Jamie Oliver Moussaka Food

BEAUTIFUL VEGGIE MOUSSAKA

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 180ºC/350ºF/gas 4.
• Just cover the porcini with boiling water, then set aside to rehydrate.
• Peel and finely slice the onions and garlic, then place in a large pan over a medium-low heat with 1 tablespoon of oil. Strip in the rosemary and sage leaves and add 1 teaspoon of dried oregano.
• Roughly chop the porcini (reserving the soaking liquor) and add to the pan, then fry for 10 minutes, or until softened, stirring occasionally. Turn the heat up to high, then add the wine and let it bubble and cook away.
• Stir in the chickpeas (juice and all), lentils and 2 bay leaves. Scrunch in the tomatoes through your clean hands, then pour in the porcini soaking liquor (discarding just the last gritty bit).
• Season with sea salt and black pepper, bring to the boil, then simmer on a low heat for 1 hour, or until thickened and reduced, stirring occasionally.
• Trim the aubergines and peel with a speed-peeler, leaving a little of the skin to create a stripy effect, then slice into 1cm-thick rounds. Place in a colander, sprinkle with a good pinch of salt and leave in the sink to drain (the salt will draw out the moisture).
• Peel the potatoes and slice into rough 1cm rounds, then parboil in a pan of boiling salted water for 5 minutes. Drain and leave to steam dry, then place in a large, deep roasting tray (30cm x 40cm).
• Season, drizzle with oil and scatter over 1 heaped tablespoon of dried oregano. Toss well to coat, then roast in a single layer for 30 to 40 minutes, or until golden and tender.
• Meanwhile, rinse the aubergines and pat dry with kitchen paper, then spread out across a few large roasting trays.
• Drizzle with oil, season with pepper and oregano, then roast alongside the potatoes for 30 to 40 minutes, or until golden and cooked through.
• Warm the milk with the remaining 2 bay leaves and the peppercorns in a pan on a medium-low heat - keep an eye on it. Before it boils, strain into a jug, then wipe out the pan and return to a medium heat.
• Melt the butter, then stir in the flour to form a paste. Start adding the hot milk, a splash at a time, stirring in each addition before adding more, until you have a smooth, creamy sauce.
• Crumble in one-third of the feta and grate in one-third of the kefalotyri, then simmer over a low heat for a further 5 minutes, or until thick and smooth. Leave to cool slightly.
• To assemble, spoon half the ragù over the tray of potatoes, then layer half the aubergines on top. Repeat with the remaining ragù and aubergines.
• Separate the eggs (saving the whites for another recipe). Whisk the yolks into the sauce, then pour over the aubergines. Crumble and grate over the remaining cheese, drizzle with oil, and bake for 40 minutes, or until golden.
• Leave to stand for 30 minutes, then serve. Great with a Greek salad.

EASY MOUSSAKA

Steps:

• Boil the potatoes whole for 20 mins or just until tender. Drain and allow to cool.
• Return the pan to the heat and add 2 tbsp olive oil and the onion. Cook until softened, then add the lamb. Fry the mince for 5 mins or until cooked through and starting to char. Add the garlic and spice, and stir in the passata. Bring to a simmer, then season to taste, take off the heat and set aside until needed.
• Heat oven to 220C/200C fan/gas 7. Warm a griddle pan over a high heat and brush a little oil over the aubergines. Grill for 2-3 mins each side or until char lines appear. You may have to do this in 3-4 batches.
• Once cool enough to handle, cut the boiled potatoes into thick slices. Put 1 tbsp oil in the base of a deep ovenproof dish and start with a layer of potatoes, then aubergines, a sprinkling of seasoning, then a layer of the lamb mixture. Repeat until all the mixture is used up, ending with a layer of aubergines. Spread the crème fraîche over the top and scatter with the cheese. Put in the oven for 10 mins or until the cheese is golden.

MOUSSAKA

Steps:

• Lay the slices of eggplant on paper towels, sprinkle lightly with salt, and set aside for 30 minutes to draw out the moisture. Then in a skillet over high heat, heat the olive oil. Quickly fry the eggplant until browned. Set aside on paper towels to drain.
• In a large skillet over medium heat, melt the butter and add the ground beef, salt and pepper to taste, onions, and garlic. After the beef is browned, sprinkle in the cinnamon, nutmeg, fines herbs and parsley. Pour in the tomato sauce and wine, and mix well. Simmer for 20 minutes. Allow to cool, and then stir in beaten egg.
• To make the bechamel sauce, begin by scalding the milk in a saucepan. Melt the butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Whisk in flour until smooth. Lower heat; gradually pour in the hot milk, whisking constantly until it thickens. Season with salt, and white pepper.
• Arrange a layer of eggplant in a greased 9x13 inch baking dish. Cover eggplant with all of the meat mixture, and then sprinkle 1/2 cup of Parmesan cheese over the meat. Cover with remaining eggplant, and sprinkle another 1/2 cup of cheese on top. Pour the bechamel sauce over the top, and sprinkle with the nutmeg. Sprinkle with the remaining cheese.
• Bake for 1 hour at 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).

