Modern Moussaka A1 Recipes

Steps:

• Bake the eggplant: Preheat the oven to 475 degrees F. Brush the eggplant slices on both sides with the oil and lay on 2 small or 1 large foil-lined baking sheet. Season with salt and pepper. Cover with foil and bake until the eggplant is soft, about 25 minutes. Set aside covered.
• Make the meat sauce. Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the onion and cook, stirring with a wooden spoon, until lightly browned, about 4 minutes. Add the garlic and cook, stirring frequently, until fragrant, about 1 minute. Add the beef, oregano, allspice, cloves, and cinnamon. Break the meat up into small pieces and season with the 1/2 teaspoon salt and pepper to taste. Cook, stirring occasionally, for about 2 minutes. Lower the heat to medium and cook, stirring, until just cooked but still slightly pink inside, about 1 minute more. Add the tomato and bay leaf and bring to a simmer. Cover, and cook until the sauce is thickened and fragrant, about 20 minutes.
• Make the custard sauce. Melt the butter in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Whisk in the flour until smooth. Cook, stirring, for 1 minute. Remove the pan from the heat and add the milk, salt, and nutmeg. Return to the heat and while whisking constantly, bring to a boil. Simmer 2 minutes. Transfer the sauce to a bowl and stir to cool. When the sauce is cool, whisk in the egg and yolks.
• Assemble the moussaka. Lower the oven to 350 degrees F. Brush a 9 x 13 x 2-inch casserole dish with the oil. Scatter the breadcrumbs over the bottom of the pan. Lay half of the eggplant in the pan, overlapping the slices if needed. Cover with half of the meat sauce and smooth with a rubber spatula. Repeat with the remaining eggplant and meat sauce. Pour the custard sauce over the layered mixture and smooth with a rubber spatula. Sprinkle with the Pecorino Romano and bake, uncovered, until lightly browned and the custard is set, about 1 hour.
• Remove the moussaka from the oven and let rest for 10 minutes. Use a slotted spoon or spatula to serve.

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).

Steps:

• Sprinkle eggplant slices with salt and place in a colander set in the sink or over a plate. Let sit for 30 minutes to 1 hour so the salt can draw out any bitterness.
• Meanwhile, make bechamel sauce. Heat milk in a saucepan almost to a boil. Melt butter in a skillet over medium heat. Whisk in flour until a smooth paste forms. Lower heat and gradually pour in hot milk, whisking constantly until bechamel sauce thickens. Season with salt. Remove from heat and allow to cool slightly.
• Rinse eggplant slices under cold running water. Squeeze out liquid and pat dry with paper towels. Whisk egg yolks into the cooled bechamel.
• Heat 3 tablespoons olive oil in a large skillet and cook eggplant slices in batches until each side is lightly browned, about 3 minutes per side. Drain on a large plate lined with paper towels.
• Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C). Grease a 9x13-inch baking dish with olive oil.
• Heat remaining 4 tablespoons olive oil in a large skillet over low heat. Cook grated onion until soft, about 4 minutes. Add garlic and cook for 1 minute. Increase heat to medium-high and add ground beef. Cook and stir until browned and crumbly, about 5 minutes. Season with allspice, sugar, cinnamon, salt, and pepper.
• Stir in tomato sauce and bring to a simmer. Cook until all excess liquid has evaporated and mixture appears dry, 15 to 20 minutes. Stir in parsley and remove from heat. Allow to cool slightly, then stir in the egg white.
• Arrange a layer of eggplant in the prepared baking dish. Cover eggplant with all of the beef mixture and sprinkle with 1/3 of the Parmesan cheese. Cover with remaining eggplant and sprinkle another 1/3 of Parmesan cheese on top. Pour bechamel sauce over the top and sprinkle with remaining Parmesan cheese.
• Bake in the preheated oven until the top of the moussaka is set and golden, 45 minutes to 1 hour. Remove from oven and let rest at room temperature for 10 to 15 minutes before slicing and serving.

Steps:

