Mediterranean-Inspired Vegetable Dish

I made this dish once in a big pan for myself and 4 friends while doing outdoor maintenance at a camp. We ate the whole pan in one sitting and so did my family of 4. It's absolutely delicious! Very simple. Just chop, bake, and you are done! (Feel free to adjust portion size according to your needs. It's a very forgiving dish)
Cooking time is 2.5 hours prep time is probably about 20 mins.

Ingredients:
1 onion
2 russet potatoes
2 large tomatoes
7 smaller zuccinis or 2 large ones (the one in my pictures are the little ones)
6 large cloves of garlic
1 can of diced tomatoes

Spices to your taste:
Salt
Cumin
Pepper
Oregano
Olive Oil

Prep:
- Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.

- Begin by slicing up all your fresh veggies. You want them to be approximately the size of the zuccini. So if you are using the small ones, I halved the potatoes and tomatoes so that when layering they are about the same size

-Once you have everything chopped and prepped, grease the bottom of a large Pyrex with about 2 Tbsps of olive oil and dust with a mixture of the spices above. Throw about a 3rd of the garlic slices in the bottom randomly

-Begin layering your dish vertically. I tried doing the stacks horizontally however it only prolongs the cooking time. You want to make sure that the potatoes are beside a veggie that is moist (ie, a zuccini or tomato because they give off the most water when heated). Ordering doesn't matter, just layer 3 columns down the length of the Pyrex.

-If you have any extra veggies, just squeeze them in any where, even throw them on top. As you can see, mine is very haphazard but it was still delicious!

- After your veggies are in, sprinkle the rest of the garlic on top. Then open the canned tomatoes and spread them over top as well, (including and especially the juices!), add about half a cup of water as well.

- Top with more spices. I put a generous amount of oregano, cumin, and pepper for more of a kick. and just a touch more salt.

- Cover with aluminum foil (always shiny side down), and put in the oven for about 2 hours. Check on it after two hours, if the potatoes are soft and cooked through, uncover for another 30 minutes so that all the extra water is evaporated and the flavors become more pronounced.

-Enjoy with a bowl of white rice!

Simple Garlic Butter Pasta

My brother is a genius when it comes to pasta. Here's what he came up with. Goes great with Yaya's eggplants found on one of my other blogs. Ps: Halloumi is a delicious Mediterranean cheese. It's almost a cross between feta and mozzarella.

Ingredients:
1 1/2 tbsp  butter
1 tsp salt
1 tsp cumin
1 tsp oregano
2 tbsp grated Halloumi cheese
1 serving of spaghetti.

Directions:
- Cook the spaghetti
- Toss in butter and spices
- Top with cheese.

For a fresh flare, splash a bit of lemon juice and top with a fresh mint leaf.
Bon Appetit!

Yaya's Greek Lemon-Garlic Eggplants

I’m from a small island in the Mediterranean, called Cyprus. My family is Greek. We’ve been in Canada for quite a while, but one of my favourite things to eat is Greek food. I am ALWAYS in the mood for Greek food.

Unfortunately, I live too far away from home to visit very often so I have to make due with things I find here! But, I do miss the food. Lately, I have been experimenting with food at home. It’s amazing what your brain can remember! I just think of something and start throwing things together till it smells/tastes what it looks like.

The other day my mother was telling her friend how much she misses her mother’s eggplants. As she was talking, I remember my Yaya and how she spent her life in the kitchen making beautiful food for the people she loved.

So I went to the store, got what I needed and off I went. My mom came home and when we were having dinner she couldn’t believe how good it was. Just like Yaya used to make J

Now, I’d like to share it with the world! Truly, the most delicious form of eggplant ever invented. The recipe I’m writing down is meant for 3-4 people. So let’s get cooking!

Just a side note, I usually cook by eye, so while you are following along if you feel like you need a little less or more of something, feel free to adjust to your personal taste.

Things you will need:

1 ½ lbs of baby eggplants

2 lemons (med-large)

½ a head of garlic

1 small onion

1 Tbsp of salt

2 Tbsp of oregano

1 tsp of cumin

Instructions:

1)      First start by crushing 4 cloves of garlic, chopping onions, and juicing the lemons into a large bowl.

2)      Add in all the herbs and spices and stir.

3)      Wash and slice the eggplants into medallions. The thinner the medallions the crispier the chips! I usually go for ¼ inch thickness.

4)      Toss the sliced eggplants in the mixture and let it soak for a minute.

Set Up

1)      Put canola oil in a pan on med-high heat.

2)      Set aside a baking pan that you’ve greased with olive oil. Toss a few cloves in the bottom of the pyrex.

3)      Start by tossing a few medallions into the pan. Flip when one side is crispy brown.

                                     

                                  

4)      When both sides are done, spread the eggplants into the pyrex.

5)      After all the eggplants are in the pyrex, pour the juice and contents of the marinade over top and put in the oven for 5-10 mins (depending on how brown your eggplants are) at 350 degrees.

Enjoy the lemon-garlicy goodness that is my Yaya’s eggplants J