Pork in Lemon Sauce with Allspice

Greece Is | October 16th, 2015

A pork dish for special occasions

© George Drakopoulos

Greece IsAthensTasteRecipes

The fresh lemon juice and allspice make all the difference in this greek dish, wich used to be a special occasion recipe for Athenian families.

Chef: Alexandros Giotis

Preparation & Cooking time: 90'

Serves: 4

This classic Sunday dish used to be cooked only on special occasions as meat was simply too expensive for most households, though not for well-to-do Athenians who could afford their small indulgences. The fresh lemon juice and allspice is what makes this dish quintessentially Greek, in contrast to similar recipes from the East in which tomato is used, or Western Europe, where butter is so prevalent in much of the cuisine.

INSTRUCTIONS

In a broad, shallow saucepan, brown the meat in the olive oil on all sides over medium heat. Add the lemon zest, onion and garlic. Crush or mill the allspice and add to the meat. Pour in the wine, cook away the alcohol and lower the heat to a simmer until the meat is tender. You may need to add a few tablespoons of water if it starts getting dry.

Toward the end of cooking, add the honey and lemon juice, stir gently and remove from heat.

Serve with boiled potatoes or plain white rice.