BRIAM (Roasted Seasonal Vegetables)

[athena2007]

This suits vegetarians and anoyone else..

Probably one of the best Greek vegetarian recipes that I know and it can be found all over Greece and Cyprus especially in the summer months, but also good in winter, it’s a housewife’s favourite. This dish is sometimes cooked in a casseroled with chopped tomatoes and tomato puree, and is known by different names e.g.’Lahanika Sto Fourno (vegetables in the oven) ‘Polipikilo’ (a mixture of vegetables) and ‘Tourlou’ Tourlou. (In Turkish) The Nuns of Aiyia Paraskevi (St. Fridays) in Corfu cooked this simple but delicious meal for me and my family a few years ago.

The use wild oregano that they collected from the surrounded hills and parsley and garlic from thier vegetable garden.. ‘Briam’ makes an ideal light lunch or an accompaniment to meat or fish dishes. You could also add feta cheese at the end of cooking!
Serves 6 humans .....

450g (1lb) aubergines
450g (1lb) courgettes
1 green pepper, de-seeded
1 red or yellow pepper, de-seeded
175g (6oz) fresh fine beans or cauliflower florets
1lb (450g) waxy potatoes, or Cypriot potatoes, peeled
Butternut squash, peel
2 medium onions, sliced
3 cloves garlic, chopped
4 large tomatoes peeled and chopped
or 400g (14 oz) canned tomatoes
4tbsp chopped parsley
2tbsp dried oregano
200ml (7fl oz) good olive oil
200ml (7fl oz) warm water
salt and freshly ground black pepper
Feta optional

Method

Cut all the vegetables into round thick slices or into wedges or chunks (leave the beans whole if you are using them).

Place the vegetables and the herbs into a ‘Yiouvetsi’ (earthenware) dish or an oven dish. Season with salt and pepper, pour the olive oil and the water and using your hands mix everything together to coat all the vegetables with the oil and herbs.

Bake uncovered in a pre-heated oven 190oc – 375ofor Gas Mark 5 for about 1½ hours until the vegetables are tender, stirring from time to time, if you are using feta , add it on top 15 minutes before finishing time.

NB You can add ‘Feta’ cheese on top of the vegetables 15 minutes before they are ready until the ‘Feta’ is nicely browned. stay tuned for athena2007 receipes...remember the faster u eat the less fattening it is for you... yummmy enjoy ...