“Briam” is a preparation also known as “tourlou tuorlou”, which in Greek means “all mixed”. A more than appropriate name for this mix of seasonal Mediterranean vegetables, full of color and flavor.
Ingredients:
3 elongated purple or white eggplants
3 zucchini
2 large tomatoes
2 peppers (any color)
2 large red onions
Extra virgin olive oil
Oregano, black pepper, salt
Which vegetables are suitable for briam?:
- The recipe can be varied depending on the available vegetables. Apart of the above mentioned, it’s also usual to add potatoes, which although they work wonderfully, I have excluded simply in order to offer a version without starchy carbohydrates.
- The preference for the types of eggplants mentioned is because they are less bitter, and therefore we can skip the previous step of salting them to get rid of their liquid.
- Green zucchini is probably the most common, but I have used some yellow ones to give more color to the dish.
- Any pepper will work in the recipe, feel free to have the sweeter touch of the red ones. I really like the green peppers, and again, they also added an extra color to the dish. But over all, I suggest not using spicy ones; it’s not prohibited, but I think they are not in the essence of this preparation.
- It’s also possible to use canned tomatoes, but another beauty of this recipe is also taking advantage of fresh vegetables.
- Additionally, it is possible to add a few cloves of garlic or also flavor it with other herbs, especially thyme or rosemary.
How to serve briam:
It can be enjoyed both hot and cold, and either as a side or main dish. In the latter case, it is usual to add some type of cheese, which will provide the protein quota. We can opt for cheeses such as mizythra or feta, or gratin with harder ones such as graviera, kefalotyri, etc.
How to prepare briam:
Preheat oven to 180 degrees. Cut the vegetables into pieces of similar size and distribute them along a wide tray. Season to taste and sprinkle generously with oregano and extra virgin olive oil. Mix to make sure the entire preparation is seasoned. Cover with aluminum foil, bake first for half an hour, then uncover to bake for an additional half hour. Add the cheese in the final minutes if we want to gratin.
Additional tips and tricks:
- Cut all vegetables approximately the same size, so that they cook evenly afterwards.
- As in some versions of the French ratatouille, and for a more attractive presentation, we can cut the vegetables into thin slices and then distribute them one by one, interspersing all types of vegetables. In this way a perfect range of colors is created. But when we just want to simplify the work, this recipe is ideal because it takes minimal work and then we can spend time on something else while it’s being baked.
- The tray is covered during baking so that the vegetables do not burn during prolonged cooking. And then it’s uncovered to allow some of the liquid to evaporate. Otherwise we would have a briam almost boiled in its own juices.