Athens, Greece. A selection of lighter dishes for warmer weather includes a Greek vegetable bake known as Tourlou or Briam, a tomato and egg dish with olives, and savoury muffins with cheese and herbs.
Tourlou or Briam
Tourlou or Briam is described as a classic Greek dish made with Mediterranean vegetables such as aubergines, courgettes, okra, peppers, potatoes and tomatoes. The dish is linked to the Turkish word türlü, meaning mixed, and is also found in versions across the Balkans, including turli perimesh in Albania and turi tava in North Macedonia.
The ingredients listed are 150ml olive oil, sea salt and pepper, 2 medium aubergines, 2 red peppers, 2 green peppers, 2 medium courgettes, 2 large peeled potatoes, 400g baby frozen okra, 2 large onions thickly sliced, 2 to 3 chopped garlic cloves, 1/2 tsp sugar or honey, 1 tbsp dried oregano and a small bunch of chopped parsley.
The method begins by cutting all vegetables into large chunks and lightly salting the aubergines and courgettes for 10 to 15 minutes. Half the olive oil is heated and the aubergines are fried until golden, then removed to kitchen paper. The courgettes are fried next, followed by the peppers and potatoes, with more oil added as needed, and all are set aside.
The oven is preheated to 180C. In the same pan, the onions and garlic are sautéed until soft. Frozen okra is added and cooked until it releases some of its liquid. Tomato paste is stirred in and cooked for a minute, then chopped tomatoes and sugar are added. All fried vegetables are returned to the pan, seasoned with oregano and parsley, and transferred to an oven dish. The dish is baked for 35 minutes without stirring and served warm or at room temperature with Greek feta and fresh bread.
Scrambled eggs with tomatoes, olives and feta
A second dish is a rustic Greek preparation of scrambled eggs cooked with fresh tomatoes, olive oil and herbs. Sliced green olives are added to balance the sweetness of the tomatoes and the richness of the eggs, and the dish is presented as suitable for breakfast or a light lunch.
The ingredients are 4 large ripe tomatoes finely chopped, 5 large eggs lightly beaten, 2 tbsp water, 2 tbsp virgin olive oil, 1 cup sliced green pitted olives, 1 tbsp drained capers, 1 minced garlic clove, 1 tsp dried oregano, 100g crumbled feta cheese, a pinch of salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste, 2 tbsp chopped parsley and lemon wedges.
The olive oil is heated in a large non-stick frying pan over medium heat. Garlic is sautéed for about 30 seconds before the tomatoes and oregano are added. The tomatoes are cooked for 5 minutes until softened and some of the liquid has evaporated. The olives and capers are added, and the heat is lowered to medium-low. The eggs are whisked with the water, then stirred into the pan and folded until just set but still soft and moist. The pan is removed from the heat, feta is sprinkled over and gently stirred through. The dish is served immediately with chopped parsley, a drizzle of olive oil, lemon wedges and sourdough bread.
Savoury muffins
The third option is a savoury muffin recipe presented as suitable for snacks, picnics and children’s lunch boxes. A gluten free version can be made by using gluten free flour and adding 1/2 tsp of Xanthin gum.
The recipe makes 12 muffins. Ingredients are 350g plain flour, 2 tsp baking powder, ½ tsp salt, 1 tsp sugar, ½ tsp ground black pepper, ½ tsp ground cinnamon, 6 tbsp olive oil, 3 medium eggs at room temperature, 300ml yoghurt or full fat milk, 50ml orange juice, 3 thin spring onions finely chopped, 100g Halloumi cut into small cubes, 100g Kefalotyri or Gruyere or cheddar grated, 100g black pitted olives cut into cubes, 1 tsp dried mint, 2 tbsp fresh chopped mint, 4 tbsp chopped coriander and sesame seeds for topping.
A 12-muffin tin is greased with olive oil and the oven is preheated to 180C. The flour is sifted into a large bowl, then salt, sugar, baking powder, cinnamon and olive oil are added and mixed lightly. In a smaller bowl, the eggs, yoghurt or milk, and orange juice are whisked together. The egg mixture is poured into the flour mixture and mixed lightly to combine, then the spring onion, cheese, olives, mint and coriander are folded in and seasoned with black pepper. If the mixture is too thick, a little more milk is added.
The muffin tin is sprayed with olive oil and large scoopfuls of the mixture are placed into the tin, filling each section to the top. Sesame seeds are sprinkled over the muffins, which are then baked in the centre of the oven for about 25 minutes, or until golden and a skewer inserted into the centre comes out clean. They can be eaten warm or cool and stored in an airtight container for up to 3 to 4 days.
