Moussaka for Many

QSis

Grill Master
Staff member
Gold Site Supporter
This recipe from "The Dieter's Cookbook" is the one I make all the time and it's the BEST with Japanese eggplant. It sure doesn't taste "diet", and though it says it serves 10, serving 6 is better.

This is worth the effort - it's delicious!

It's best with ground lamb.

(The cinnamon is traditional, but I can't stand it in the dish, so I omit it.)

Lee

Moussaka for Many (Better Homes and Gardens Dieter's Cookbook)

2 large eggplant or 6-7 Japanese eggplants, peeled and cut into slices
2 T cooking oil (I always need more)
2 pounds ground beef or ground lamb
1 large onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 8-oz can tomato sauce
3/4 cup dry red wine
1 teas salt
dash dried oregano, or 1 teas fresh oregano
1/4 teas cinnamon
1 beaten egg

++++++

1/4 cup butter
1/4 cup flour
1 teas salt
dash black pepper
2 cups skim milk (or whatever milk)
3 beaten eggs
1/2 cup parm. cheese
ground cinnamon

Brush both side of eggplant slices with oil, sprinkle lightly with salt, and brown eggplant slices on each side, in a large skillet. Set aside.

In the same skillet, brown the meat with the onion and garlic; drain off any excess fat. Stir in tomato sauce, wine, parsley, the 1 teas. of salt, oregano and cinnamon. Simmer, uncovered, until most of the liquid is absorbed. Gradually stir the beaten egg into the ground meat mixture.

In a saucepan, melt butter; stir in flour, 1 teas salt, and pepper. Add milk all at once; cook and stir constantly until thickened and bubbly (this will take awhile - don't walk away!). Gradually stir hot sauce into the 3 beaten eggs.

In a greased 13 x 9 baking dish, arrange half the eggplant. Pour all the meat mixture on top of the eggplant, then pour the milk mixture over all. Top with parm. cheese and sprinkle with cinnamon. Bake at 325 for 40 -45 minutes.

Serve with orzo or rice pilaf.
 
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QSis

Grill Master
Staff member
Gold Site Supporter
I just made this again tonight, only I halved the recipe.

Served with tzatziki and pita. Great!

Lee
 
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QSis

Grill Master
Staff member
Gold Site Supporter
I made this again, halving the recipe for the casserole, but making the whole recipe for the sauce.

Served with orzo and a Greek salad.

This time, took pictures.

Lee
Moussaka browned eggplant.JPG
Moussaka filling.JPG
Moussaka without sauce.JPG
Moussaka white sauce.JPG
Moussaka cooked.JPG
Moussaka leftovers.JPG
Moussaka plated.JPG
 
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Ian M.

New member
Hey Lee - I'm losing miserably at poker tonight so went looking at a couple of forums, including this one and saw your wonderful recipe. Guess what I'm making for Poker Night the next time it falls to me?! Your photos look good enough to eat! And I know these animals will make short work of something that special. :a1:

Ian
 

PanchoHambre

New member
Looks great Lee - I LOVE Moussaka but never made it - if u get some more good eggplants from the garden (or market) I definitely need to give it a go.
 

medtran49

Well-known member
Gold Site Supporter
Per request,

David Rosengarten's of Taste (a show on Food Network in its infancy) moussaka. When I can find it, I use Mizithra cheese instead of pecorino. It comes in a rounded shape and it's not cheap, but it does freeze well because it's a hard dried cheese. Just for the 2 of us, I make the whole recipe but do it in 2 dishes so I can freeze one, and I make 1-1/2 times the sauce because Craig likes extra sauce.

http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/moussaka-recipe-1926678

picture.php


I just kind of wing the tzatziki. We made extra this time because we never seem to have enough. There's not much left, enough for a little snack for 1 with some tortillas or pita bread for dipping. Used 3 cukes, seeds cleaned out, shredded on big side of box grater, salted, weighted in a colander for at least 45 minutes. 2 individual serving cups of Greek yogurt, maybe 1/2 to 2/3 cups of sour cream, chopped fresh dill (maybe a Tbsp) and maybe a tsp of microplaned garlic, 1/2 lemon juiced, and S and P to taste. I just taste and add dill, garlic, lemon juice, S and P until it tastes pretty good, then let it meld for a bit.

