Moussaka (Say it Again . . . Moussaka)

When I started gardening, I found myself with a plethora of eggplant. Unlike cucumbers, peppers, and tomatoes, my purple vegetables are harder to give away. People don't like it or don't know what to do with it. (If you THINK you don't like it, please try Aunt Peggy's Eggplant Parmesan.) Dan also brought me five pound of ground lamb from his processor, so I found this recipe for my eggplant surplus. It's a Greek grandmother's lasagna, and if you're going to do it right, it's just as time intensive, but worth it. It also "freezes beautifully." At the end of the summer, I make a pan of it, let it cool, then cut it into cubes to freeze and have all winter. The recipe is from a website that shares many authentic Greek recipes. I've returned to it for the easiest homemade pita, souvlaki, and the best taziki I've ever had.

My guess from her measurements is that she is British. The recipe below is how I do it. If you don't like lamb, you can use ground beef, but I suggest starting half and half. If you think you don't like lamb, this recipe will change your mind on lamb and eggplant. And I can't say enough about this bechamel and how it sets up.

2 eggplants

4 large potatoes

1 lb. ground lamb OR ground beef OR 1/2 lb. of each

1 red onion

2 cloves of garlic

1 15 oz. can of whole tomatoes

2 T tomato paste

1 tsp sugar

1/2 cup of red wine (especially if you are using lamb but you can use beef broth)

Salt and Pepper to taste

1 bay leaf

3 whole cloves

1 cinnamon stick

1/4 cup olive oil

3 1/2 cups whole milk

1 stick of butter

1/2 cup flour

Pinch of nutmeg

2 egg yolks

1/2 cup parmesan cheese

Salt (to taste AFTER adding Parmesan!)

~ Prep eggplants and potatoes. You have two options here. Roast or fry. I have done both. I actually prefer them roasted:

~ Slice eggplant first so you can salt them and reduce moisture.

~ Slice them in rounds, salt, let rest on paper towels for 30 minutes. You do not need to peel them!

~ Peel and slice potatoes. Lightly coat with olive oil. Roast in oven at 400 degrees until browning.

~ Remove potatoes and roast eggplant till just browned. (See pics above.)

~ Set eggplant and potatoes aside and prepare meat sauce.

~ Heat olive oil on medium high and finely dice red onion.

~ Saute onion till just tender and add a tsp of sugar.

~ Add lamb/beef/or combination and brown till there is NO pink.

~ Mince garlic cloves and add with tomato paste.

~ After garlic and tomato paste are throughly mixed through meat and onions, add red wine and deglaze the fond on the bottom of the pan.

~ Now add tomatoes with the juices, bay leaf, cloves, cinnamon stick, salt and pepper. (I usually use garlic salt.)

~ Break up the tomatoes as you bring mixture to a boil.

~ Bring to a boil, then lower to simmer for 30 minutes to thicken.

~ Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

~ For bechamel, melt the stick of butter. Once melted, add the flour and stir for at least one minute.

~ Slowly whisk in milk (It helps if you nuke the milk for one minute before hand.).

~ Once the roux is thickened, take it off the heat and constantly whisk in the two egg yolks, nutmeg, and most of the parmesan cheese. Reserve some to sprinkle over the top of the dish at the end.

~ At this point, taste the bechamel. It may be salty enough with the parmesan, but add salt to taste.

~ Take a spoonful of the bechamel and add it to the meat sauce when both are done. (The bechamel will help thicken the meat sauce even more. You want layers!)

~ Grease a 9x13 Pyrex dish and layer all the potatoes, all the eggplant, all the meat sauce, then all the bechamel. ~ Sprinkle with reserved parmesan.

~ Bake at 350 degrees for one hour. Top will be brown and bubbly.

~ Let cool for thirty minutes so layers set up. (Or it will be runny like in the last pic above.)

Gracious, now I want a piece. Oh wait! There's some in the freezer!

(To freeze, let it cool completely (at least an hour). Cut into cubes, place in freezer safe containers. OR flash freeze on a sheet pan and then put all the cubes in a Ziploc bag!)