The burst of bright Mediterranean tastes in this roasted vegetable Briam will transport you to sunny days at sea in the Aegean. That's where Chef Anton "Tony" Egger will be serving this colorful Greek favorite on board starting in July 2021.

Briam, or Briami, is a wonderful Greek dish packed with local flavors; it's absolutely delicious! This new vegetarian dish will be served at our Earth & Ocean Restaurant when we sail this summer.

Greek-Style Oven Baked Vegetables with Marinated Olives, Feta Cheese and Crusty Country Bread
Serves 2

Ingredients needed…

For the Oven Baked Vegetables

• 4 Yukon gold potatoes (medium), peeled and thinly sliced into rounds (about ⅛-inch / ¼ cm thick)
• 2 zucchini (small) thinly sliced into rounds (about ⅛-inch / ¼ cm thick)
• 2 red onions (small) thinly sliced into rounds (about ⅛-inch / ¼ cm thick)
• 1 eggplant (long thin) sliced into rounds (about ⅛-inch / ¼ cm thick)
• 3 tomatoes (medium) sliced into rounds (about ¼-inch / ½ cm thick)
• 2 tsp fresh oregano (or ½ tsp dried oregano)
• 1 tsp fresh rosemary (or ¼ tsp dried rosemary)
• 1 tsp fresh thyme (or ¼ tsp dried thyme)
• 2 tsp fresh chopped Italian parsley
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 10 tbsp crushed tomatoes (canned, no-salt added)
• 4 tbsp extra virgin olive oil (Greek if possible)
• Kosher salt and fresh black pepper

Serve on the side

• Marinated Greek olives
• Crusty country bread
• Feta cheese

For the garnish

• Fresh oregano leaves
• Extra virgin olive oil (Greek if possible)

Let's make it…

Step 1 - Oven on

• Preheat the oven to 400 degrees fahrenheit / 200 celsius. Place the oven rack in the middle.

Step 2 - Cut the vegetables

• Start by slicing the vegetables. You can either use a mandoline slicer or a sharp knife to slice into round shapes.
• I try to pick vegetables that are similar in thickness to make a pretty Briam and for the vegetables to cook evenly.
• The one vegetable, I do cut thicker are the tomatoes, as these will be completely cooked away by the time the dish is finished.

Step 3 - Season the vegetables

• In a large mixing bowl, toss the potatoes, zucchini, and eggplant with the fresh chopped parsley, garlic, thyme, rosemary, oregano and olive oil. Season with salt and fresh ground black pepper.
• Give everything a good mix so that the vegetables are well seasoned.

Step 4 - Arrange the vegetables

• In a large round oven-proof pan or skillet (I used an 8-inch / 20 cm terracotta dish) pour the canned crushed tomatoes and spread to cover the bottom of the pan evenly.
• Arrange the seasoned potatoes, zucchini, eggplant along with the sliced red onions and tomatoes in the pan in rows, simply going around the shape of the pan and alternating.
• If you have any of the extra virgin olive oil and garlic mixture left in the mixing bowl, pour that all over the vegetables.

Step 5 - Cook the vegetables If you don't have a well-fitting pan lid, then simply cover the pan with aluminum foil (tent the foil as it should not touch the vegetables).

• Bake in the heated-oven for 35-40 minutes.
• Take the pan out of the oven briefly to carefully remove the foil, then place the pan back in oven, uncovered, and roast for another 15-20 minutes or until the vegetables are soft and most of the liquid has evaporated.
• Remove from oven and set aside. The vegetables should be a little charred on top; this will give this dish an amazing flavor and beautiful texture.

Step 6 - Let's serve the dish

• Drizzle the Briam with olive oil and sprinkle with fresh oregano leaves for garnish.
• Serve the Briam warm or at room temperature with feta cheese, marinated Greek olives and crusty country bread on the side. Enjoy!

Note: Briam can be also served as a side dish with roast chicken, lamb or fish.

Happy home-cooking from Chef Anton "Tony" Egger!