Post by Cherry on Aug 10, 2012 6:26:01 GMT
2 large (about 1.2kg) aubergines
coarse cooking salt
1/4 cup (60ml) olive oil
2 tablespoons olive oil, extra
2 medium onions, chopped
2 cloves garlic, crushed
1kg minced lamb
425g can tomatoes
2 tablespoons tomato paste
1/2 cup (125ml) dry red wine
2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
1 teaspoon sugar
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
salt, pepper
1/2 cup (20g) grated parmesan cheese
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
Cheese Sauce
125g butter
2/3 cup (100g) plain flour
1 litre (4 cups) milk
1/2 cup (40) grated parmesan cheese
2 eggs
1. Cut eggplants into 5mm slices, sprinkle with salt, stand 20 minutes. Rinse eggplants under cold water; drain, pat dry with absorbent paper.
Place eggplant slices in single layer on lightly greased oven trays. Brush with oil, grill on both sides until lightly browned; drain on absorbent paper.
2. Heat extra oil in pan, add onion and garlic, cook stirring, until onion is soft. Add mince, cook, stirring, until mince is browned. Add undrained crushed tomatoes, paste, wine, parsley, sugar and cinnamon with salt and pepper to taste, simmer covered, 30 minutes.
3. Grease ovenproof dish (2.5 litre/10 cup capacity). Line dish with 1/3 of the eggplant, top with half the meat sauce, then half the remaining eggplant, remaining meat sauce and remaining eggplant.
4. Spread cheese sauce over eggplant, sprinkle with cheese and nutmeg. Bake, uncovered, in moderate oven about 45 minutes or until lightly browned.
5. Cheese Sauce: Melt butter in pan, stir in flour, stir over heat until bubbling. Remove from heat, stir in cheese, cool slightly, stir in eggs; mix until smooth.
Serves 6
Recipe can be made a day ahead.
Storage: Covered, in refigerator.
Freeze: Suitable.
Microwave: Not suitable.
MY TIPS:
I left out the parmesan cheese and nutmeg from the ingredients list and put the nutmeg in the cheese sauce. Feta cheese, roughly crushed, was put last on the top of the moussaka.
I never make cheese sauce this way. I put the milk, flour and a little butter (after all, it gets cheese), and beat it with a whisk for the whole of the cooking time until it bubbles and then I know the flour is cooked out. I would only get lumpy sauce if I made it as a roux.
I don't usually fuss with salting and rinsing aubergine slices if they are young fresh vegetables. There is no bitterness in the varieties these days. Mine were put in the oven because I used zucchini and lightly cooked potato. I like it this way.
ESTHER'S TIP:
Please read down further to see Esther's brilliant easy topping which would suit a small size moussaka.
coarse cooking salt
1/4 cup (60ml) olive oil
2 tablespoons olive oil, extra
2 medium onions, chopped
2 cloves garlic, crushed
1kg minced lamb
425g can tomatoes
2 tablespoons tomato paste
1/2 cup (125ml) dry red wine
2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
1 teaspoon sugar
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
salt, pepper
1/2 cup (20g) grated parmesan cheese
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
Cheese Sauce
125g butter
2/3 cup (100g) plain flour
1 litre (4 cups) milk
1/2 cup (40) grated parmesan cheese
2 eggs
1. Cut eggplants into 5mm slices, sprinkle with salt, stand 20 minutes. Rinse eggplants under cold water; drain, pat dry with absorbent paper.
Place eggplant slices in single layer on lightly greased oven trays. Brush with oil, grill on both sides until lightly browned; drain on absorbent paper.
2. Heat extra oil in pan, add onion and garlic, cook stirring, until onion is soft. Add mince, cook, stirring, until mince is browned. Add undrained crushed tomatoes, paste, wine, parsley, sugar and cinnamon with salt and pepper to taste, simmer covered, 30 minutes.
3. Grease ovenproof dish (2.5 litre/10 cup capacity). Line dish with 1/3 of the eggplant, top with half the meat sauce, then half the remaining eggplant, remaining meat sauce and remaining eggplant.
4. Spread cheese sauce over eggplant, sprinkle with cheese and nutmeg. Bake, uncovered, in moderate oven about 45 minutes or until lightly browned.
5. Cheese Sauce: Melt butter in pan, stir in flour, stir over heat until bubbling. Remove from heat, stir in cheese, cool slightly, stir in eggs; mix until smooth.
Serves 6
Recipe can be made a day ahead.
Storage: Covered, in refigerator.
Freeze: Suitable.
Microwave: Not suitable.
MY TIPS:
I left out the parmesan cheese and nutmeg from the ingredients list and put the nutmeg in the cheese sauce. Feta cheese, roughly crushed, was put last on the top of the moussaka.
I never make cheese sauce this way. I put the milk, flour and a little butter (after all, it gets cheese), and beat it with a whisk for the whole of the cooking time until it bubbles and then I know the flour is cooked out. I would only get lumpy sauce if I made it as a roux.
I don't usually fuss with salting and rinsing aubergine slices if they are young fresh vegetables. There is no bitterness in the varieties these days. Mine were put in the oven because I used zucchini and lightly cooked potato. I like it this way.
ESTHER'S TIP:
Please read down further to see Esther's brilliant easy topping which would suit a small size moussaka.
...there should be a few aubergines to pick by then 
