MOUSSAKA - GREEK CASSEROLE
This is my mom's recipe :-D Ground lamb is my choice but it's ok to substitute ground beef. I don't like potatoes in my moussaka so I leave them out all together, and it cuts down on overall time I have to spend in the kitchen. You can add them to your dish if you'd like, THEY ARE OPTIONAL, so I included them here. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Check out the Moussaka potato debate here in the Greek Forum: http://www.recipezaar.com/bb/viewtopic.zsp?t=219564
Provided by ThatSouthernBelle
Categories Lamb/Sheep
Time 3h30m
Yield 12-14 serving(s)
Number Of Ingredients 25
Steps:
- Potatoes:.
- Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.
- Toss the potatoes with the olive oil in a large bowl.
- Put them in a single layer on a baking sheet and season to taste.
- Roast until soft and starting to brown, about 35 minutes.
- Béchamel Sauce:.
- In a medium saucepan melt the butter over medium heat.
- Add flour and cook, stirring, about 2 minutes until it starts bubbling but does not color.
- Gradually whisk in the hot milk.
- Continue whisking for about 6 to 8 minutes until it thickens.
- Season with salt, pepper and nutmeg.
- Put the eggs in a large bowl.
- Whisk the béchamel sauce into the eggs.
- Continue whisking for a few minutes until the béchamel has cooled slightly (enough so that the eggs won't curdle).
- Cover bowl with plastic wrap.
- Make sure to place wrap directly on the surface of the sauce so a skin does not form.
- Set aside.
- Lamb:.
- Heat oil in a large, heavy-bottomed pot over medium-high heat.
- Add lamb and sauté until cooked through, breaking up with back of spoon, about 6 minutes.
- Add onion and garlic and sauté until tender, about 6 minutes.
- Add wine, cayenne pepper, and oregano and cook 2 minutes.
- Stir in cinnamon, tomatoes, tomato paste and nutmeg.
- Reduce heat to medium.
- Cover and simmer until sauce is very thick and reduced to about 6 cups, stirring occasionally, about 60-70 minutes.
- Season to taste with salt and pepper. Meanwhile, preheat the grill on medium-high heat.
- Brush the eggplant slices with oil and season with salt and pepper.
- Grill until cooked through and golden, about 2 minutes per side.
- Set aside.
- To Assemble:.
- Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.
- Coat a 14x10x2-inch glass baking dish with oil.
- Arrange potatoes in bottom of dish.
- Arrange half of eggplant slices over potatoes.
- Pour half of lamb sauce over.
- Arrange another layer of eggplant slices on top.
- Pour remaining sauce over.
- Pour béchamel sauce over moussaka, covering completely.
- Bake moussaka uncovered until bubbling around edges, about 1 hour or until topping is softly set and browned.
- Transfer baking dish to rack and let rest 20 minutes before slicing.
Nutrition Facts : Calories 501.6, Fat 31.3, SaturatedFat 13.6, Cholesterol 180, Sodium 427.1, Carbohydrate 36.5, Fiber 5.9, Sugar 9.4, Protein 19.5
REALLY EASY GREEK MOUSSAKA CASSEROLE
Moussaka is a great Middle Eastern/Mediterranean casserole made with eggplant, a vegetable perfectly suited to absorbing and tasting like the other ingredients in a recipe, and topped with a rich, creamy/cheesy Bechamel sauce. Usually moussaka is layered, kind of like lasagna, but this recipe opts for simplicity and ease of cooking mixing the sauce together. You can opt to make the meat sauce ahead, and then freeze/thaw and finish the moussaka by making the bechamel sauce, if you need to crunch time.
Provided by PalatablePastime
Categories Lamb/Sheep
Time 1h50m
Yield 8-10 serving(s)
Number Of Ingredients 25
Steps:
- Peel and slice eggplant, and slice into pieces 1/2 inch thick; sprinkle with sea salt and allow to sit and drain in a colander. Rinse eggplant with water; pat dry and mince.
- Cook lamb and onion in olive oil in a large nonstick skillet until meat is browned. Add potato, garlic, salt, pepper, cinnamon and nutmeg, cooking until potato is browned. Add tomatoes, tomato paste and vinegar along with water and cook until potato is done, then place in a large casserole dish or lasagna pan.
- Add more oil to nonstick skillet, and cook eggplant in two batches, until browned and tender, adding 1/2 cup dry red wine at the end of each cooking cycle and allowing the wine to cook in and absorb.
- Mix together cooked eggplant with sauce in pan, and spread evenly.
- Add butter to skillet along with flour and whisk into a roux; add milks and seasonings, and cook, stirring, until thickened. astir in cheese and remove from heat.
- Add 1/2 cup bechamel sauce to the eggs, whisking quickly to temper them and keep them from scrambling in the bechamel sauce, then add egg/sauce mixture to the bechamel sauce and finish whisking.
- Spread bechamel sauce over meat sauce.
- Bake moussaka uncovered for 35-40 minutes at 350°F or until bechamel sauce is set.
- Allow casserole to rest about 15 minutes before serving (I serve the salad course while waiting).
Nutrition Facts : Calories 689.4, Fat 49.4, SaturatedFat 23.3, Cholesterol 171.7, Sodium 2260.9, Carbohydrate 30.4, Fiber 3.5, Sugar 4.8, Protein 27
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