Mmmmmmmm is for Moussaka!!! (Lamb Recipes)

Member Name: SamPerry

Product:	Lamb Recipes
Date:	25/02/09 (69 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Tastes delicious!

Disadvantages: Takes a while to prepare

My husband and I got married in Paphos in 2007; it was here that I first tried moussaka. I absolutely loved it so was determined to try and cook it at home for us. I cooked it for my husband on Valentines Day and it was absolutely gorgeous, I will definitely be making it again. One point I will make that my recipe does not include potatoes as a lot of the Greek recipes do, but to be honest I prefer it without potatoes.

Ingredients:

2 Medium onions, finely chopped
4 crushed garlic cloves
150-175ml olive oil
1kg lean lambs mince
100ml red wine
2tbsp tomato puree
Can chopped tomatoes
Cinnamon stick.
2tbsp chopped, fresh oregano
3 large aubergines
75g butter
75g plain flour
600ml milk
50g fresh, grated parmesan
Pinch of nutmeg
2 medium eggs, beaten.

How to make:

- Cook the onions and garlic in 2 tbsp of olive oil and brown, add the mince and cook for 4 minutes. If there a lot of fat comes out of your mince then sieve the ingredients to separate the mince and then return it to the frying pan. Add the red wine, tomato puree, tomatoes, cinnamon and oregano and simmer for 30-40 mins, stirring occasionally.

- Slice the aubergines and brush with a fine layer of olive oil on each side. You must then lightly fry the aubergines on each side until browned. As there are quite a few you will have to do this in batches and place on a plate once fried.

- You then need to lay some of the aubergines over the bottom of a shallow, oven proof dish and season well. Then remove the cinnamon stick from the mince mixture and spoon half of the sauce over the aubergines. The lay another layer of aubergines over the top of the mixture and then spoon the remaining sauce over the top of these.

- Preheat the oven to 200c/fan 180c/gas mark 6. You then need to make your sauce. Melt the butter in a non stick pan, add the flour and cook for one minute. Lower the heat and gradually beat in the egg until thickened slightly. It is very important that you do this very slowly; otherwise your mixture will become lumpy. Then simmer gently for 10 minutes. Stir in the cheese and nutmeg and season. Cool slightly and then beat in the eggs.

- Pour this sauce over the lamb and bake for 30-40 minutes.

The sauce thickens right up and becomes almost fluffy, which combined with the mince makes a delightful moussaka!!

Summary: I could eat it every night!