The Greek Food

Tag: eggplant

  • “MelitzanoSalata” or ….just Eggplant Salad

    “MelitzanoSalata” or ….just Eggplant Salad

    Having different kind of sauces where you can dip your bread is one of the main characteristics of the Greek cuisine.

    It’s something that defines what we call “meze” where you place a lot of small plates in the middle of the table and people can eat small portions from everywhere.

    What I wanted to try and make was the eggplant salad or in Greek “Melitzanosalata” which is one of the most famous sauces you can find in the local taverns.  I just happened to remember it couple of days ago when I was talking with a friend during lunch break.

    One thing that i noticed was the different variations that exist in Greece for that and clearly is something that you can experiment on as it seems that everyone is doing something different in every city in Greece.

    Additional to that I have to say that I am never good on putting down the exact quantities of the ingredients each time and the quantities I put over here are just an indication. However, with this one I have to say that you will need quite a few Eggplants if you are going to make a dip for several people as 2 was barely enough for me.

     

    INGREDIENTS

    • 4-5 Eggplants
    • 1/2 of onion smashed
    • 1- 1.5 lemon juice
    • Salt,Pepper
    • Parsley

    METHOD

    Put the eggplants on the grill until they become brown from all sides. Remove the skin and put the  flesh on a blender. Add onions, lemon juice, salt and pepper and parsley.  Mix them good until they become one and serve.

     

     

     

     

  • Briam- Baked Vegetables

    Briam- Baked Vegetables

    One of the first recipes that I learned to cook when I came in the UK 7 years ago was briam (or else Tourlou Tourlou). That is a really well known dish in Greece and Turkey with baked vegetables. It is very tasty and healthy in the same time.

    If you cook it nicely and you give it some time…the vegetables will melt and become like a cream melting to your mouth giving you a really tasty food without messing up your diet. “Tourlou tourlou” means in…greek and Turkish…mixed up. Basically that’s the basic idea of the food… a lot of vegetables mixed up and baked in the oven providing a range of colours and flavours.

    tourlou tourlou

    Take a look in the ingredients

    INGREDIENTS

    • 2 Aubergines sliced in big pieces
    • 2 courgettes sliced in big pieces
    • 1 big potato cut in various sizes
    • 1 big onion  finely chopped
    • 1 small bunch of parsley finely chopped
    • 1 small bunch of mint finely chopped
    • 1 glass of olive oil
    • Salt and Pepper
    • Baking Foil
    • 250 grs of Feta Cheese.

    METHOD for Briam

    There isnt anything easier than that. Just add all the ingredients in an oven tray and add the Olive oil, Salt and Pepper. Use your hands and make sure you stir the ingredients well.  Cover the tray  with the baking foil and insert it in the oven on high heat.  Leave it there for 45 mins and then remove the baking foil making sure you stir the ingredients once more.

    When the potatoes get soft then its ready. It is important for that reason the Aubergines/courgettes to be sliced in big pieces. Add parsley and the mint, as well as the grated feta cheese and stir so it can go everywhere.

    Tips: be careful to slice the potatoes in really small cubes as they need to be cooked fast or else all the other vegetables will be cooked faster and you will end up eating them rare…