Vegetables à la Grecque Recipe (2024)

By Tamar Adler

Vegetables à la Grecque Recipe (1)

Total Time
1 hour, plus marinating
Rating
5(50)
Notes
Read community notes

I wrote that I found these perfect — the ur-preserves — and then tasted them again. And I can only affirm it as a truth. They are richer than plain vinegar pickles, which lets them be their own hors d'oeuvre, in a small chilled bowl, with olives perhaps alongside. They are deeper tasting and more eloquent than crudité. They are piquant enough to awaken the appetite without sating it. I love them, and they are very simple to make.

Featured in: The Miracle of Preserves

  • or to save this recipe.

  • Subscriber benefit: give recipes to anyone

    As a subscriber, you have

    10 gift recipes to give each month. Anyone can view them - even nonsubscribers.

    Learn more.

    Subscribe

  • Print Options

    Include recipe photo

Advertisement

Ingredients

Yield:About 8 servings

  • 1cup good olive oil
  • ½cup white-wine vinegar
  • ¼cup red-wine vinegar
  • 4tablespoons good white wine
  • 4cups water
  • teaspoons iodized salt
  • 1tablespoon coriander seeds
  • 1tablespoon fennel seeds
  • 3teaspoons brown sugar
  • 2whole dried chilies
  • 2whole bay leaves
  • 1teaspoon saffron threads
  • A few whole branches fresh thyme
  • 1medium onion, halved vertically, then sliced vertically
  • 2cups thinly, vertically cut fennel
  • 6cups quartered cauliflower or flavorful mushrooms, like trumpets, king oysters and creminis (separated by type)
  • 2cups thinly, diagonally cut celery

Ingredient Substitution Guide

Nutritional analysis per serving (8 servings)

289 calories; 27 grams fat; 4 grams saturated fat; 0 grams trans fat; 20 grams monounsaturated fat; 3 grams polyunsaturated fat; 9 grams carbohydrates; 2 grams dietary fiber; 4 grams sugars; 2 grams protein; 707 milligrams sodium

Note: The information shown is Edamam’s estimate based on available ingredients and preparation. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.

Powered by

Vegetables à la Grecque Recipe (2)

Preparation

  1. In a pot, bring the liquids, spices and herbs to just below a boil.

  2. Step

    2

    Cook each vegetable, separated by type, in the seasoned liquid. Start with the onion, then fennel, then cauliflower or mushrooms, then celery. Cook each until it can be pierced with a knife and tastes delicious. As each batch is done, scoop it out with a slotted spoon or a hand-held sieve. Place on a cookie sheet to cool.

  3. Step

    3

    If spices or bits of herb stick to the vegetables, put what you can back in the pot and don’t worry about the rest — everything will marinate together, so things will redistribute. When all the vegetables are cooked, layer them in a 1-quart Mason jar — it looks nice if you do mushrooms, then onions and so on. Pour all of the cooking liquid over them, without straining. The olive oil in the liquid will rise to the top and create a seal.

  4. Step

    4

    Serve alone as an hors d’oeuvre, or as part of a salad, or on little buttered toasts. Or in an omelet. Or in a sandwich. Anywhere, really, but in a strawberry tart. Refrigerate for up to a month.

Ratings

5

out of 5

50

user ratings

Your rating

or to rate this recipe.

Have you cooked this?

or to mark this recipe as cooked.

Private Notes

Leave a Private Note on this recipe and see it here.

Cooking Notes

Brooke McGowen

How long does it have to marinate?

Margaret

Now, after making this tasty recipe, I believe it would be extremely unwise to process these vegetables in a water bath, in an attempt to "can" them for indefinite storage. While I didn't measure it, I am confident that the pH of the finished product is far too high (not acidic enough) to prevent the production of botulinum toxin under anaerobic conditions.

Tamar Adler

I'm sure the ratio is correct, but if yours didn't cover, I hope you added water and a bit more vinegar and adjusted seasoning accordingly, rather than let them shiver.

Yes, I used several jars.

Alicia

Since I can't follow a recipe, I shiftrf the proportions of oil and vinegar - tad less oil, tad more vinegar. I used Aleppo pepper instead of dried chilies. Also, I didn't have celery (what!?) on hand, so I used organic carrots. In any case, the recipe worked out wonderfully and filled two quart jars with veg and marinade. I used onion, fennel, cauliflower, and carrots. Even after one day of marinating this was delicious. I served them with freshly baked bread and they were popular!!

Tamar Adler

Hello. I used iodized salt because it is what I had. If you use kosher, it'll probably take a touch more, and you'll be able to tell easily by taste when you've gotten there.

Heather

You can leave them for a month, but they are good to go straight after cooking

April

So happy to find this recipe! I made it when it was published and loved!

susan

Is there a worthwhile substitute for the saffron? Or can it be omitted entirely without sacrificing flavor?

Clint

Question, Do I let the liquid cool first, or am I good to just pour the hot liquid over the veg? Don't want to end up with mush

Alicia

Since I can't follow a recipe, I shiftrf the proportions of oil and vinegar - tad less oil, tad more vinegar. I used Aleppo pepper instead of dried chilies. Also, I didn't have celery (what!?) on hand, so I used organic carrots. In any case, the recipe worked out wonderfully and filled two quart jars with veg and marinade. I used onion, fennel, cauliflower, and carrots. Even after one day of marinating this was delicious. I served them with freshly baked bread and they were popular!!

JR Baksdale

Are you sure the ratio of vegetables to liquid printed here is correct? I just made this and the liquid didn't cover the cauliflower, when cooking, and didn't come close to covering the finished vegetables. Neither was a 1 quart jar (even close to) big enough to hold it all - did you use several?