MY VEGGIE MOUSSAKA

Steps:

• Cover the porcini with 300ml of boiling water. Peel and finely slice the onions and garlic.
• Drizzle 2 tablespoons of oil into a large casserole pan over a medium-low heat, add the cinnamon and fry for 1 minute, then add the onion and garlic.
• Pick in the oregano leaves, pour in the vinegar, then simmer with the lid on for 20 minutes, or until soft and lightly golden, stirring regularly.
• Meanwhile, slice the aubergines lengthways 1cm thick, then chargrill in batches on a griddle pan.
• Scrub the potatoes and slice just under ½cm thick, then add to the casserole pan with just the porcini water, reserving the mushrooms.
• Scrunch the tomatoes into the pan, then pour in 1 tin's worth of water and stir thoroughly. Pop the lid on and leave to tick away on a medium heat for 50 minutes, or until tender, stirring regularly and removing the lid for the last 5 minutes.
• Preheat the oven to 200°C/400°F/gas 6.
• Place the mushrooms in a blender with half the feta and the eggs. Pour in the milk, finely grate in half the nutmeg, then whiz until smooth.
• Season the tomato sauce to perfection with sea salt and black pepper, then spoon half into a 25cm x 35cm baking dish. Cover with half the aubergines, drizzle over 4 tablespoons of creamy sauce, then repeat, finishing with the remaining creamy sauce.
• Crumble over the rest of the feta, cover with tin foil, then bake for 50 minutes, or until golden and bubbling, removing the foil for the last 15 minutes. Leave to stand for 15 minutes before serving.
• Delicious served with a simple lemony dressed green salad.

GREEK-STYLE MOUSSAKA

Steps:

• Preheat the oven at 200C/180C Fan/Gas 6.
• For the lamb sauce, heat two teaspoons of the oil in a pan. Add the onions and garlic and fry until just beginning to brown. Add the minced lamb and fry over a high heat for 3-4 minutes. Add the wine, tomatoes, cinnamon and oregano and simmer gently for 30-40 minutes while you make everything else.
• Slice the stalks off the aubergines and cut them lengthways into 5mm/¼in slices. Heat a frying pan until it is jumping hot, add one tablespoon of the oil and a layer of aubergine slices and fry quickly until tender and lightly coloured on each side. Lift out with tongs (every kitchen should have some!), layer over the base of a 2.5-2.75 litre/4 ½-5 pint shallow ovenproof dish and season lightly with a little salt and pepper. Repeat with the rest of oil and aubergines and seasoning each layer as you go.
• For the topping, melt the butter in a non-stick pan, add the flour and cook over a medium heat for one minute to cook out the flour. Gradually beat in the milk, bring to the boil, stirring, and leave to simmer very gently for 10 minutes, giving it a stir every now and then. Stir in the cheese and some salt and pepper to taste. Cool slightly and then beat in the eggs.
• Remove the cinnamon stick from the lamb sauce, season to taste with some salt and pepper and spoon it over the top of the aubergines. Pour over the topping and bake for 25-30 minutes until the top is golden-brown and bubbling.

GREEK MOUSSAKA RECIPE

Steps:

• Spray a 9 X 13-inch baking dish with nonstick cooking spray. Preheat oven to 425 degrees.
• Prepare Eggplant: Slice eggplant into 1/2 inch thick rounds. Sprinkle each side lightly with salt and place in a colander set on a plate for 20 minutes. Pat slices with paper towels to remove any excess moisture. Brush 1-2 baking sheets with olive oil. Arrange eggplant slices in a single layer on baking sheets, then brush the tops of slices with a thin layer of olive oil. Roast in preheated oven 15-20 minutes or until the eggplant is soft and beginning to brown. Set aside. Reduce oven temperature to 400 degrees.
• Make Tomato Meat Sauce: In a large skillet, heat the butter over medium heat. Add the onion and garlic and cook until they begin to soften about 5 minutes. Add beef or lamb, stirring to break up the meat. Add the allspice, cinnamon, nutmeg, sugar, salt, pepper, and oregano. Cook until the meat is browned and there is no longer any pink in the meat. Drain off any excess fat. Add the wine and cook until it's almost completely evaporated. Add the tomato paste and tomato sauce and cook on low until the sauce has thickened, about 20 minutes. Set aside.
• Make Cheese Sauce: Warm the milk in a small saucepan over medium heat until it's simmering. In a medium sauce, melt the butter over medium heat. Whisk in the flour and continue to cook, stirring constantly, for 2 minutes. Whisk in the warm milk, stirring often, and cook until 5-7 minutes until the sauce is smooth and thick. Stir in nutmeg, salt, pepper and Parmesan cheese. Cool sauce for 10 minutes. Slowly whisk in eggs and set aside.
• Assemble: Arrange half of the eggplant slices in the prepared baking dish and pour half of the tomato meat sauce on top. Repeat a second layer of eggplant and the remaining tomato meat sauce. Pour the cheese sauce over the tomato meat sauce and sprinkle the remaining Parmesan cheese evenly over the top.
• Place baking dish on a rimmed baking sheet. Bake in preheat oven (temperature should be at 400 degrees) for 50-60 minutes and Moussaka bubbly and the top is browned.

