Briami Food

BRIAMI OR BRIAM- AUTHENTIC GREEK ROASTED VEGETABLES

Steps:

• Preheat oven at 350 F (180 C)
• Cut potatoes and eggplant in about 2 inch pieces, the zucchini in 1/2 inch slices. The onion in quarters and if using peppers in slices.
• Pour all the vegetables in a large bowl. Add garlic, mint, parsley, oregano. Mix.
• Mix the tomato paste with a bit of water (1 tablespoon) and add to the vegetables.
• Add about the olive oil and mix well. We usually do it with our hands.
• Add salt to taste and pepper, and mix some more (I add very little salt and add more if needed when serving).
• Transfer the vegetables to a large shallow pan, it should be able to fit all the vegetables in one layer.
• Pour in a corner of the pan about 1/3 cup water and tilt the pan so that it spreads, but don't pour it over the vegetables.Pour more later if it seems like they are becoming dry.
• Cover with aluminum foil and roast for about an hour.
• After an hour check and see if the vegetables are cooked (you should be able to stick a fork in them easily).
• If they are cooked, remove the foil and roast for another 30-45 minutes until the potatoes start turning golden brown.
• Let it cool and serve with bread and feta cheese. You can also serve cold.

BRIAMI (GREEK OVEN-ROASTED VEGETABLES)

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 420 degrees F.
• Put everything in a very large baking pan. Pour water, olive oil on top and add herbs. Season generously.
• Put your clean hands in the pan and give all the veggies a toss so herbs, and oil and salt and pepper go on everything.
• It looks like a lot but don't worry - it'll 'melt' down considerably during cooking.
• Roast for a couple of hours, stirring everthing up a couple of times to allow veggies on bottom to come up and brown nicely too. What you're after in terms of texture is for the vegetables to 'melt' into each other, but without losing their individual shape. NOTHING crisp-tender going on here - just meltingly, comfortingly, deliciously tender.
• This is delicious with good crusty bread (lovely juices) and feta cheese on the side- like we eat it.
• Will probably serve 6 hungry people, or maybe not. We go through it fast. It's even better the next day.

BRIAM (GREEK MIXED VEGETABLES IN TOMATO SAUCE)

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Place three of the tomatoes, the 1/2 cup olive oil, red wine vinegar, sugar, parsley, mint, basil, oregano, capers, and garlic in the bowl of a food processor and process to create a fresh tomato sauce. Season with salt and black pepper; set aside. Chop the remaining tomato; set aside.
• Heat the 2 tablespoons olive oil in a skillet over medium heat, and cook and stir the onions until slightly golden, about 10 minutes.
• Stir together the onions, potatoes, eggplant, zucchini, bell peppers, okra, the reserved chopped tomato, and the fresh tomato sauce, and place the mixture in a large baking pan. If needed, stir in a little water so that the vegetables are just covered with sauce.
• Bake in the preheated oven until all vegetables are tender, about 1 hour.

BRIAM (GREEK BAKED ZUCCHINI AND POTATOES)

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C).
• Spread potatoes, zucchini, and red onions in a 9x13-inch baking dish, or preferably a larger one. Use 2 baking dishes if necessary. Cover with pureed tomatoes, olive oil, parsley. Season with salt and freshly ground pepper. Toss all ingredients together so that the vegetables are evenly coated.
• Bake in the preheated oven, stirring after 1 hour, until vegetables are tender and moisture has evaporated, about 90 minutes. Cool slightly before serving, or serve at room temperature.

BRIAMI -- BAKED VEGETABLES (GREECE)

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.
• In a large mixing bowl, combine potatoes, yellow bell pepper, zucchini, garlic, onion, tomatoes, parsley, oregano, olive oil, salt and pepper; mix well.
• Transfer mixture to a baking dish; spread into a tightly packed layer.
• Pour 1/4 cup water into the dish.
• Bake for 1 hour and 45 minutes, turning the vegetables 4 or 5 times during baking.
• Serve hot, warm or at room temperature.

BRIAMI ALA BERGY (VEGETABLE CASSEROLE)

Steps:

• Mix together the garlic, tomatoes and sugar.
• Oil an oven dish large enough to hold all the ingredients.
• Place some onion on the bottom of the dish.
• Mix zucchini, potatoes and peppers.
• Add a layer on top of the onions.
• Top with some of the tomato mixture.
• Season with salt & pepper.
• Sprinkle some of the herbs on top and drizzle with the oil.
• Continue layering until all ingredients have been used ending with a layer of the herbs and drizzle with oil (this may be 3-4 layers depending on the depth and size of your dish).
• Cover and cook in a 350°F oven for 1-1 1/2 hours.
• Uncover for the last 15 minutes.
• Garnish with herbs on the side and serve.

