Make Your Own Meze

Want a souvenir from your trip to Cyprus? Instead of an object, consider bringing back the skills to make a meal from the local cuisine. At Almyra, chef de partie Elpida Kyriacou teaches a master class in cooking meze—the small dishes that make up a meal in the traditional taverna. Guests are invited to the live cooking station in Mosaics, where they can learn how to make four or five dishes. Start with an easy dip like tzatziki by mixing shredded cucumbers, Greek yoghurt, chopped mint, crushed garlic, and salt and pepper. Then try your hand at dolmades: Elpida will teach you how to blanch the grape vine leaves and refresh them in ice water, prepare the stuffing of minced lamb, white onion, tomato, rice, and chicken stock, season the mixture with lemon juice, cinnamon, and herbs, and stuff the leaves before finishing the dish in the oven. The secret to serving grilled halloumi cheese successfully rests in creating the proper salsa; you will learn how to combine the right proportions of olive oil, tomato, red onion, parsley, and fresh mint leaves. Preparing prawns with ouzo takes some skill. Elpida will help you peel and de-vein the prawns before you sauté them halfway. After removing the prawns from the pan, you will add garlic, onion, and tomato before deglazing the pan with ouzo. Then you return the prawns for cooking and seasoning. Instruction is not limited to these dishes: you can work out a bespoke programme. Take home her recipes and memories you can savour again and again.