MOUSSAKA

Steps:

• Prepare Eggplant:.
• First, peel eggplant and cut into 6mm (1/4") slices. (You can leave the peel on if you wish, or compromise and peel off alternate strips giving a striped effect.).
• Sprinkle both sides of eggplant slices with salt and place into a colander.
• Place colander over a saucepan or bowl, put a plate on top of the eggplant in the colander, and weigh it down by placing some cans of food on top. Leave for about an hour so that excess liquid drains from the eggplant.
• Prepare Tomato Sauce:.
• In the meantime, make tomato sauce. Place 2 tablespoons of oil in a frying pan and place over medium heat.
• Cook onion and garlic until transparent.
• Add canned tomatoes, tomato paste, wine, cinnamon, sugar, parsley, pepper and salt (sparingly).
• Bring to a boil then lower heat and simmer, uncovered, for about 20 minutes, stirring occasionally.
• Prepare Topping:.
• Next, prepare the topping. In a medium saucepan, combine cold milk, flour, chopped butter, nutmeg, bay leaf and seasoning. Be careful not to add too much salt, as you'll be adding cheese later. Place over a medium heat and whisk frequently with a balloon whisk until butter melts and sauce begins to simmer. Simmer for a few minutes until sauce is thickened and shiny.
• Remove from heat and remove bay leaf.
• Whisk in ricotta cheese, then set aside to cool. You will finish the topping later.
• Prepare Meat:.
• Now, add a little oil to a frying pan and cook minced meat, adding a little salt, but being careful not to over season.
• When meat is nearly cooked, fold in mint. If there is excess oil in the pan, put a plate over the meat and pour off excess oil, before adding tomato sauce.
• When tomato sauce is nice and thick, fold it into the meat, then simmer meat in its sauce for about 20 minutes.
• Finish Eggplant:.
• At this stage, set your oven to 180C (350F) so it will be ready for the assembled moussaka.
• Then, remove eggplant slices from colander and gently squeeze out any excess moisture.
• Dredge eggplant slices in flour, then fry in oil on both sides until golden brown (you may have to do this in batches).
• When cooked, place slices onto a plate lined with kitchen paper to soak up excess oil.
• Finish Topping:.
• Now whisk beaten egg and 3 tablespoons of the parmesan cheese into the topping.
• Assemble Dish:.
• Butter a pyrex dish or similar. Place half the meat and sauce mixture into the dish, then top with half the fried eggplant. Add the rest of the meat, and then add the rest of the eggplant. Now, pour over the topping and sprinkle the top with the remaining 3 tablespoons of grated parmesan.
• Place dish on a baking sheet (in case their is some spill over) and place on the centre shelf of the pre-heated moderate oven.
• Bake for 50 minutes, but check after 40 minutes. If the top is golden brown and fairly firm to touch at this stage, turn off the oven and let it sit for the remaining 10 minutes.
• Remove from oven and rest for 10 minutes before serving.
• Traditionally served with a Greek Salad, but we like this accompanied with just steamed carrots, tossed in butter.