• For the meat filling: Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Heat oil in a large ovenproof skillet over moderate heat. Cook onions until soft. Add lamb and garlic, and cook until browned, stirring occasionally. When meat is well browned, stir in remaining ingredients. Transfer to oven and bake until quite dry, about 45 minutes. Set aside to cool.
• For the eggplant: Cut eggplant into 1/4 inch slices, lengthwise. Sprinkle with salt on both sides, and let rest on a rack until moisture rises to surface, about 30 minutes. Pat dry with paper towels. Heat oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Fry eggplant briefly, 1 to 2 minutes per side. Set aside to drain on paper towels.
• For the vegetable filling: Wash and dry all vegetables, then cut into fine julienne. Blanch carrots and peas in a small saucepan of boiling water just until water returns to a boil. Refresh in cold water, drain, and reserve.
• Melt butter in a medium skillet over moderate heat. Cook leeks along with salt 1 minute, add celery and cook 1 minute, then mushrooms and cook and additional minute. Set aside to cool. Toss all vegetables together in a large bowl and reserve.
• For the custard: Combine eggs, cream, salt, pepper, and nutmeg in a bowl. Whisk until smooth. Pass through a strainer to remove any stray eggshells. Whisk in Parmesan cheese and set aside.
• To assemble: Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Stir one third of custard into meat filling. Combine remaining custard with vegetable filling.
• In a 9 by 13 inch roasting pan or casserole, arrange one third eggplant slices to completely cover bottom. (The slices may overlap. That's fine.) Spread half meat filling on top, then cover with another third eggplant slices. Pour all vegetables in custard on top. Cover with remaining eggplant, then spread remaining meat mixture evenly over top.
• Place the moussaka pan inside a larger roasting pan and pour boiling water into roasting pan until it rises halfway up the sides of the moussaka pan. Bake, uncovered, until custard is set in center, about 1 1/2 hours. You can test for doneness by sticking a knife in the center. If custard oozes out, cook longer.
• Cut into individual portions and lift out with a spatula. Serve immediately, topped with Pimento Sauce. Moussaka can be made 1 or 2 days in advance and reheated in a 325 degree oven for 25 minutes.

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Heat 2 tablespoons EVOO in a medium Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add the ground lamb and cook until well browned. Season with salt and pepper, then stir in the garlic, chile pepper, onions and oregano and cook for 5 minutes. Stir in the tomato paste and cook for 1 minute. Deglaze with the wine, stirring and scraping up any browned bits from the bottom of the pot with a wooden spoon. Add the stock, lemon zest, bay leaf, cinnamon stick and tomatoes and simmer until thickened, about 30 minutes, stirring occasionally. Meanwhile, cut a thin slice from two opposite sides of each eggplant, removing some of the skin. Turn the eggplant cut-side up, then cut lengthwise into 1/4-inch-thick planks. Sprinkle with salt and drain in a colander for 20 minutes. Pat dry. Beat the egg whites with a splash of water in a shallow dish. Mix the panko with the remaining 4 tablespoons EVOO in another dish until well coated. Add half the cheese, the parsley, granulated garlic and granulated onion to the panko and mix well. Set a wire rack over each of 2 baking sheets. Dip each eggplant slice in the egg whites, then coat with the panko mixture, pressing to help it adhere. Arrange on the wire racks. Bake until crisp and golden, 25 to 30 minutes. Melt the butter in a saucepan over medium heat. Add the flour and cook, whisking, for 1 minute. Whisk in the milk and season with salt, pepper and a few grates of nutmeg. Simmer at a low bubble until thick enough to coat the back of a spoon. Lightly beat the egg yolks in a medium bowl. Slowly pour in some of the sauce, whisking constantly to temper the yolks. Pour the mixture back into the saucepan and remove from the heat. Make two layers of eggplant and lamb mixture in a medium casserole dish. Pour the sauce over the top and sprinkle with the remaining cheese. Bake until browned and bubbling, 30 to 40 minutes. Cook's Note: The casserole can be covered and refrigerated for a make-ahead meal. Reheat, covered, until heated through, then sprinkle with more cheese and bake, uncovered, to crisp the top.

Steps:

• Place the steak onto a dish and rub the steaks with McCormick's Montreal Brand steak seasoning on all side and let rest for 30 minutes.
• Heat and lightly oil the grill pan and place over a high heat for about 5 minutes and place the Ribeye steak and grill until medium rare. At no time move the Ribeye steaks. Let the steaks rest before serving.

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
• Rinse and dry tomatoes. Cut a thin slice off of both ends of each tomato then cut into halves and place in a bowl. Add olive oil, salt, pepper and basil, toss gently. Remove the tomatoes from the bowl and place on baking sheet about an inch apart (save the remaining oil mixture for use later). Put to the side.
• Rinse and dry pepper. Toss the pepper in the bowl with the remaining oil mixture coating all sides. Place on the baking sheet apart from the tomatoes.
• Place the baking sheet on top rack in a 350 degree oven for a total of 30 minutes Turn over the tomatoes and pepper after 15 minutes. Remove tomatoes from the baking sheet onto a plate for use later. Place the bell pepper in a zipper sealed bag. Put to the side.
• Reduce the oven to 325 degrees.
• TIP Set timers so you can continue preparing other items during cook times.
• Scrub potatoes, leaving the skin on place in pot of water, bring to a boil, lower and cook until ¾ done. Remove from water place on plate for use later.
• Heat 1 tablespoon of vegetable oil in sauté pan, add diced onions, cook until beginning to brown, add garlic, cook for another minute or so until golden. Add the turkey to the pan, continue stirring and cook until browned. Stir in the A.1. sauce, cook for 2-3 minutes. Remove pan from heat set to side for use later.
• Rinse, dry and lightly chop spinach leaves. Warm goat cheese in pot on stove, add spinach and keep cooking on low until creamy. Add the crushed red pepper, a pinch of kosher salt and fresh ground pepper. Remove from heat and place to the side for use later.
• Rub the remaining vegetable oil onto a baking sheet.
• Slice Yukon gold potatoes lengthwise about ¼" should get 6 slices from each potato. Place each potato slice on baking sheet about an inch apart.
• Layer as following: 3 tablespoons of ground turkey on top of each potato slice. Halved tomato slice on top of ground turkey. 1 tablespoon of creamed spinach on top of tomato.
• Remove roasted pepper from sealed bag and remove the skin, seeds and stem. Slice into 12 uniform size pieces. Place pepper on top of the creamed spinach.
• Bake in oven 15-20 minutes and serve.

