I went to the flea market this morning and apart from some more material, some shoes for me, some shoes for Bren, some shoes for Thea (my - that's a lot of shoes!) I also bought a couple of kilos of aubergines.
I like aubergines, but not everyone else does, so I have to be creative in how I use them.
One of our favourites is Moussaka - just like lasagne but different.
Here is my quick and easy recipe - I normally make enough for two, freeze one and eat one.
Moussaka
For the base:
2 chopped onions
4 crushed garlic cloves
2 generous glugs of olive oil
1kg lean lamb mince - or whatever you have, but lamb is more authentic
1 glass red wine
2 tbsp tomato purée, or one of those little 40g tins
400g can chopped tomatoes
2 tbsp chopped fresh oregano
3 large aubergines
OK - this is not exactly one pot cooking - but almost - 1 frying pan and an oven proof dish.
Slice the aubergines and fry for a couple of minutes each side in olive oil, place in the bottom of the pan and ditch the oil. In fresh oil fry the onions and garlic then add the meat.
If your mince is fatty, drain some of this off as it cooks - I know my dog loves a bit of extra fat on his boring biscuits.
Layer the meat onto the aubergine, then in the frying pan add the red wine, tomato purée, canned tomatoes, and oregano, just heat through, stirring to mix it all together then pour over the meat and aubergines.
If I have a couple of soft tomatoes in the bowl I normally slice them in now as well.
4 crushed garlic cloves
2 generous glugs of olive oil
1kg lean lamb mince - or whatever you have, but lamb is more authentic
1 glass red wine
2 tbsp tomato purée, or one of those little 40g tins
400g can chopped tomatoes
2 tbsp chopped fresh oregano
3 large aubergines
OK - this is not exactly one pot cooking - but almost - 1 frying pan and an oven proof dish.
Slice the aubergines and fry for a couple of minutes each side in olive oil, place in the bottom of the pan and ditch the oil. In fresh oil fry the onions and garlic then add the meat.
If your mince is fatty, drain some of this off as it cooks - I know my dog loves a bit of extra fat on his boring biscuits.
Layer the meat onto the aubergine, then in the frying pan add the red wine, tomato purée, canned tomatoes, and oregano, just heat through, stirring to mix it all together then pour over the meat and aubergines.
If I have a couple of soft tomatoes in the bowl I normally slice them in now as well.
For the topping:
75g plain flour
600ml milk
50g Parmesan, finely grated
pinch of freshly grated nutmeg
2 medium eggs, beaten
Melt the butter over a gentle heat, then add the flour, stirring all the time with a whisk until you get a thick paste, turn off the heat and pour in the milk a bit at a time, whisking all the time, add the parmesan, and season - I normally chuck in a couple of pinches of dried oregano too, just because I like the green flecks in the sauce. When the sauce has cooled slightly and thickened, add the eggs, then pour over the base.
Bake at 180C for an hour.
75g plain flour
600ml milk
50g Parmesan, finely grated
pinch of freshly grated nutmeg
2 medium eggs, beaten
Melt the butter over a gentle heat, then add the flour, stirring all the time with a whisk until you get a thick paste, turn off the heat and pour in the milk a bit at a time, whisking all the time, add the parmesan, and season - I normally chuck in a couple of pinches of dried oregano too, just because I like the green flecks in the sauce. When the sauce has cooled slightly and thickened, add the eggs, then pour over the base.
Bake at 180C for an hour.
1 comment:
I add a layer of par-boiled potatoes at the bottom of the dish. Makes the meal just a bit more substantial.
My aubergines are coming into flower. The pity is that I am also the only one who really likes them.
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