AUTHENTIC TRADITIONAL MOUSSAKA

Steps:

• Before starting anything it must be noted that Moussaka, in every Greek home, is made in 3 'stages'. The preparation of the meat sauce, the vegetable cooking and layering and finally the bechamel cream.
• FOR THE MEAT SAUCE:.
• Pour the oil into a deep large pan and heat it slightly. Crumble the minced beef into the oil together with the onion and garlic. Brown everything well, stirring constantly so the beef does not clump. Pour in the wine and allow everything to boil until the wine evaporates. Add the fresh tomato, oregano, bay leaf, salt and pepper and stir regularly while waiting for the tomato to soften well. Pour in the tomato juice, stir everything and allow it to cook and thicken. Finally, pour in the water and, over a medium flame, allow the sauce to cook until the beef is tender and the liquids have evaporated by at least 2/3 and the sauce is thick.
• WHILE THE MEAT SAUCE IS COOKING PREPARE THE VEGETABLES:.
• Cut the eggplants into medium slices and soak them in salted water for 1 hour before your commence your sauce so everything will be more conveniently timed. This soaking removes the bitterness in the eggplant skins and also helps them not to absorb so much oil while frying. Remove the eggplants from the eater, strain them well and then dry them on a kitchen towel to absorb any excess water. Fry the potato slices and then strain them on kitchen paper. Oil your moussaka plan with the tablespoons of olive oil and created a layer with the fried potatoes taking care not to leave any gaps. Fry the eggplants and again strain them on kitchen paper and place then in a layer on top of the sliced potatoes. Sprinkle some salt, pepper and 1 tablespoon of the grated cheese on the eggplant layer.
• Strain the meat sauce of any excess oil (otherwise your moussaka will be too greasy) and then pour it evenly on top of the eggplant. Sprinkle the sauce with the 2nd tablespoon of grated cheese and then prepare your Bechamel Cream.
• FOR THE BECHAMEL CREAM:.
• This is an age old recipe handed down from mother to daughter, in my family, and then finally from my mother down to me. I strongly recommend that you avoid the temptation to adjust it as the extraordinary delight you will get when you taste it atop of traditional country moussaka, will leave an aftertaste that will linger in your memory for days.
• Melt the butter in a pot, over a low flame, and add the flour stirring with a wooden spoon until the flour and butter combine to make a roux. Quickly add the 4 of the cups of milk and keep stirring with a whisk until the mixture becomes almost creamy and when it starts to thicken a lot, add the remaining milk and the beaten eggs (after the milk). Continue stirring until everything has combined evenly and is a thick creamy texture - this may take some effort (if you have lumps, use an electric hand mixer in it for a couple of minutes and they will dissolve). Add the sugar, mix it in well, the salt, pepper, cinnamon and cheese and mix everything well until it acquires its creamy texture again. Allow it to bubble over a low flame for about 1 minute, while stirring constantly. If your cream is too thick, add a little more milk or water and stir it in well until it obtains the desired thickness. If, on the other hand, your cream is a little too thin, let it stand for about 5 minutes and it will thicken as it cools, and then use it.
• Pour the Bechamel cream evenly on top of the meat sauce and add the dabs of margarine to the surface of the cream in various places. Bake the moussaka in a medium preheated oven at 180ºC - 350ºF, for about 30 minutes, or until the cream unevenly gently browns in places. Allow the moussaka to cool for about 20 minutes and then cut it into servings.

CLASSIC MOUSSAKA

Steps:

• Preheat your oven to 180°C/gas mark 4. Peel the potatoes. Slice some of the aubergine skin off in strips. Slice them both into ½cm rounds. Lay them all out on a couple of baking or roasting trays and brush with olive oil. Season and roast in the oven for 35-40 minutes, until golden. Remove and set aside. Trim and finely slice the courgettes and keep to one side. Meanwhile, peel and finely chop the onions and garlic. Pour a couple of tablespoons of olive oil into a large saucepan over a medium-low heat. Sauté the onions and garlic for 10 minutes, until starting to soften. Add the ground cinnamon, oregano and all the mince. Break everything up with a wooden spoon and turn the heat up a little. Fry until any liquid evaporates and it starts to turn lightly brown. Stir in the purée, then add the wine and bring to the boil. Leave to rapidly simmer for 5 minutes, until the wine has reduced by more than half, then stir in the passata, bay leaf and cinnamon stick. Season generously, bring to the boil, then reduce to a simmer and cook on a low heat for 30 minutes, until thickened and reduced. Heat the milk in a small pan. Melt the butter in a large saucepan over a medium heat and stir in the flour and baking powder. Once they have made a paste, slowly start to whisk in the warmed milk, until you have a smooth white sauce. Leave it to thicken over a low heat until it coats the back of a spoon. Grate in half the cheese and a generous amount of nutmeg. Season to taste. When the meat and white sauce are ready, layer up the moussaka. You'll need a large roasting tray, about 25cm×30cm in size. Layer a third of the baked veg and courgettes in the base of the tray and spoon over half of the mince. Repeat with half the remaining veg, the rest of the mince and then the last of the vegetables. Whisk the eggs into the white sauce and pour over the moussaka. Grate over the remaining cheese and place the dish in the oven. Bake for 45 minutes, or until the top is golden and bubbling and everything is cooked through. Remove from the oven and leave to cool for at least 15 minutes before serving, if not longer.