My husband and I had our first holiday in Cyprus, we walked with a group across the island staying in local villages. It was lovely, and we all really looked forward to our home style meal at the end of the day; often a hearty stew with fresh salad and lovely warm bread. So, it was a nostalgic trip back for us and we enjoyed it. I
did do another dish, but I cannot find where I have put the recipe; so I cannot
pop it on here. If I came across it, then I will add it in later on. Lovely
tender meat, with nice homely flavours.
Cooked with score (out of 100):
Kleftiko……………………………………………………………86
Kleftiko
bbcgoodfood.com
Ingredients
500g
boneless lamb, cubed
2 tbsp
Olive Oil
4 med
potatoes
2 onions,
chopped
3 cloves of
garlic finely chopped
4 medium
tomatoes, sliced
1 teaspoon
oregano
3 bay
leaves
Juice of 1
lemon
Salt and
pepper to taste
100g feta
cheese, crumbled
Method
- Heat 1 tablespoon of the oil in a frying pan and brown the lamb on all sides. Place in the slow cooker.
- Wash and slice the potatoes and tomatoes, and add to the slow cooker.
- Peel and chop the onions and garlic and add to the cooker with the remaining oil, lemon juice, bay leaves and oregano.
- Season with the salt and pepper to desired amount and cook on the low setting for at least 6 hours.
- In the final 30-60 minutes add the crumble feta and stir.
Fun Facts:
- Cyprus is known as 'the playground of the gods', and for good reason too! Aphrodite is said to have risen out of the water near Paphos.
- The English crusader king - King Richard the Lionheart - wed Queen Joanna at Limassol Castle on May 12, 1191. To this day it is the only foreign venue at which an English Royal Wedding has been hosted.
- Cyprus is a divided country. A UN buffer zone (known as the Green Line) separates the self-declared Republic of Northern Cyprus and the Greek controlled South.
- There are two British military zones in Cyprus. Known as Sovereign Base Areas, the two zones are a legacy of the British occupation of Cyprus which ended in 1960.
- Nicosia, the capital of Cyprus, is now the only capital in the world to be divided between two nations - North Cyprus & South Cyprus.
- Cyprus is one of Europe's most southerly ski resorts.
- Cyprus is one of only a few places in the world where Green Turtles & Loggerhead Turtles nest.
- The Cyprus Mufflon is a wild sheep that is found in the Troodos & Paphos Mountains. It exists nowhere else in the world.
- The major industries that contribute to the Cypriot economy are tourism, fruit & vegetables, wine, cement, clothing and shoes
- George Michael (musician/pop singer), Fatima Whitbread (Olympic athlete) and Muzzy Izzet (English premiership soccer player) were all born in Cyprus.
Source: http://www.whycyprus.com/50-facts.asp
CUISINE
Greek
Cypriot food and drink is largely identical to Greek food. However, Cypriots
themselves consider their cuisine to be far superior and point out differences,
both in quality and sometimes in ingredients. So, for example, the Cypriot koupepia (stuffed vine leaves) contain
minced meat as well as rice, whereas the Greek equivalent (dolmades) don’t.
That said, all the old Greek favourites will be found in most restaurants on
the island – moussaka, souvlakia, stifado, kleftiko, sheftalia, keftedes,
goubes, godopoulo and above all meze, together with dips such as tzatziki,
taramasalata and hummus. if you’re after traditional Greek food, look out for
the presence of a large domed oven at the back of the restaurant, and/or a
charcoal grill or “souvla”. Fish is often of good quality and freshly caught –
you might well be invited into the kitchen to choose from that day’s catch.
The
cuisine of north Cyprus is very similar to that of the south – after all, both
communities had a shared history before 1974. The only gastronomic effect of
the Turkish invasion of 1974 seems to be that international fast-food chains
have been replaced by Turkish ones (the absence of McDonald’s, Starbucks and
their ilk is particularly noticeable). International wines and beers have been replaced
by local or Turkish equivalents, and Greek brands have been replaced by Turkish
ones. Ordering food in restaurants and buying it in supermarkets are getting
easier as the practice of labelling in English as well as Turkish spreads.
One of
the most famous Cypriot products is halloumi, goat-or ewe’s-milk cheese soaked
in brine. Rubbery when raw, but lovely when fried or grilled, it has found its
way into many Middle Eastern and Mediterranean dishes. Meat products to look
out for include lountza, beautifully lean pork fillet, and loukanika, a spicy and very fatty smoked
sausage; loukanika is something of an acquired taste – if you cook it in your
apartment, you’ll be able to smell it for days.
For
street food, you could do worse than tiropittes (flaky pastry cheese pies) spanakopittes (similar, but with spinach),
souvlakia wrapped in pitta bread, or corn on the cob.
For
those with a sweet tooth there’s daktyla (almond fried pastry), lokmades (fried pastry balls in syrup), loukoumi, known to the rest of the world (to
the disgust of Greeks) as Turkish Delight, and so-called spoon sweets such as
preserved quince, walnut or orange. Soutzioukos made of grape juice and almonds or
walnuts, is supposed to be good for the libido. Cake and ice cream are also
very popular – people often go out in the late evening, Italian style, just to
visit sacharoplasteia for a wide choice of cakes, or gelato/cafés
for ice cream.
Cypriots
love their fruit (fresh, dried and preserved), olives and nuts – you’ll find a
bewildering variety on sale in any market or greengrocers. Indeed, for visitors
in self-catering accommodation, shopping in Cypriot supermarkets, specialist
shops and open-air markets is a highlight of their trip.
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