Melitzanes Mousaka
Region: Greece
Category: Lamb
Season: Any
Difficulty: Labor Intensive
One potential problem with making a traditional moussaka is the amount of fat that might remain after baking. To avoid this I've developed this recipe, which removes a lot of fat, but also retains the authentic flavor. Follow this link to read about the history of moussaka.
Yield: Makes 6 servings
Preparation Time: 2:15 hours
1. Lay the eggplant slices on some paper towels and sprinkle with salt. Leave them to release their bitter juices for 30 minutes, then pat dry with paper towels.
2. Heat a lightly oiled cast iron griddle over medium-high heat for 10 minutes. Brush each slice of eggplant on both sides and cook until golden brown, about 4 minutes a side. Brush and cook the remaining slices. Remove and set aside on a paper towel-lined platter to absorb more of the oil. Alternatively, you can also brush the eggplant slices with some olive oil and bake them until golden in a 400 degree F. oven, 25 to 30 minutes.
3. In a medium-size skillet, brown the lamb over medium heat until it loses most of its fat, about 10 minutes. Remove with a slotted ladle, pressing down each scoop with the back of a wooden spoon to squeeze out more fat or drain through a colander. Clean the skillet, then heat 2 tablespoons olive oil over medium-high heat and cook the onion and garlic until translucent, about 5 to 6 minutes, stirring frequently so the garlic doesn't burn. Add the meat and crumble it further with a wooden spoon. Add the wine, tomatoes, parsley, oregano, bay leaf, cloves, sugar, cinnamon stick, allspice, and salt and pepper, reduce the heat to medium-low, cover, then cook until the meat is soft and flavorful, about 30 minutes. Remove and discard the bay leaf and cinnamon stick. Cool, then fold in the beaten egg whites and 2 tablespoons bread crumbs and blend well.
4. Make a thick white sauce by melting 9 tablespoons butter in a saucepan over medium-high heat. Form a roux by stirring in 9 tablespoons flour and cook until very light golden, about 3 minutes. Take the saucepan pan off the heat and slowly whisk in the milk. Return to a medium heat and cook until thick, about 10 to 15 minutes, stirring occasionally and adding the grated cheese at some point. Reduce the heat if it is bubbling. Stir in some grated nutmeg and the egg yolks. Turn the heat off. Beat the whites until they form stiff peaks then whip into the white sauce.
5. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Lightly butter the bottom and sides of a 9 x 12 x 2 baking dish and sprinkle 1 tablespoon of bread crumb over the bottom shaking and tilting the dish so all sides are lightly coated with bread crumbs. Line the bottom of the baking dish with two layers of eggplant slices, cover with the meat sauce and layer the remaining eggplant slices on top. Cover with the white sauce and then sprinkle the remaining 1 tablespoon bread crumbs on top. Bake until the top is golden, about 30 minutes. Remove from the oven. As there still may be a good deal of fat remaining, cut out a two-inch section from the moussaka in one of the corners, then rest the baking dish tilted so that liquid runs to that corner. After several minutes spoon away any accumulated fat and continue to let the fat run into the corner for another 30 minutes. Of course, if there isn't much fat you do not need to do this. Place the moussaka in a warm oven until ready to serve.
Posted: 01/10/2007
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