Tamar Adler

I'm sure the ratio is correct, but if yours didn't cover, I hope you added water and a bit more vinegar and adjusted seasoning accordingly, rather than let them shiver.

Yes, I used several jars.

inessa

why iodized salt in this case. I have not used it in YEARS. Only kosher or sea salt.

Tamar Adler

Hello. I used iodized salt because it is what I had. If you use kosher, it'll probably take a touch more, and you'll be able to tell easily by taste when you've gotten there.

Isabele

Do you need to put the jars to boil for 5-7 minutes afterwards as you would in canning?

Margaret

Not if you refrigerate and eat it within a month or so, as the recipe specifies. You should not expect to store this on a shelf at room temp. for a long period without proper canning in a hot water bath. (And I'm not sure how that would affect the texture!)

Margaret

Now, after making this tasty recipe, I believe it would be extremely unwise to process these vegetables in a water bath, in an attempt to "can" them for indefinite storage. While I didn't measure it, I am confident that the pH of the finished product is far too high (not acidic enough) to prevent the production of botulinum toxin under anaerobic conditions.

Tamar Adler

I'm with Margaret. They shouldn't be hot-water processed. These are much more like a sott'olio pickle. They will stay good in the refrigerator for at least a month. I admit, I just finished the first batch I made, for the column, which had a good deal longer than a month of age on them. I survived, and they were delicious.

Brooke McGowen

How long does it have to marinate?

Christine

it says a month

Heather

You can leave them for a month, but they are good to go straight after cooking

Amy

What's the answer??

Private notes are only visible to you.

Vegetables à la Grecque Recipe (2024)

FAQs

What does a la grecque mean in cooking? ›

The phrase à la grecque simply means a dish steamed with olive oil and aromatic herbs, usually with lemon. This recipe is best if prepared with very fresh mushrooms.

What does it mean if food is served a La grecque? ›

The culinary term à la Grecque (in the Greek style) has nothing directly to do with Greek food and belongs instead to fine French cuisine. It is usually applied to vegetables that have been simmered in a court bouillon of olive oil, lemon juice, garlic, herbs and spices, to be served cold as a salad.

What vegetables are used in Greek food? ›

What are typical vegetables used in Greek food? Tomatoes, bell peppers, olives, eggplant, zucchini, and cucumbers are all common vegetables found in Greece.

What does Ala Ala mean in French? ›

Borrowed from French, à la means “according to” or “in the manner of,” e.g., everyday, observational humor à la Jerry Seinfeld (as Jerry Seinfeld would make jokes). In cooking, à la refers to a way of preparing a dish, e.g., chicken à la provençale (as traditionally cooked in Provence).

What does the French word La cuisine mean in English? ›

1. kitchen. 2. cooking. la cuisine française French cooking.

What does a LA mean on a menu? ›

The term “à la carte” is derived from French, meaning “according to the card,” where “the card” refers to the menu. It describes a menu style where dishes are listed and priced separately, offering diners the liberty to compose their meal from an array of individual options rather than being confined to a pre-set menu.

How are meals served in Greece? ›

Lunch is the biggest meal of the day and served around 2 pm, always with salad and bread on the table. Dinner is leftovers from lunch or a light meal of cheese, bread, olives, or fruit. This is how I grew up eating with my aunts and dad in Greece and how they eat to this day.

What is dinner in France? ›

le diner (dinner): This meal consists of three courses: hors d'eouvre (introductory course), the main course, and a cheese or dessert course.

What is the most eaten vegetable in Greece? ›

Potatoes are probably the most widely eaten vegetable in Greece and found in a number of stews.

What are 5 vegetables grown in Greece? ›

Potatoes, onions, spring onions, garlic, leeks*, carrots*, cabbages, cauliflowers, lettuce, broccoli, aubergines (egg plant), peas, green beans, white beans, radishes, cucumbers, courgettes (zucchini), beetroot, various melons, a variety of green-leaf plants known generically as “horta” (vlita, stamnagathi), peppers, ...

What are 5 main foods the Greeks ate? ›

The Ancient Greeks would eat eggs from quail and hens, fish, legumes, olives, cheeses, bread, figs, and any vegetables they could grow, which might include arugula, asparagus, cabbage, carrots and cucumbers.

What does French mean in cooking terms? ›

Meaning of Frenching in English

the action of preparing a piece of meat for cooking by removing meat from the end of the bone: Frenching gives a rack of lamb a clean look for an elegant meal. Fewer examples. Frenching added a refined touch to the ribs. Frenching referred to trimming the meat off the shanks of chops.

What is the meaning of cooking in French? ›

noun. la cuisine fem. I like cooking. J'aime bien faire la cuisine.

What is the masculine of grecque? ›

Summary. The French translation for “greek (masculine)” is grec.

What is supreme in French culinary terms? ›

The term supreme (also spelled suprême) used in cooking and culinary arts refers to the best part of the food. For poultry, game and fish dishes, supreme denotes a fillet.

References

Top Articles
Latest Posts
Recommended Articles
Article information

Author: Domingo Moore

Last Updated:

Views: 6112

Rating: 4.2 / 5 (73 voted)

Reviews: 80% of readers found this page helpful

Author information

Name: Domingo Moore

Birthday: 1997-05-20

Address: 6485 Kohler Route, Antonioton, VT 77375-0299

Phone: +3213869077934

Job: Sales Analyst

Hobby: Kayaking, Roller skating, Cabaret, Rugby, Homebrewing, Creative writing, amateur radio

Introduction: My name is Domingo Moore, I am a attractive, gorgeous, funny, jolly, spotless, nice, fantastic person who loves writing and wants to share my knowledge and understanding with you.