The island of Cyprus is known for its many Greek style dishes and delicacies. Cyprus Souvla is one of these succulent dishes. In this recipe learn for yourself how to make Souvla so the next time you are on holiday in Cyprus, you will be able to make it just like the locals!
When planning a Cypriot meal you could blend the taste of Cypriot Souvla along with dishes such as Fasolada, Moussaka, Keftedes, Village Salad and more.
Ingredients List
The ingredients needed for Cypriot Souvla are:
· 2 ½ pounds of pork shoulder that has been cut into three-quarter inch cubes
· 1 teaspoon of ground Greek oregano that is also known as Rigani
· 1/2 of a teaspoon of freshly ground black pepper
· 1 tablespoon of sea salt
· 2 tablespoons of red wine or a good red wine vinegar
· 2 tablespoons of olive oil
Instructions
The preparation of the meat for the Cypriot Souvla includes tossing the cubed pork in a bowl with the red wine or the red wine vinegar and the olive oil. After tossing, sprinkle the meat with the oregano, pepper and salt and toss to evenly distribute the seasonings on the cubed meat. Cover with plastic wrap and store in the refrigerator for a minimum of two hours. This process will help to flavour and tenderize the cubed meat pieces.
Do not marinate the meat for longer than two hours if red wine vinegar is used. Longer marinating than a period of two hours can result in the meat absorbing too much of the vinegar taste. If red wine is being used, the cubed meat can marinate for up to two days. If marinating the cubed meat for two days, be sure to use the sea salt in the seasoning.
If using wooden skewers, allow the skewers to soak for an extended period of time to prevent them from flaming up in the cooking process. If using metal skewers, the soaking process can be eliminated.
Thread about six pieces of the cubed pork onto a skewer. The 2 1/2 pounds of cubed pork shoulder should be enough for about 12 skewers. The skewers of meat should be placed on a hot grill and turned often until browned evenly on all sides. Cypriot Souvla, and other grilled food of the island of Cyrus, is grilled over charcoal traditionally.
The cooking process should take about 15 minutes for cubes of meat that are this size. Larger cuts of meat are distributed evenly and started at a high temperature and placed close to the flame. After browning, they are raised higher above the charcoal and grilled slowly from an hour and one half to three hours. Serve the Cypriot Souvla with wedges of lemon to squeeze over the cooked pork cubes. A serving size of this dish would be equal to about four skewers per person.
And for dessert..
Cyprus is a popular destination amongst European holidays, Cypriot cuisine is a blend of Greek & Turkish food styles and techniques. A popular dish for dessert, after your meal that includes Cypriot Souvla, could be a generous bowl of delicious Greek yogurt that has been sweetened with a drizzle of honey.
