Bekri Meze (Drunken Pork Stew)
Bekri Meze is a quick pork stew with a rich tomato sauce with little bits of cheese, red wine, spices, and a hint of spiciness. Seriously yummy!
Prep Time10 minutes mins
Cook Time35 minutes mins
Course: Appetizer, Main Course, Side Dish
Cuisine: Greek
Keyword: cheese, Pork, stew
Servings: 2
Calories: 710kcal
- 400 grams / 14 ounces boneless pork shoulder blade or neck cut cut into 3 cm (inch) pieces
- ½ teaspoon smoked paprika
- ⅓ teaspoon garlic powder
- ¼ teaspoon ground cumin
- 1 small (65 grams) red onion minced
- 2 whole garlic cloves no need to peel them
- ⅓ cup sweet red wine
- ⅓ cup diced tomatoes canned or fresh
- 3 teaspoons tomato paste
- 1 bay leaf
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano plus some extra to sprinkle on top
- 60 grams / 2 ounces Gruyere or Kefalotyri cheese diced to 1 cm pieces
- sweet or hot red pepper flakes to serve with
- salt and pepper
Pat the meat dry with paper towels. Season with paprika, garlic powder, and cumin. Rub seasonings all around the meat and marinate at room temperature for about 30 minutes.
In a saute pan heat olive oil over high heat. Sear the meat until well browned all over.
Drop heat to medium-low and add the onion. Stir constantly for a minute. Then pour in the wine and scrape the bottom very well.
Add the tomato paste and stir until caramelized and the wine has drained completely.
Add the diced tomatoes and season with salt and pepper. Add the bay leaf, oregano, and garlic cloves. Pour in 1 cup of boiling water.
Simmer partly covered for about 20-25 minutes. Or until the meat is tender and the sauce thickened. If necessary add a little bit of extra water and simmer a bit more.
Once ready, add the pieces of cheese here and there, turn off the heat, and cover the pan. Let the cheese soften like this for 2 min and then serve sprinkled with red pepper flakes and some extra oregano on top.
Serving: 1serving | Calories: 710kcal | Carbohydrates: 7g | Protein: 44g | Fat: 52g | Saturated Fat: 21g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 4g | Monounsaturated Fat: 22g | Cholesterol: 177mg | Sodium: 405mg | Potassium: 863mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 3g | Vitamin A: 753IU | Vitamin C: 8mg | Calcium: 376mg | Iron: 3mg