We all remember Evelyn's wonderful recipe. This is the intro to a recipe in Cook's Illustrated' newsletter and of course I can't access the whole recipe without paying. But I think the description and the picture (not included here) offers a slightly different way from Evely's--this is much more like a casserole/layers than what I usually had with hers was a big pan of roasted vegetables. And it recommends covering for baking--as do other recipes I sifted through.It needs to get a bit cooler but it will be on the docket soon. I think this recipe doesn't include cheese in the baking part but I love that.
WHY THIS RECIPE WORKSBriam is a simple but dynamic dish of potatoes, onions, bell peppers, tomatoes, and zucchini bathed in olive oil. We sliced our vegetables ¼ inch thick and strategically layered them in the dish, with potatoes serving as a sturdy base and tomatoes an attractive, browned top. Loosely covering the dish with a foil lid for the first 30 minutes of cooking allowed moisture to evaporate, hyperconcentrating the vegetables’ flavor; we then removed the foil, which encouraged browning, rendering the tomatoes on top slightly collapsed and caramelized but still moist and tender. Warm, room temperature, or chilled, our briam made for a satisfying vegetarian main course, especially when accompanied by crusty bread and a slice of feta cheese.
WHY THIS RECIPE WORKSBriam is a simple but dynamic dish of potatoes, onions, bell peppers, tomatoes, and zucchini bathed in olive oil. We sliced our vegetables ¼ inch thick and strategically layered them in the dish, with potatoes serving as a sturdy base and tomatoes an attractive, browned top. Loosely covering the dish with a foil lid for the first 30 minutes of cooking allowed moisture to evaporate, hyperconcentrating the vegetables’ flavor; we then removed the foil, which encouraged browning, rendering the tomatoes on top slightly collapsed and caramelized but still moist and tender. Warm, room temperature, or chilled, our briam made for a satisfying vegetarian main course, especially when accompanied by crusty bread and a slice of feta cheese.