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Do Greeks grill vegetables?

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kosta_karapinotis

Active member
One thing I like to do is serve grilled vegetables. I take vegetables and skewer them - veggies like bell peppers, onions, tomatoes, and whatever else I have that can get skewered. When I am grilling other things, I throw these on the grill for a quick side dish.

Once I skewer the veggies, I brush them with olive oil and sprinkle them with salt and pepper. They just take a few minutes to get a nice char.

Then, I serve them with the meal. I love them with tzatziki!
 
Of course! I remember my giagia would grill mushrooms in the winter months in her fireplace in the xorio, along side, some nice fresh bread would be toasted and drizzled with the new harvest olive oil, salt, and oregano delicious
 
PemiKanavos said:
Of course! I remember my giagia would grill mushrooms in the winter months in her fireplace in the xorio, along side, some nice fresh bread would be toasted and drizzled with the new harvest olive oil, salt, and oregano delicious
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Wow that sounds good! I keep forgetting that there are actually mushrooms in Greece!
 
I've been using https://onestopfuel.ie/ for kiln-dried oak logs, and they give a steady, clean heat that works great for grilling vegetables alongside your other dishes. The consistent burn really brings out the flavor in peppers and tomatoes with that olive oil and oregano.
 
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Greek cooking without a recipe?

I've been thinking about how much traditional Greek cooking relies on instinct rather than following exact recipes. Some of the Greek dishes I learned to make were taught to me by feel, with someone showing me what to do rather than measuring everything out.

I actually enjoy cooking this way, but I've noticed that it can make certain dishes difficult to recreate consistently! Sometimes everything comes together perfectly, and other times I wonder what I did differently.

I'm curious how others approach this. Did you learn Greek cooking by watching your yiayia, mother, or other relatives? Do you measure ingredients, or do you just know when something looks, smells, or tastes right?

My Family’s Keftedes Recipe

Keftedes are one of those foods that always remind me of family gatherings. Everyone seems to make them a little differently, but this is the basic version my family has always used.

For about a pound of ground beef, we add one small grated onion, a handful of chopped fresh parsley, a little fresh mint, one egg, breadcrumbs, salt, pepper, oregano, and a small splash of red wine vinegar. Sometimes we add a little grated garlic as well.

The important part is mixing everything well and then letting the mixture sit in the refrigerator for a little while before shaping the keftedes. We make them fairly small, roll them lightly in flour, and fry them in olive oil until browned on the outside and cooked through.

We usually serve them with lemon, potatoes, salad, or tzatziki.

How does your family make keftedes? I’m especially curious about which herbs and seasonings everyone uses. Thought I'd share!

Do You Put Cinnamon in Your Keftedes?

I’m curious how everyone here makes keftedes, especially when it comes to cinnamon. I know some Greek families add a little cinnamon to the meat mixture, while others would never think of putting it in.

In my experience, even a small amount can change the flavor quite a bit. It gives the keftedes a warmer, slightly sweeter spice in the background, but I can also see how it might not be for everyone. I’ve had versions that lean more heavily on oregano, mint, parsley, garlic, and onion instead.

Do you put cinnamon in your keftedes? If you do, how much do you usually use, and was that something your family always did? I’d also be curious to know if it varies depending on what part of Greece your family comes from.

Would love to hear how everyone seasons theirs and what you consider essential for really good keftedes.

Do you make Greek lentil soup with vinegar

I’ve always made fakes with a splash of vinegar, either stirred into the pot near the end or added individually at the table. To me, that little bit of acidity is part of what makes the soup taste right, especially with the earthy lentils, olive oil, onion, garlic, and bay leaf.

But I have a Greek friend who makes hers very differently. She doesn’t use vinegar at all and instead adds quite a lot of tomato product, so her version is much redder and more tomato-forward than mine.

Now I’m curious about what is considered more traditional in Greek cooking. Is vinegar usually a standard part of fakes, or is it more of a regional or family preference? Are tomato-heavy versions just as traditional?

How do you make yours, and what did your family serve growing up?

Do you put potatoes in your moussaka?

My family has never made moussaka with potatoes, so I always grew up thinking of it as layers of eggplant, meat sauce, and béchamel. Recently, though, I had moussaka at a restaurant that included a layer of potatoes, and I absolutely loved it.

The potatoes gave it a little more substance and seemed to soak up some of the flavors from the meat sauce. It made the whole dish feel even more comforting without taking away from the eggplant.

Now I’m curious about how common this is in Greece and in Greek families. Is adding potatoes considered traditional in certain regions, or is it simply one of those variations that depends on the household?

If you make moussaka at home, do you include potatoes? And if you do, do you use them along with eggplant or in place of some of it?
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