Moussaka

Greek Tragedy…

This traditional Greek peasant dish was a popular choice for dinner parties in the early eighties & tragically has somewhat gone out of fashion. My recollection & that of more than one friend is of making it with the inclusion of an additional layer of sliced parboiled potatoes. The overall costing works out a little on the expensive side as aubergines are almost considered a “luxury” item in Irish supermarkets but if you are lucky enough to be making it somewhere that aubergines are in seasonal abundance it will work out a little more economical… J J

Ingredients & Costing…
Minced Beef or Lamb x 450gm	2.89
Aubergine x 3 medium	2.79
Spanish Onion x 1 sliced	0.33
Fat Clove of Garlic Crushed x 2	0.10
Plum Tomatoes x 400gm tin	0.37
Tomato Puree x 2 heaped tblsp	0.20
Red Wine x 100ml	0.53
Ground Cinnamon x 1 heaped tsp	0.05
Cumin Seeds x 1 level tsp	0.05
Olive Oil	0.10
Maldon Sea Salt	0.05
Freshly Ground Black Pepper	0.05
Topping Sauce
Butter x 75gm	0.36
Plain Flour x 75gm	0.05
Milk x 600ml	0.56
Cheddar Cheese x 30gm grated	0.25
Parmesan Cheese x 30gm grated	0.56
Eggs x 2 free range	0.54
Freshly Grated Nutmeg	0.05
6 Hearty Portions	€9.88

It Couldn’t be easier…
æ Slice the aubergine into 1cm rounds, sprinkle with a little salt before placing them in a colander, to aid the extraction of their bitter juices place a heavy weight on top of them. Leave to stand for at least half an hour then drain & pat them dry with kitchen paper
æ Meanwhile in a heavy based pan fry the onions & crushed garlic in some olive oil until translucent, add the minced beef & fry until brown. Stir in the ground cinnamon, cumin seeds & fry for 1 minute, add the tomato puree, chopped tomatoes, wine & some seasoning. Ensure all ingredients are mixed thoroughly & leave to simmer for approximately 40 minutes, check seasoning & adjust as required
æ In another heavy based pan heat some olive oil & shallow fry the aubergine rounds until golden on each side – the oil should be quite hot but not smoking as this will help “seal” the rounds preventing them from soaking up too much oil. Remove from pan & stack on kitchen paper to drain until required
æ Melt the butter in a heavy based saucepan & add the flour mixing well to form a roux, gradually add the milk stirring well to ensure there are no lumps, when all the milk is incorporated add the grated cheddar, parmesan, nutmeg & season well to taste. Allow to cool, just before topping the casserole whisk the eggs together then whisk them into the sauce
æ To assemble the casserole place a layer of aubergine in the base of an ovenproof dish, top with half the minced beef mixture then another layer of aubergine, repeat with the remainder of the minced beef mixture finishing with a layer of aubergine. Finally top with the sauce, place on the centre shelf of a pre heated oven (gas mark 4) & cook for 1 hour until golden & the topping is risen & set. Delicious served with a crisp Greek Salad


Add or Subtract for Vegetarian & Variations…
To make a delicious vegetarian version simply omit the minced beef stage & replace it with the lentil filling from the Pancakes Stuffed, Red Lentils  post. A layer of parboiled potatoes or sweet potato can be added to either version for another variation, as always the possibilities are endless … J J