Be careful with the garlic though. Craig's brother made some once and he was of the mindset that there's never enough garlic. Yes, there can be and he was the first to admit it.
 

QSis

Grill Master
Staff member
Gold Site Supporter
Thanks for posting that, med!

Do you include the cinnamon? I know it's traditional, and I've tried it a couple of times, but it just ruins the dish for me.

I wholeheartedly agree about too much garlic in tzatziki! I made the mistake myself once - never again. First saw Frugal Gourmet make it; made it myself, love it!

I enjoyed watching David Rosengarten, too!

Lee
 

lilbopeep

🌹🐰 Still trying to get it right.
Site Supporter
Per request,

David Rosengarten's of Taste (a show on Food Network in its infancy) moussaka. When I can find it, I use Mizithra cheese instead of pecorino. It comes in a rounded shape and it's not cheap, but it does freeze well because it's a hard dried cheese. Just for the 2 of us, I make the whole recipe but do it in 2 dishes so I can freeze one, and I make 1-1/2 times the sauce because Craig likes extra sauce.

http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/moussaka-recipe-1926678

picture.php


I just kind of wing the tzatziki. We made extra this time because we never seem to have enough. There's not much left, enough for a little snack for 1 with some tortillas or pita bread for dipping. Used 3 cukes, seeds cleaned out, shredded on big side of box grater, salted, weighted in a colander for at least 45 minutes. 2 individual serving cups of Greek yogurt, maybe 1/2 to 2/3 cups of sour cream, chopped fresh dill (maybe a Tbsp) and maybe a tsp of microplaned garlic, 1/2 lemon juiced, and S and P to taste. I just taste and add dill, garlic, lemon juice, S and P until it tastes pretty good, then let it meld for a bit.

Be careful with the garlic though. Craig's brother made some once and he was of the mindset that there's never enough garlic. Yes, there can be and he was the first to admit it.

I watched David on PBS. Loved him.
 

medtran49

Well-known member
Gold Site Supporter
Thanks for posting that, med!

Do you include the cinnamon? I know it's traditional, and I've tried it a couple of times, but it just ruins the dish for me.

I wholeheartedly agree about too much garlic in tzatziki! I made the mistake myself once - never again. First saw Frugal Gourmet make it; made it myself, love it!

I enjoyed watching David Rosengarten, too!

Lee

I do, but I cut it down drastically, maybe just a tad more than an 1/8 tsp. Sorry, forgot about that as it's just automatic for me. I cut down cinnamon in any recipe (even c. rolls or bread) I make because I'm extremely sensitive to it tastebud wise and a little goes a LONG way with me.

Oh, in the cookbook, David did recommend using the mizithra cheese. It's a bit sharper and tangier than p. romano. The only place I've found it is at Whole Foods and they don't always have it, but ask if they don't. They do usually carry halloumi though if anybody is interested in flaming cheese. It's really good BTW.

I highly recommend his cookbook Taste. It's an interesting book and he gives stories and info about why he's using or doing certain things for a lot of the recipes. Kind of like his show. You can probably get discounted ones on Ebay or even Amazon. I got Hubert Keller, Alan Susser, and John Besh cookbooks that are like new for a song, less than $5 for 1 of them.
 
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QSis

Grill Master
Staff member
Gold Site Supporter
Made this again last night, using a couple of eggplants from a friend's garden. SO good!

When hot, it doesn't come out of the casserole dish prettily, but is delicious.

This time, served with minted orzo and Greek salad.

Lee
moussaka.JPG
Moussaka plated.JPG
 
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