Moussaka A La Grecque Recipes

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:

• Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Prick eggplants several times with a fork. Rub a little olive oil into their skins. On a large baking sheet, roast eggplants until soft, about 30 minutes, turning frequently. Remove from oven and let cool. Cut into 1/2-inch-thick round slices.
• In a saute pan, heat 4 tablespoons olive oil over high heat and brown eggplant slices lightly on each side. Do this in batches, adding more oil as necessary. Drain on paper towels and sprinkle with salt. Set aside.
• In a saucepan heat 1 tablespoon olive oil over medium heat. Add 1 chopped onion and 2 chopped garlic cloves, and saute until tender. Add tomatoes and their puree, squeezing them into coarse chunks. Add parsley, oregano, cinnamon and vinegar. Stir well. Simmer, uncovered, for 25 minutes. Reserve.
• In a large saute pan, heat 1 tablespoon olive oil over medium-high heat. Add remaining onions and garlic. Saute for 5 minutes. Add lamb, in stages if necessary, and brown well, breaking up pieces with a wooden spoon. Add wine and bring to a boil. Cook until wine has nearly evaporated. 5. Season lamb with salt, black pepper and 2 pinches of nutmeg. Stir in 1 cup of reserved tomato sauce. Bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer, covered, for 1 hour.
• In a large saucepan, melt 4 tablespoons of butter over medium-low heat, and gradually whisk in flour. Cook for 2 minutes, whisking constantly. Do not let this brown. Add hot milk and whisk rapidly to combine. Bring to a slow boil, whisking constantly. Reduce heat and simmer for 25 minutes, stirring frequently, until smooth and thickened. Season with salt, white pepper and remaining 2 pinches nutmeg. Let cool slightly.
• In a mixing bowl, beat eggs and whisk in a spoonful of bechamel. Whisk in remaining bechamel in a thin stream, and adjust seasoning.
• Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Assemble moussaka: Sprinkle 2 tablespoons of bread crumbs across the bottom of a large baking dish (18-by-8-by-3 inches) and cover crumbs evenly with half the eggplant slices. Drain as much oil from lamb mixture as possible, and spread the meat over the eggplant layer. Top meat with half the cheese, then with half the remaining bread crumbs. Place remaining eggplant slices on top of the bread crumbs, then add the bechamel, remaining cheese and remaining bread crumbs in even layers. Dot with remaining butter.
• Bake for 45 minutes, until well browned. Remove from oven and let cool slightly, about 15 minutes. Cut into 3-inch squares to serve. Serve with the extra tomato sauce.

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Prepare the leeks. Trim off the root end, and cut each leek so it is approximately 6 inches long. (Discard the dark green part of the leek.) If the leeks are more than 1 1/4 inches in diameter, cut them lengthwise into halves or quarters. Wash the leeks by making thin, lengthwise slits and placing the leeks under running water. Arrange the leeks in a gratin pan. In a saucepan combine the water, olive oil, marjoram, cinnamon, vinegar, oregano, and salt to taste. Bring the liquid to a boil, and simmer for 10 minutes. Pour the liquid over the leeks to just cover. Arrange a piece of foil over the grain pan, and bake 35 minutes, or until leeks are tender. Transfer the leeks to a serving platter. Return the cooking liquid to the saucepan, and reduce to 1/2 cup. Strain it over the leeks. Chill, covered, for 2 hours or overnight. Just before serving, strew the leeks with the tomatoes, olives, cheese and fresh herbs.

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.

Steps:

• Prepare the meat sauce:.
• Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium high heat. Add ground beef and brown for about 10 to 12 minutes.
• Chop onions and garlic.
• Add to meat. Continue browning for another 10 minutes.
• Add the spices and tomato paste. Mix well.
• Cook and stir for 5 to 6 minutes. Add wine and simmer, uncovered, for 20 minutes.
• Turn off heat. Mix in lemon juice. Set sauce aside.
• Peel eggplants. Slice off top and bottom. Slice into 1/4″ rounds. Line a broiler pan with foil. Brush with olive oil Broil eggplant slices 3 to 4 minutes. Turn and broil 2 to 3 minutes longer until browned. Remove from pan and set aside. You will be doing this in 3 to 4 batches.
• Wash potatoes. No need to peel if using yellow or red potatoes. Cut into 1/4″ slices. Boil in salted water for 5 to 8 minutes; you don't want them soft, just semi done. Drain and set aside.
• Prepare the béchamel sauce:.
• Heat butter in a medium saucepan over medium heat. When melted, whisk in flour. Blend well.
• Slowly pour in milk, whisking constantly.
• Add salt and nutmeg. Place egg yolks in a small bowl. Stir with fork. Drizzle in one to two tablespoons of the white sauce. Stir into egg yolks. Pour yolk mixture into béchamel sauce. Whisk constantly until thickened and bubbly. Set aside.
• Heat oven to 350 degrees. Layer a 9″ x 13″ casserole with sliced potatoes, overlapping slightly. Top with half of the eggplant slices.
• Cover with meat sauce.
• Top meat sauce with remaining eggplant slices.
• Sprinkle with 1/2 cup grated cheese.
• Spoon white sauce evenly over everything. Top with remaining 1/2 cup cheese and fresh basil, torn.
• Bake at 350 degrees 30 to 45 minutes or until nicely browned. Let cool 10 to 15 minutes.
• Serves 8.