History

Gamopilafo takes its name from gamos, the Greek word for wedding. At a traditional Cretan wedding the animals are boiled for the crowd, and the broth left behind is far too good to throw away, so the rice goes in and absorbs it. The finish is what makes it Cretan: staka butter, skimmed from goat and sheep milk and cooked with a little flour, is stirred through at the end with lemon juice. The result is closer to a wet risotto than a pilaf. Heraklion families still cook it for christenings and name days, and mountain villages in the Psiloritis foothills argue about whether the lemon belongs at all.

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Common allergens: Dairy

Make it at home

Yield Serves 6Hands-on 20 minTotal 2 hr 30 minDifficulty Intermediate

Ingredients

  • 1.2kg goat or lamb on the bone
  • 2 litres water
  • 1 onion, halved
  • 500g short-grain rice, such as Carolina or arborio
  • 120g staka butter, or 100g unsalted butter plus 2 tablespoons double cream
  • Juice of 1 lemon
  • Sea salt and black pepper

Method

  1. Put the meat, onion and water in a large pot, bring to a bare simmer and skim the surface for the first fifteen minutes.
  2. Simmer for about two hours until the meat pulls away from the bone. Lift the meat out and keep it warm.
  3. Strain the broth and measure it. You want about 1.2 litres for this quantity of rice.
  4. Bring the broth back to the boil, add the rice, and cook uncovered at a strong simmer for 12 to 15 minutes, stirring often.
  5. When the rice is just done and the broth is nearly absorbed, beat in the staka butter and the lemon juice until the pot turns glossy.
  6. Season, rest for five minutes off the heat, and serve with the boiled meat alongside.

Tip from the editors. Stir constantly at the end. The starch is what makes it glossy, and a pilaf left alone will separate and go dull.

Where to eat gamopilafo

Gamopilafo in Heraklion

Featured by TableJourney as a signature dish of Heraklion. See where to eat Gamopilafo in Heraklion or the Heraklion signature dishes guide.

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