity, ingenuousness. In other words ... my favorite type of food!

Urmaniac, if your Cris likes pork dishes in particular, would he like another Greek dish, pork with celery? It's a very lovely, lemon-y stew that's a GREAT family favorite (my kids fight over the leftovers). We serve it over buttered noodles. The sauce is perfect for dunking fresh bread if you're into that sort of thing ...

[Barb L]

Originally Posted by Ayrton

Morning, ladies --

Ishbel, do you know what "afelia" means? It's a lovely word, meaning artlessness, naivete, simplicity, ingenuousness. In other words ... my favorite type of food!

Urmaniac, if your Cris likes pork dishes in particular, would he like another Greek dish, pork with celery? It's a very lovely, lemon-y stew that's a GREAT family favorite (my kids fight over the leftovers). We serve it over buttered noodles. The sauce is perfect for dunking fresh bread if you're into that sort of thing ...

Yes please post your recipe - I too love pork ! Thanks

[Ayrton]

Happily! And I have it all typed out because I gave it to a friend last year ...


Pork with Celery (in Greek, "Heirino me Selino" -- hee-ree-NO meh SEH-lee-no)

1-½ kilos of pork (leg, rump, or a cut of your choice suitable for lengthy cooking)
1 large head of celery (at least!)
Several sprigs of fresh dill (optional), or
Anise seed (optional)
A scant cup of water or light stock
Olive oil
Salt
10+ Peppercorns
Pepper, ground
Several large, juicy lemons
An egg (or corn flour)

• Wash and dry the pork and cut into pieces (a bit larger than 1-inch cubes)

• Pull all the celery stalks off the head and wash well, trimming the bottoms as needed and discarding the leafy tops (with the exception of the very sweet heart which can be quartered, including leaves). Cut into pieces about 1-2 inches long. If you opt for the dill, clean and cut it as well.

• Heat several generous glugs of oil in a large, heavy saucepan and once quite hot, add in pork in doses, browning as you go

• Reduce heat and add in water or stock, salt, peppercorns and ground pepper, plus anise seed if you wish (and have not opted for the dill)

Cover and let simmer until tender but not yet falling apart (I often use my pressure cooker for this dish, particularly if I’m making it for a work-day supper – with a pressure cooker, the meat should take about 15 minutes or so to be adequately done)

• Add in celery and dill and simmer, covered, until the celery is to the state of tenderness you prefer and the meat is very soft and tender, making sure, of course, that the amount of liquid stays adequate so as not to scorch.

Any liquid you need to supplement at this point should be freshly-squeezed lemon juice.

• To thicken the sauce slightly, either temper an egg beaten together with lemon juice and add it in, cooking briefly over low heat thereafter until thickened, or, alternatively, make a lemon juice and corn flour slurry and add that in slowly until you get the thickness you desire.

Serve next to or over a nice egg noodle or mashed potatoes. Re-heats beautifully in a microwave. Will keep for about three days.

[Ishbel]

Originally Posted by Ayrton

Morning, ladies --

Ishbel, do you know what "afelia" means? It's a lovely word, meaning artlessness, naivete, simplicity, ingenuousness. In other words ... my favorite type of food!

Urmaniac, if your Cris likes pork dishes in particular, would he like another Greek dish, pork with celery? It's a very lovely, lemon-y stew that's a GREAT family favorite (my kids fight over the leftovers). We serve it over buttered noodles. The sauce is perfect for dunking fresh bread if you're into that sort of thing ...

No, I didn't know that - I was told it meant something like a basic or simple stew! That's what our cook used to call it, and I learnt to make it from her!

[Ayrton]

Originally Posted by Ishbel

No, I didn't know that - I was told it meant something like a basic or simple stew! That's what our cook used to call it, and I learnt to make it from her!

Oh, I think that IS what it means -- but instead of the name actually meaning "simple stew" it just means "simplicity." The same idea, and a very charming one, methinks.

Sounds yummy and I, for one, will be trying it. Thanks!

[urmaniac13]

Ayrton, thanks so much for the recipe suggestion!! However, unfortunately, celery happens to be one of the very, very few items that Cristiano dislikes!!
But, if it is not so blasphemous, I can think of some modifications using certain different vegetables, either bell peppers or Tropea onion (very mild flavoured red onion), or combination of the two came to my mind for example. Aside from the celery problem, this is a very delicious looking recipe, I will think about a way, one way or another to realise it!!