On the Gourmet Trail. Cyprus: Souvlaki

Our recipe for delicious Souvlaki, from Cyprus, is delightfully simple yet wonderfully tasty! Easy to make at home or in the comfort of your villa, this dish will please everyone.

Ingredients

3 sweet pointed peppers

4 sprigs fresh mint, leaves picked

1 small bunch fresh dill, chopped (stalks and all)

red wine vinegar

Greek extra virgin olive oil

1 lemon, to serve

For the kebabs

800 g higher-welfare leg of pork, shin if you can get it, cut into 2cm chunks

1 tablespoon dried mint

1 tablespoon dried oregano

1 lemon, juice of

100 ml good-quality olive oil

2 cloves garlic, peeled and finely grated

1 tablespoon red wine vinegar

For the Tzatziki

½ large cucumber

200 ml fat-free natural yoghurt

1 small clove garlic, peeled

1 heaped teaspoon dried mint

1½ teaspoons red wine vinegar

 

Method

1. You can use wooden or metal skewers, but if you choose wooden, soak them in a tray of water to stop them burning. Put all the kebab ingredients into a bowl and mix it all together.  Cover with clingfilm and put the bowl in to the fridge, allowing the meat to marinade, anywhere from 30 minutes to 24 hours. The longer you leave it, the better it will taste!

2. Take the peppers and blacken them, either by putting them straight on to a barbecue or in a hot, dry griddle pan.. Keep turning them until the go black, then let them cool before removing the skin.

3. To make the tzatziki start by grating the cucumber into a sieve, which should be over a bowl. Add a pinch of sea salt and then strain out as much water as much. In a clean bowl add yoghurt to the cucumber, then using a pestle and mortar mash the garlic with a good pinch of salt until you have a paste, and spoon that into the bowl with the cucumber. Add the dried mint and red wine vinegar and mix really well.

4. Put the meat on to the skewers and add them to the hot griddle pan or barbecue for about 10 minutes. Turn the skewers every couple of minutes to ensure the meat is cook properly.

5. Add the peeled peppers to the mint leaves, which should be finely sliced, put them in a bowl along with the dill. Add 2 teaspoons of red wine vinegar, a pinch or two of salt and black pepper and a splash of extra virgin olive oil. Mix all of the ingredients together. Toss and mix together, then have a taste to check the balance of flavours. Cut your lemon into wedges.

6. Your Souvlaki is now ready to enjoy! Take the meat off the skewers, mix in with the pepper mixture and a squeeze of lemon juice.