TRADITIONAL GREEK SUMMER ROASTED VEGETABLES (BRIAMI)

Steps:

• Prepare all your vegetables by slicing the eggplants, potatoes, and zucchini into ½" slices. Next, chop the onions and the garlic, cut the peppers into 1" chunks, and mince the fresh herbs.
• Preheat the oven to 375°F.
• Drizzle some of the olive oil into a large frying pan, set over medium heat. When the oil is hot, cook the eggplants for 5-6 minutes until they become soft and golden brown (you might need to add a bit more olive oil during the frying, as the eggplants absorb a good amount of olive oil as they cook). Transfer the eggplant to a large, ovenproof dish.
• To the same frying pan add some more olive oil, and, once the oil is heated, add the chopped onion and peppers. Cook for two minutes and add the garlic. Cook a few minutes more, then transfer to the baking dish.
• Add the potatoes and the zucchini to the baking dish-uncooked--and toss. Cut the tomatoes into chunks (or in half, if you are using cherry tomatoes), and add them to the dish along with the tomato passata, the dried and fresh herbs, and the remaining olive oil. Season everything generously with salt and pepper to taste and combine gently.
• Pour ¾ cup of the water into the corner of the baking dish then tilt it so the water distributes evenly.
• Bake for about 45-60 minutes, or, until the vegetables are soft and golden brown. Make sure to check the liquid in the dish (about half way through) and add the rest of the water if necessary. At the end of the cooking time, there should be just a little sauce at the bottom of the baking dish.
• Let the briam rest for 10 minutes or so to cool down slightly. Serve warm or at room temperature with some Greek Feta on the side and some delicious bread to mop up the sauce!

GREEK BAKED VEGETABLES (BRIAM)

Steps:

• If the eggplant is thin and long, slice it about 1/4-inch thick. If it's fat, halve it lengthwise, then slice in 1/4-inch-thick half-moons. Sprinkle with salt and put on paper towels for 30 minutes. Thinly slice the onions and mince the garlic. Cut the potatoes, zucchini and peppers into 1/4-inch-thick slices. Squeeze excess water from eggplant and pat dry.
• Heat the oven to 375 degrees. Heat 2 tablespoons of the olive oil over medium heat in a large, heavy skillet and add the onions. Stir often, until tender and translucent, about 8 minutes. Add a generous pinch of salt and stir in the garlic. Cook for another minute or two, until fragrant.
• Lightly oil a deep earthenware baking dish or a heavy Dutch oven. Put the tomatoes in a bowl and season liberally with salt and pepper. Stir in the remaining olive oil. Spread a thin layer of tomatoes in the baking dish or Dutch oven and top with one-third of the onions and garlic. Top with half the potato slices. Season with salt and pepper. Layer half the zucchini slices over the potatoes and season, then layer on half the eggplant, half the peppers and half the okra, if using. Sprinkle on half the parsley, about a third of the marjoram or oregano and some pepper. Layer another third of the onions over the vegetables and top with half of the remaining tomatoes. Sprinkle with half the remaining marjoram or oregano. Repeat the layers with the remaining vegetables, ending with a layer of onions topped with the remaining tomatoes. Sprinkle with the remaining herbs. Pour the juice from the tomatoes over the mixture.
• Cover with foil or a lid and bake for 1 1/2 hours. Press the vegetables down into the juice and bake another 30 minutes, or until all the vegetables are thoroughly tender. Cool until warm before serving, or refrigerate overnight and reheat. If there is too much liquid, strain in a colander set over a bowl, reduce the juices over medium-high heat (place a flame tamer over the burner if you're using the earthenware dish) and pour over the vegetables.

GREEK ROASTED VEGETABLES (BRIAMI)

Steps:

• Heat oven to 450°F.
• Cover 2 rimmed baking sheets with foil; spray with cooking spray.
• Combine first 5 ingredients in large bowl. Add dressing, cheese and oregano; mix lightly. Spread onto prepared baking sheets. Add lemon slices.
• Bake 45 min. or until fries are crisp, and fresh vegetables are tender and lightly browned, stirring every 15 min.