Moussaka A Lighter Delicious Version Recipe 485 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!

EASY MOUSSAKA

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 375. Brush eggplant rounds with olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Heat 2 tablespoons of oil in large non stick skillet and brown eggplant over medium high heat. Remove to a paper towel to drain. Heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil in same large skillet and cook onion and garlic for 3 minutes. Add the ground beef and brown completely. Add the spices, and tomatoes. Bring to a simmer and cook for 10 minutes. In a second non stick skillet, heat 3 tablespoons olive oil and brown potato slices on both sides. Remove to a paper towel to drain and season with salt and pepper. In a buttered baking dish, layer potatoes, meat, eggplant and top with Parmesan. In a medium bowl, combine yogurt, eggs and cream. Season with salt and pepper and pour over casserole. Let casserole sit for 10 minutes and then bake for 30 - 40 minutes or until golden brown and bubbly. Allow casserole to sit for 15 minutes before serving.

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).

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 (A LIGHTER, *DELICIOUS* VERSION) RECIPE - (4.8/5)

Steps:

• Combine the cumin, ginger, paprika, cinnamon, and cayenne in a small bowl. Blend very thoroughly. Blend the flour, 1-1/3 Tablespoon (4 teaspoons) of the spice mixture, 1 teaspoon of the salt, and pepper to taste in a shallow bowl and mix very well. Set both the flour and spice mixtures aside. Lightly grease two baking sheets and a 10-inch round, 2-inch deep casserole, preferably glass (I actually use a 9-inch square pan). Cook squash, whole in microwave: Pierce the skin in several places with a sharp knife, and cook on a paper towel, on high, for 5 to 6 minutes, and allow to stand for at least 5 minutes. Then cut into half-inch cubes and set aside. (You can save some prep time by buying pre-cubed butternut squash in the produce section. Toss with oil, salt, and pepper, then roast on a parchment-lined jellyroll pan, at 400 degrees, turning once, for about 30 minutes.) Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Cook rice. It's really tough to cook so little rice-- I use 1/2 cup long grain rice, which yield about 1-1/2 cups cooked rice. You can add extra to this recipe. Rinse the rice in 3 changes of water, then drain. Place in a small sauce pan with 7 oz of water and 1/4 teaspoon salt. Bring to boil over high heat (cooking uncovered), then immediately reduce the heat, cover, and simmer until all the water is absorbed, about 6 to 10 minutes. Remove from heat, and allow to sit, covered, for 5 minutes more. Set aside. Pour the milk into a shallow bowl. Slice the eggplant. Dip each slice into the milk, and get as much to drip off as you can; then dip each slice into the flour-spice mixture, pressing lightly to help get each slice evenly coated, and shaking off the excess. Arrange slices in a single layer on the lightly greased baking sheets, and bake until soft, about 30 minutes. There may still be traces of flour on the eggplant. Remove from oven, but keep the oven on. While the eggplant is cooking, heat 2 Tblsp olive oil in a large skillet, then stir in the onion and almonds, and cook over medium heat until the onion is soft and the almonds are toasted, 8 to 10 minutes. Add the lamb, raise the heat slightly, and cook, stirring until the meat is browned, about 10 minutes. Pour off all but about 2 Tablespoons of the fat. Stir the remaining spice mixture into the meat, and cook 1 minute. Add the tomatoes, stock, apricots, currants, and 3 Tblsp of the chopped mint. Stir in the squash, rice, lemon juice, and 3/4 tsp salt. Remove the skillet from heat. Arrange a layer of eggplant slices on the bottom and up the sides of the casserole dish. Fill with the lamb mixture, and top with the remaining eggplant. Cover tightly with aluminum foil, and bake for 1 hour. While the casserole bakes, prepare the Minted Yogurt Sauce by mixing together 1-1/4 cup yogurt, 1/4 cup chopped mint leaves, 1 Tblsp lemon juice, 1/4 tsp salt, and freshly ground pepper to taste. Stir until smooth and refrigerate until ready to serve. Remove the casserole from the oven and allow to rest, covered, for 15 minutes. Uncover and invert the moussaka onto a serving platter. Cut into wedges, and serve with the Minted Yogurt Sauce.