I suspect that the word “briam” is another Turkish word. The name for this dish in Greek is “Tourlou Tourlou”, which is a colloquial phrase for “mix up”. But we seem to have adopted the word Briam and I have no issues with this, as I am happy to find our common grounds with the Turkish people.
Once again in Greece this dish predominates in the summer as it is made up of fresh vegetables.
Whenever I make it I get asked what else I put in it that makes it taste so nice besides vegetables and olive oil and when I say only some pepper and salt I am looked at in disbelief.
It is very easy to put together but the end taste is in the way it is baked.
I have another Lemnos story and only because when I was living in Greece I spent most of my summers there.
Just outside Mirina (the capital) there was a taverna right on the beach and the adjoining land was like a market – garden, it belonged to the owners of the taverna, I often saw the owners picking the vegetables that went into the salads and the vegetable dishes that we were about to eat.
Ingredients
3 finger eggplants or 1 large eggplant
4 small zucchini
5 – 6 ripe tomatoes peeled and chopped (or a tin of crushed tomatoes)
2 onions cut thick
2 – 4 cloves garlic
2 peppers (any colour will do) I find that the red and yellow are not as heavy and are easier on the digestion
100 grams string beans
2 – 3 potatoes cubed, this is optional as potatoes need to be eaten on the same day
½ bunch parsley finely chopped
½ bunch finely chopped dill
1-cup olive oil
½ teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon pepper
Method
Put eggplant in cubes and salt; stand aside for about 20 minutes
Wash all the other vegetables and cut into cubes
Wash eggplant of salt
Put all ingredients in a baking dish,
Add oil, pepper, salt, parsley, dill and toss.
Cover with baking paper cut into the shape of the baking dish and put on top tucked inside the pan,
Bake in hot oven 200 C for 30 minutes
Take paper off and bake for further 30 minutes to 40 minutes making sure that liquids have evaporated and are only in sauce consistency.
This last part is what makes or breaks the dish if it is watery it is like boiled vegetables.
Serve accompanied on the table with Greek cheese and crusty bread
Kali Orexi