Best Moussaka Lamb Shanks Casserole Recipes

MOUSSAKA: EGGPLANT CASSEROLE

Steps:

• Salt the eggplant. Spread the eggplant slices in one layer and sprinkle with salt. Let set for 30 minutes to "sweat out" its bitterness.
• Turn the broiler of your oven on.
• Prepare a large sheet pan or two and brush with extra virgin olive oil. Pat the eggplant slices dry, removing excess salt, and assemble in one layer on the prepared pan. Brush generously with olive oil.
• Place the sheet pan about 6 inches away from the broiler. Broil the eggplant briefly, turning over so that both sides are softened and golden brown (do not worry if parts of the eggplant are slightly charred, but watch carefully so it doesn't burn). Remove from the oven and set aside.
• Prepare the meat sauce. Heat 2 tablespoons olive oil in a skillet. Cook the onions on medium heat until they turn slightly golden brown, stirring regularly (about 5 minutes). Now add the ground lamb. Cook the lamb until fully browned, tossing regularly. Drain the lamb from any excess fat and return to the skillet. Add the dried oregano, cinnamon, pepper, nutmeg, and hot paprika. Stir to coat the meat with the spices. Add the wine and boil for 1 minute to reduce. Stir in the canned tomatoes, sugar, and broth. Simmer over medium-low heat for 20 to 30 minutes.
• Meanwhile, heat the oven to 350 degrees F and work on the bechamel.
• Make the bechamel. In a large saucepan, heat the olive oil over medium-high heat until shimmering but not smoking. Stir in the flour, salt, and pepper. Cook until golden (if needed, added a little more olive oil). Gradually add the warmed milk, whisking continuously. Continue to cook, stirring occasionally, over medium heat for 5 to 7 minutes. Add the nutmeg. In a small bowl, whisk a small amount of the hot bechamel mixture with the 2 eggs. Then return all to the pan and stir into the bechamel mixture. Continue to stir or whisk the mixture bringing to a gentle boil for just 2 more minutes. Taste and adjust the seasoning. Remove from the heat and allow to cool and thicken a little more. (You should have a creamy, thick and smooth bechamel sauce.)
• Assemble the moussaka. When ready, lightly oil a 9 ½" x 13" oven-safe baking dish. Layer half the eggplant slices on the bottom. Add the meat sauce and spread well. Add the remaining eggplant slices. Pour the bechamel on top and spread to cover all the eggplant, then sprinkle with the bread crumbs.
• Bake. Bake the moussaka casserole on the center rack of the heated oven for 45 minutes. If you need to, transfer the baking pan to the top rack and broil briefly so that the top of the moussaka gains a nice golden brown color (watch carefully).
• Remove from the heat and let the casserole sit for 10 minutes before cutting through into squares to serve. Enjoy!

MOUSSAKA

Steps:

• For the lamb: Soak the currants in warm water for 30 minutes. Drain.
• Heat 1 tablespoon of the olive oil in a 6-quart saucepan over high heat. Add the lamb, cinnamon, ginger, allspice, cayenne, and salt and pepper and cook, stirring to break up the meat, until browned, about 5 minutes. Transfer the lamb to a large strainer set over a bowl and drain; discard any liquid left in the pan. Return the pan to the heat and add the remaining 3 tablespoons olive oil and heat until it begins to shimmer. Add the onions and bell pepper and cook until soft, about 5 minutes. Add the serrano and garlic and cook for 1 minute. Add the tomato paste and cook for 1 minute.
• Return the lamb to the pan, add the wine, and cook, stirring occasionally, until almost completely evaporated, about 5 minutes. Add the tomato puree and currants and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer until thickened, about 30 minutes. Stir in the parsley and oregano and season with salt and pepper and honey, if needed. Remove from the heat.
• For the eggplant: Heat the canola oil in a 12-inch skillet over medium-high heat. Season the eggplant slices on both sides with salt and pepper. Working in batches, add the eggplant slices and fry until tender and lightly golden brown on both sides, about 5 minutes. Transfer the eggplant slices to paper towels.
• For the bechamel: Melt the butter in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Add the flour and cook, whisking constantly, until pale and smooth, 2 minutes. Still whisking constantly, add the milk and bay leaf and cook until thickened. Season with salt, pepper, and nutmeg and discard the bay leaf. Let the sauce cool for 5 minutes. In a small bowl, whisk together the egg yolks, goat cheese, and lemon zest and whisk into the bechamel sauce until smooth.
• Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Butter a 3-quart baking dish or casserole dish.
• To assemble: Put half the eggplant slices in the dish and cover with half the meat sauce. Top the sauce with the remaining eggplant slices, and then the remaining meat sauce. Pour the bechamel over the top of the meat sauce and spread evenly with a rubber spatula. Sprinkle Romano evenly over the top, place the dish on a baking sheet, and bake until browned and bubbly, 45 to 50 minutes. Top with more chopped parsley, if desired. Let cool for at least 20 minutes before serving.

