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[color:"blue"]MOUSSAKA[/color]

Here is a great recipe for moussaka, a Greek dish. It includes sliced eggplant baked in a ground lamb sauce and then smothered in a thin white sauce.


INGREDIENTS:
3 eggplants, peeled and cut lengthwise into 1/2 inch thick slices, salt
1 tablespoon butter
1 pound lean ground lamb (or beef, I prefer lamb)
2 onions, chopped
1 clove garlic, minced
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon fines herbs
2 tablespoons dried parsley
1/2 cup butter
1 (8 ounce) can tomato sauce
1/2 cup red wine
1 egg, beaten
1/4 cup olive oil
1 1/2 cups freshly grated Parmesan cheese
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/2 cup butter
6 tablespoons all-purpose flour
4 cups hot milk
salt to taste
ground white pepper, to taste


DIRECTIONS: (pre-heat oven to 350F)
1) Lay the slices of eggplant on paper towels, sprinkle lightly with salt, and set aside for 30 minutes to draw out the moisture. Then in a skillet over high heat, heat the olive oil. Quickly fry the eggplant until browned. Set aside on paper towels to drain.
2) In a large skillet over medium heat, melt the butter and add the ground beef, salt and pepper to taste, onions, and garlic. After the lamb is browned, sprinkle in the cinnamon, nutmeg, fines herbs and parsley. Pour in the tomato sauce and wine, and mix well. Simmer for 20 minutes. Allow to cool, and then stir in beaten egg.
3) To make the bechamel sauce, begin by scalding the milk in a saucepan. Melt the butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Whisk in flour until smooth. Lower heat; gradually pour in the hot milk, whisking constantly until it thickens. Season with salt, and white pepper.
4) Arrange a layer of eggplant in a greased 9x13 inch baking dish. Cover eggplant with all of the meat mixture, and then sprinkle 1/2 cup of Parmesan cheese over the meat. Cover with remaining eggplant, and sprinkle another 1/2 cup of cheese
5) Pour bechmel mixture over all.

Bake for about an hour or until browned and bubbly...

Brian--Sorry, something's missing or I'm not reading it right--when do you put the bechamel sauce on???

AH... I'll ammend the recipe... it goes on last!

OK, thanks.

Ya... I noticed a couple things missing...
I never really follow the recipe verbatim, and just know what to do...
Then I forget some steps when I write it down...
Thanks for keeping me honest...

This recipe is a fair amount of work, but it's well worth the effort, and the leftovers are even better!
It does make a lot of food, a few nights for Deb & I...

FYI... this is the basic recipe I got from the chef at The Hellenic Snack Bar & Restaurant in East Marion, LI...
I left out the potatos, It's better without them...
Martha Stewart did a show about it (the restaurant) about 10 years ago or so...

How well does it freeze?? I hate having the same thing more than two days in a row..

It freezes well... but I would use it within a few weeks of freezing...
As with most frozen casseroles, Not something I would use after more than two-three months frozen, tops...
most casseroles, in my experience, tend to get freezer burn quickly...
one of those vaccuum bag thingys would probably help here though... we don't have one...

One thing you can do, make the whole recipe, and split it into two small (high walled) aluminum pans...
You could even do individual portions in those small loaf pans...
and freeze the second one BEFORE cooking in the oven... seal it well with foil, then saran wrap, then in a ziplock freezer bag...
Just let the frozen one(s) thaw to room temp. before you cook it at 350F until browned and bubbly...

That sounds like a winner! Maybe I will do that. I would like to try that recipe.

I love Moussaka, but it is definately a Fall/Winter recipe...
The flavors are for those seasons, kind of earthy... not Spring/Fall IMO...

I have discovered since I live in Florida now, if I wait for cooler weather, I don't eat half the things I used to eat! <img src="http://www.traveltalkonline.com/forums/images/graemlins/Grin.gif" alt="" />

Yepr... most recipes have their own seasons...
I couldn't make the Beer Beef Stew in NJ in July! That's for sure!
although, I can eat anything made with peaches (fresh or canned or brandied) any time fo the year!

Have a Greek friend who used to make Moussaka for me all the time. But I hate eggplant, so she substituted sliced potatoe instead. YUMMY!

Huhm, now there's a thought! Not real crazy about eggplant myself..

Potato sounds good, but definately not Moussaka!
I believe there is another name for that recipe, which escapes me now...
We love eggplant, I make eggplant rolatini's too...
Eggplant with ricotta rolled inside, and tomato sauce & mozzarella over the top...
You could also make the Moussaka with zucchini sliced lengthwise... it would be close...

I also make a lasagne, with eggplant replacing the pasta... yummm... with a homemade sausage meat sauce...