Steps:

• Cut jalapeño peppers lengthwise and remove the seeds.
• Chop the spinach into small pieces.
• Brown the ground turkey and drain well. Pat dry with a paper towel.
• In a separate bowl, mix the spinach, A1 sauce, ground turkey and goat cheese together.
• Using a spoon, fill each jalapeno half with the cheese mixture.
• Slice an avocado into thin strips and lay one over the cheese mixture.
• Wrap a 1/2 piece of bacon around each half and secure with a toothpick.
• Line them up on a cookie sheet an inch apart.
• Bake at 425 for 15-20 minute.

Steps:

• For Tomato Relish:.
• Add all the ingredients to a bowl and gently toss until incorporated. Set Aside.
• For Polenta:.
• In a saucepan over medium-high heat, bring the milk and water to a simmer.
• Slowly add the corn meal and whisk to combine. Once all of the corn meal has been incorporated, reduce the heat to low. Add salt and pepper. Stir vigorously until all of the liquid has been absorbed and the corn meal is tender, about 10 minutes. Remove from heat.
• Stir in the Parmesan cheese and butter.
• For Steak:.
• Put ½ cup A.1. Original Steak Sauce, 2 tablespoons Brown Sugar, 1 tablespoon Agave Nectar, 2 chopped scallions, 1 large sliced shallot, 1 tablespoon Tarragon. ½ teaspoon Hot Sauce and the 1 lb. Top Round Steak into a zip top bag and refrigerate overnight. Whenever you think about it, go to the fridge and give the bag a couple of squeezes and flip it to the other side. Remove from the fridge to come to room temperature an hour before cooking.
• When ready to cook, preheat oven to broil.
• Remove steak from the bag and lay on a piece of foil set on top of a baking sheet. Cook the steak on the top rack of the broiler (4-6 inches from the heat) for 5 minutes per side. Remove from the oven and cover with a foil tent to keep warm and let the juices re-distribute.
• Pour the remaining marinade in a saucepan, put on the stove over a medium heat, and reduce by half.
• To Plate:.
• Scoop about 1 cup of polenta onto each plate. Top with a little crumbled bacon and Parmesan Cheese. Thinly slice the steak on the bias and lay a few strips on top of the polenta. Spoon some of the marinade reduction over the top. Top with a spoonful of tomato relish.

Steps:

• Roast the Peppers: Turn on oven broiler and line a baking dish with foil. Slice the poblano peppers lengthwise, removing and discarding the stems, ribs, and seeds. Press each pepper half with your hand to flatten it a bit, then arrange peppers skin-side up on foil-lined baking dish. Rub peppers with oil, then transfer to top rack of oven and broil for 5-10 minutes, until skins are very charred and blistered. Remove from oven and carefully fold the foil around the peppers to form a closed packet. Set aside and let peppers steam for 10 minutes before opening packet. Once peppers are cool enough to handle, peel the skins away from the flesh of the peppers with your fingers. Discard the skins and set the peeled roasted peppers aside.
• Make the Mole Sauce: While the peppers are steaming, combine the hot coffee, boiling water, dried cherries, and chopped walnuts in a heat-proof bowl and set aside for 10 minutes to soften the fruit and nuts. After 10 minutes, transfer this mixture to a blender and add the peeled roasted peppers, A1 sauce, chili powder, cinnamon, and brown sugar. Puree the mixture until very smooth, taking care to first remove the center stopper of the blender lid and cover the opening with a towel (this allows steam from the hot liquid to escape while blending).
• Cook the Beans: Transfer the mole sauce to a large saucepan over medium heat. Whisk in the chocolate until dissolved, then add the black beans. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer uncovered for 50-60 minutes, gently stirring every so often to make sure the beans on the bottom are not sticking or becoming overdone. The beans are done when the sauce has thickened to a gravy-like consistency that coats the beans nicely. You can serve the beans immediately, though they will keep for several days in the fridge. As the batch is quite large, you can also choose to freeze half of the beans for a later use. To prepare frozen beans, first thaw overnight in the fridge, then reheat gently.