At one point, after I was tired of constantly eating meat and all kinds of proteins, I told a colleague of mine that I finally wanted to eat a laderó. "To grease my gut a little," as we say in the language of the kitchen.
Margarita then tells me:
"Chef, I'll make you a finger-licking briam!"
And really... he wasn't wrong!
Because such recipes should not remain hidden, I am sharing it with you. One of the most delicious summer foods, for you and your family to lick your fingers.
A little history...
The name briam is believed to come from the Turkish word büryan, which has its roots in the Persian word biryan, which originally referred to a grilled or roasted food. Over the years, the name also crossed over to Greek cuisine, where it became established for this wonderful summer dish. In many regions you will also find it as tourlou.
It is a simple, delicious and economical dish. Housewives used all the vegetables in their garden and so each briam had its own little personality.
Similar dishes exist in many other cuisines around the world, with the most famous being the French Ratatouille.
A little advice
Try to cut all the vegetables into roughly the same size, around 2 centimeters. This way they will cook evenly.
Don't be afraid of olive oil; bream is oily and needs it.
If you don't want to fry the vegetables, you can put them directly in the pan and cook them at a lower temperature for longer, checking occasionally to see if they need a little more water.
It is equally delicious in a wide, shallow pot.
Architectural, Building & Signage
(for a small baking tray, about 4 people)
2 large potatoes
2 medium zucchini
1 large onion
2 green peppers
2 red peppers (ideally Florina peppers)
2 medium carrots
1 large eggplant
2 medium beets
2 large tomatoes, grated
1/2 glass of water
1 tablespoon tomato paste
olive oil
oregano
salt and freshly ground pepper
fresh parsley, chopped
sunflower oil for frying (You can use sunflower oil for frying. But if you find yourself in a Greek village, don't dare say it... There, olive oil is sacred and goes everywhere!)
Preparation
Wash and clean all the vegetables and cut them into cubes of approximately 2 centimeters.
Heat the sunflower oil over medium-high heat and fry the vegetables one by one, in the order listed on the ingredients, except for the tomatoes. We don't want them to brown; we just want them to soften slightly.
We leave them in a colander to drain well and then transfer them to a baking sheet.
Dissolve the paste in water and mix it with the grated tomato. Pour the mixture over the vegetables and mix gently.
Add salt, pepper, a little oregano and plenty of olive oil.
Bake at 150°C for about 45 minutes. If we see that the food is drying out, we add a little more water.
Then increase the temperature to 200°C and bake for another 10 minutes, until the vegetables are nicely browned and lightly caramelized. Sprinkle with the fresh parsley.
Serve with a little fresh olive oil, plenty of feta cheese and of course fresh bread for the necessary dipping sauces.
Enjoy!
You can discover all the unique recipes of our beloved Chef in the cookbook:
"Savor Greece" by The Greek Chef US, Tony Kavalieros
A unique gastronomic journey to the authentic flavors and aromas of Greece, through traditional recipes presented with the personal signature of Chef Tony Kavalieros.
The book is available through the global website:
www.greekbooksfl.com
📚 Print version: Available in the United States and Canada.
📱 Electronic version (eBook): Available worldwide.
🇬🇷 Print orders in Greece: Contact us at
info@greekbooksfl.com
You can purchase the book directly here:
Enjoy Greece on every page and bring authentic Greek flavors to your table!
