Cypriot Afelia (Αφέλια)

Ingredients

Equipment Needed

• •wide heavy pot with lid, 28cm
• •mortar and pestle or heavy pan for crushing coriander
• •nonreactive marinating bowl

Instructions

1. 1

   Marinate the pork

   Put the pork in a nonreactive bowl with the wine, crushed coriander seeds, bay leaves, salt, and black pepper. Turn the meat well, cover, and refrigerate overnight, or at least 8 hours. The pork should be stained deep red at the edges by morning.

   Crush the coriander seeds coarsely with a mortar or the bottom of a heavy pan. Don't use ground coriander here. It gives the flavor too quickly, then disappears.
2. 2

   Drain and dry

   Lift the pork from the marinade and set the marinade aside. Pat the pieces dry with kitchen paper. Dry meat browns. Wet meat stews in its own liquid first, and afelia needs that browned edge before the wine returns.

3. 3

   Brown the pork

   Heat the olive oil in a wide heavy pot over medium-high heat. Brown the pork in two batches, turning until the pieces are well colored on several sides, 8 to 10 minutes per batch. Do not crowd the pot. Move the browned meat to a plate as you go.

4. 4

   Return the wine

   Lower the heat to medium. Pour the reserved marinade into the pot and scrape up the browned bits from the bottom. Return the pork and any juices to the pot. The liquid should come about halfway up the meat, not drown it.

5. 5

   Braise slowly

   Cover the pot with the lid slightly ajar and simmer gently for 1 hour, turning the pork once or twice. If the pot dries before the meat is tender, add a splash of water, no more than needed. The pork is ready when a fork slides in without argument.

6. 6

   Reduce the sauce

   Uncover and simmer 15 to 25 minutes more, until the wine has reduced to a dark glossy sauce and the oil begins to shine at the edges. Taste for salt. Let the afelia rest 10 minutes before serving so the sauce settles back onto the meat.

Chef Tips

• •Choose pork shoulder, not lean loin. Afelia wants a little fat and connective tissue, because the long simmer turns them soft and gives body to the reduced wine.
• •Use a dry red wine you'd drink at the table, not a sweet one. A Cypriot red is right if you can find it, but the important thing is dryness and honest fruit.
• •Afelia is better after a rest. Reheat it gently with a spoonful of water if the sauce has tightened too much in the refrigerator.
• •Serve it with pourgouri, fried potatoes, or thick bread for the sauce. A sharp cabbage salad beside it makes sense of the richness.

Advance Preparation

• •Marinate the pork 8 to 24 hours ahead; the dish depends on that time in the wine and coriander.
• •Afelia can be cooked 1 day ahead and refrigerated. Reheat gently until the sauce loosens and the pork is hot through.
• •Crush the coriander just before marinating, not days ahead, so the scent is still alive.

Frequently Asked Questions

Nutrition Information

1 serving (about 190g)