Cooking Vegetables Greek Style

[axariotisxy]

I have noticed in Greek restaurants that the vegetables I am served are always soft. I like them this way, they are way easier to digest than the half-raw vegetables served in typical restaurant situations.

They are not only soft, but the perfect amount of softness - they aren't falling apart and still taste great. So, I tried to cook my vegetables a little longer at home and it was a disaster. They got too soft and everything fell apart. Any tips?

 

[Luana]

Thank you! Seems the "popular" advice of last decade or so is to steam or cook vegetables and have them remain somewhat crispy, which goes against how we had our vegetables served to us as children. I don't recall any Greek child refusing to eat vegetables. Seemed like we all liked them.

What vegetables have you tried, and how did you cook them and how long did you cook them? Steamed, roasted in oven? I've made big pans of vegetables in the oven, drizzled with olive oil and all cooked until tender. Some vegetables lend themselves to this method better than others. Typically, I would roast a potato or two, a large onion, eggplant, tomatoes, zucchini and/or yellow summer squash. Zucchini usually cooks fairly quickly, so I'd add it towards the end, needs 40-60 minutes at most. I'd also check pan and move vegetables around a bit ever 30-45 minutes, this also gives you a good idea of just how "done" they are.

Here's a site that has a recipe you might want to take a look at.

Don't give up. And good luck!

 

[k_tsoukalas]

I find that when I cook the vegetables in some kind of acid, it usually breaks them down more and makes them soft. For me, it was a matter of, in general, getting past the convention in the US and cooking vegetables for longer than we were taught. It's been a timing thing, plus the acid, that have made the biggest difference,

 

[bdalqasmal]

When I tried replicating it at home, I faced the same problem of them turning into mush. Here's a tip that worked for me: try blanching your veggies briefly in boiling water and then transferring them to an ice bath to stop the cooking process. This way, they'll retain some texture while still being soft enough. It's all about finding that balance! By the way, have you checked out Americasrestaurant.com? They have some amazing recipes and recommendations for great restaurants to visit. Just thought you might find it helpful!