LAMB AND EGGPLANT CASSEROLE (MOUSSAKA)

Steps:

• To prepare the eggplant:
• 1. Place the eggplant in a colander, toss liberally with salt, and let sit for about 1 hour to drain away extra water. Squeeze out the excess water and pat dry with a kitchen towel.
• 2. In a large skillet over medium-high heat, add the olive oil. Working in batches, fry the eggplant slices, turning as necessary, until tender and light brown, 4 to 5 minutes total. Transfer the cooked slices to a rack set over a baking sheet to drain while you sauté the remaining eggplant. Set aside.
• To prepare the meat sauce:
• 1. In a large skillet over medium heat, add the olive oil. Add the onion to the pan and cook, stirring occasionally, until very tender, about 10 minutes. Add the ground meat and cook, stirring occasionally, until just browned, about 5 minutes.
• 2. Add the garlic, tomatoes, tomato paste, cloves, allspice, cinnamon, bay leaf, and 1/2 cup water and bring the liquids to a boil. Reduce the heat to medium-low, season with salt and pepper, and simmer, stirring occasionally, until most of the liquid has reduced and the sauce is very thick, about 30 minutes.
• 3. Add the red wine and continue simmering until the wine has reduced and developed a sweet aroma, 2 to 3 minutes. Remove and discard the bay leaf and cinnamon stick. Set the sauce aside.
• To prepare the cheese sauce:
• 1. In a medium saucepan over medium heat, melt the butter. Stir in the flour and whisk until it is dissolved and the mixture resembles a smooth paste, about 2 minutes.
• 2. Gradually whisk in the milk about 1 cup at a time, working out any lumps that form. Bring the sauce to a full boil, then reduce the heat to low and gently simmer, stirring frequently, until thickened, about 30 minutes. Remove the sauce from the heat. Season with nutmeg, salt, and pepper to taste.
• 3. In a medium bowl lightly beat the egg yolks. Whisk about 1 cup of the hot milk mixture into the yolks to bring them up to the same temperature. Slowly add the yolk mixture to the rest of the milk mixture, then add the cheese and blend well. Set aside and keep warm.
• To assemble the moussaka:
• 1. Preheat the oven to 350°F.
• 2. Scatter the breadcrumbs in a deep, rectangular baking dish. Arrange about half of the eggplant slices in an even layer over the breadcrumbs. Add all of the meat sauce over the eggplant and spread into an even layer. Arrange the remaining eggplant in an even layer over the meat sauce. Pour the cheese sauce over the eggplant.
• 3. Bake the moussaka until the cheese sauce is thick and golden brown and the eggplant is very tender, about 45 minutes. Let the moussaka rest for 25 minutes before serving.

PERSIAN-SPICED LAMB SHANKS

Steps:

• Trim any excess fat from lamb shanks and season generously with salt. Mix together the cinnamon, nutmeg, cardamom, rosebuds (if using), black pepper and turmeric. Sprinkle evenly over shanks and rub into meat. Let sit at room temperature at least an hour, or wrap and refrigerate overnight, then bring to room temperature.
• Place a Dutch oven or deep, heavy pot over medium-high heat and add oil to a depth of 1/2 inch. When oil is hot, add 2 lamb shanks and fry until nicely browned on all sides, about 5 minutes. Remove and set aside, then brown the 2 remaining shanks.
• Meanwhile, put saffron in a small bowl with lime juice, 2 teaspoons rosewater and 1/2 cup warm water. Let steep for 10 minutes. Heat oven to 350 degrees.
• Carefully remove all but 2 tablespoons oil from Dutch oven. Add chopped onion and cook over medium heat until softened and lightly colored, 8 to 10 minutes. Season onion with salt, then add lime zest, orange zest, thyme sprigs and bay leaves. Stir in saffron mixture. Lay in the lamb shanks and add the broth. Bring to a boil, then turn off heat and cover pot.
• Transfer pot to oven and bake for about 1 1/2 hours, covered, until meat is tender when probed and beginning to fall from the bone. Remove lamb shanks to a deep serving dish and keep warm. Strain braising juices through a fine-mesh sieve into a bowl, pressing with a wooden spoon to obtain all the liquid (discard thyme, bay leaves and onions). Skim fat, then taste and add salt if necessary. Add 1 more teaspoon rosewater, if desired. Reheat strained juices and pour over lamb shanks. Combine parsley, mint and reserved orange zest and sprinkle over top.
• Use a large spoon to break the tender shank meat into large chunks. Serve in low, wide soup plates, giving each portion a spoonful of the juices. Accompany with steamed Basmati rice, lavash flatbread or a loaf of crusty French bread.

MOUSSAKA

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 450°. Arrange potato and eggplant slices in 2 greased 15x10x1-in. baking pans, overlapping as needed. Bake until cooked through, 20 minutes. Set aside; reduce oven setting to 400°., In a large skillet, cook lamb, onion and garlic over medium heat until meat is no longer pink, 7-9 minutes, breaking into crumbles; drain. Stir in tomatoes, water, tomato paste, 1/4 teaspoon salt, oregano, paprika, cinnamon, and 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat; simmer, uncovered, 5 minutes., In a large saucepan, melt butter over medium heat. Stir in flour until smooth; gradually whisk in milk. Bring to a boil, stirring constantly; cook and stir until thickened, 2-3 minutes. Stir in remaining 1 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg., Arrange par-cooked potatoes in a greased 13x9-in. baking dish, overlapping as needed. Top with lamb mixture. Arrange eggplant over top, overlapping as needed. , Top with bechamel sauce. Sprinkle with mozzarella cheese. Bake, uncovered, until bubbly and golden brown, about 30 minutes. Let stand 20 minutes before serving.

MOUSSAKA-LAMB SHANKS CASSEROLE

Steps:

• For quicker cooking, less shrinkage and easier serving, crack bone in lamb shanks. Hit shank bone once with a heavy mallet. Take care only to crack, not splinter the bone.( It is not essential to do this, but it means more meat for your money.).
• In deep casserole, in olive oil brown lamb shanks. 2 or 3 at a time. Remove. Set aside. Add onion and garlic. Sauté until brown. Pour off surplus oil.
• Stir in undrained tomatoes, parsley, oregano,salt and pepper.Heat 5 minutes. Remove from casserole.
• Place half eggplant and potato slices in bottom of casserole. Add lamb shanks and tomato mixture. Top with remaining eggplant and tomato slices.
• Cover and bake at 375°F for 45 minutes. Remove cover. Bake 15 minutes longer or until meat and vegetables are tender.