Moussaka

(about 6-8 servings)

Moussaka is usually considered a Greek dish although there are different versions of it to be found throughout the Mediterranean and Middle East. The seasonings might differ a bit as well as the vegetables used. It might be served hot or cold, with or without the creamy cheese enhanced béchamel.

Whenever I make moussaka, I prefer preparing the meat sauce the day before because it just tastes so much better when the flavors have had the chance to meld.

meat sauce
2 tsp olive oil
1 3/4 - 2 lbs lean ground lamb or beef
1 large onion, chopped
2-3 large cloves garlic, minced
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp dried oregano
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp cardamom
1/4 tsp freshly ground black pepper
1/8 tsp allspice
1/2 cup dry red wine
15oz can crushed or pureed tomatoes
2 bay leaves
1/4 cup fresh parsley, chopped

Heat the olive oil in a large pot (with lid) over medium high heat. Cook the lamb or beef until it's nicely browned. Reduce the heat to medium low and add the onions and garlic. Continue to cook until the onions have softened.

Stir in the salt, oregano, cinnamon, cardamom, pepper, and allspice. Cook for about 2 minutes while stirring, then pour in the wine and continue to cook another minute or two.

Stir in the tomatoes and add the bay leaves. Reduce the heat to low, cover the pot and allow the sauce to gently simmer for about an hour or so.

Check and adjust the seasoning, if needed. Remove from heat, stir in the parsley and allow to cool. Store in the refrigerator overnight or until you are ready to assemble the moussaka.

eggplant
2 - 3 tbsp olive oil
1 clove garlic minced
2 large eggplant

Combine the olive oil and garlic in a small container and allow to fuse for at least 30 minutes or longer.

Wash, then slice the eggplant into slices about 1/2 inch thick. Place the slices in a single layer onto a baking sheet lined with parchment paper or foil. Lightly brush the tops with the garlicky oil. If there's any oil left over, set that aside to grease the baking dish later.

Place the sheet into the middle of the oven and broil the slices until the tops are lightly browned. My oven has a Hi and Lo broiling setting. I used the Hi setting and it took about 12 minutes for the eggplant to be done.

Remove the eggplant from the oven and allow to cool.

béchamel
4 tbsp butter
1/2 cup flour
2 2/3 cups milk
1/4 tsp salt
3 eggs, lightly beaten
3/4 cup pecorino romano
2 pinches nutmeg/mace

Melt the butter in a saucepan over medium heat. Slowly whisk in the flour and cook for about 1-2 minutes. Slowly whisk in the milk until you have a smooth mixture. Stir in the salt and cook, stirring until the sauce thickens; about 5-8 minutes. Remove from heat.

Whisk a small amount of the hot sauce into the eggs, then whisk the egg mixture back into the béchamel. Stir in the cheese, reserving a tablespoon or so to sprinkle over the top of the casserole later. Stir in the nutmeg or mace and set aside.

To assemble

Preheat oven to 350°F.

Grease a 3 qt baking dish with any leftover garlic oil or use extra olive oil. Place a single layer of eggplant over the bottom of the dish and cover that with a layer of meat sauce. Repeat and continue until all of the eggplant and meat sauce has been used up. The baking dish I used measured 8.5" x 11" x 3". I ended up with 3 layers of eggplant and 2 layers of meat sauce.

Spread the béchamel over the top of the layered eggplant and meat sauce layers. Sprinkle the reserved pecorino romano over the top.

Bake for about 1 hour or until the casserole is bubbling hot. Remove from the oven and allow to stand for about 10-15 minutes before cutting into it.

Polenta Mushroom Casserole

(4-5 servings)

This layered casserole came about after I purchased a chub of organic polenta.  I had mushrooms, tomatoes and cheese at home and was planning on making lasagna with them, but this turned out to be a delicious alternative.

2 tsp olive oil
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 onion, chopped
1 1/2 lbs mushrooms, sliced
1- 1 1/2 tsp fresh rosemary, leaves minced
2 tsp Better Than Bouillon Organic Mushroom Base
1/4 cup white wine (optional)
1 cup ricotta cheese
1/3 cup soft goat cheese
3 tbsp unbleached flour
salt and freshly ground black pepper
18 oz chub of polenta (I might make this from scratch another time)
2 large tomatoes, sliced
1/3 cup of shredded cheese (I used gruyere and garlic cheddar)

Butter an 8 inch square baking dish and set aside.

Heat the oil in a large skillet. Add the garlic and saute for a minute, then add the onions and continue to cook until they soften and take on an amber hue.

Add the mushrooms, rosemary, mushroom base and wine if using. Stir well to combine and then cook until most of the liquid has evaporated; about 15 minutes.

Stir in the ricotta and goat cheeses; season with salt and pepper. Sift the flour evenly over the mixture and stir to combine well. Set aside

Preheat the oven to 350ºF.

Remove the plastic from the polenta and cut into slices; the thickness being determined by the ability to line the baking dish with two layers.

Place a layer of polenta (half of the chub) over the bottom of your dish. Cover with half of the mushroom mixture, then half of the tomatoe slices, and half of the shredded cheese.

The repeat these layers with the remaining polenta slices, mushroom mixture, tomatoes and cheese.

Bake for about 50-60 minutes or until it's hot and bubbling. Allow to cool for about 15 minutes, then serve. This is also good at room temperature.