Moussaka - my kids just love saying it - “MOO saka”

Cookbook Challenge #2

A couple of weeks ago I decided to challenge myself by trying at least one new recipe from a different cookbook every two weeks. My goal is to experience some of the great recipes contained in my underused collection and break out of my typical cooking routine. I encouraged you to take up the same challenge and let me know what recipes you are trying at home. See The Reluctant Gourmet’s Cookbook Challenge.

For my next recipe, I decided to pick a classic from one of my favorite cookbooks, New Recipes From Moosewood Restaurant, published back in 1987 and given to me for Christmas in 1990 by my good friend Rania B. On the inside cover page I noticed she wrote, “to the best darn soup-maker this side of the Mississippi!”  Now that’s nice to read again. I haven’t picked up this book in awhile but I will definitely revisit it to work on some of the great soup recipes featured in this cookbook.

Many of you might remember the original Moosewood Cookbook written by Mollie Katzen back in 1978 and published by the Ten Speed Press, now publishers of many great cookbooks. My wife brought a copy of it into our marriage, and it is a great source for vegetarian recipes. The Moosewood Cookbook was named to the Cookbook Hall of Fame by the James Beard Foundation back in 2007, and the New York Times listed it as one of the top ten selling cookbooks of all time.

What is Moussaka?

Moussaka is a Middle Eastern dish that is basically an eggplant casserole. Although there are many versions from different countries, the basic dish is comprised of eggplant, tomato and some minced meat. The more popular and widely known Greek version includes layers of eggplant and meat topped with a white sauce. The entire dish is then baked.  It’s kind of like a Greek lasagna, with the part of the lasagna noodles being played by eggplant.

As with many dishes, I’ve found many variations on moussaka.  Some versions use pork, some lamb. Cream sauce is popular, but so is a layer of yogurt mixed with eggs and flour.  Some versions even substitute potatoes for the eggplant. This vegetarian version uses eggplant and zucchini, tomato sauce and a custard-like Bechamel sauce.

The recipe shows you how to make a simple tomato sauce that takes about 30 minutes to prepare, but you can easily substitute your own favorite or family tomato sauce recipe. And for those of you who like shortcuts, you may want to try your favorite commercial brand.  I do recommend that you make an attempt at your own sauce, though, because you will know exactly what is in it.

The Results

We served this version of Moussaka with a roasted leg of lamb, and roasted potatoes, but as good as the Moussaka was the night we prepared it, it was even better the next day with leftover lamb, potato gnocchi and fresh steamed Brussels sprouts.  It was ridiculously good!

My second cookbook recipe challenge was a success, and I’m looking forward to the next one. I’m interested in hearing how the rest of you are doing. Please let me know by posting here or on the original post or on my Facebook.

Enjoy,

RG

Moussaka Recipe

Sauce

• 3 tablespoons olive oil
• 2 cups onions (about 2 medium) — chopped
• 2 cloves garlic — minced or pressed
• 4 large tomatoes (4-5) — chopped
• 1 large green pepper — chopped
• 1 1/2 teaspoons fresh dill (1/2 teaspoon dried)
• 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
3 tablespoons fresh parsley — chopped
salt and black pepper to taste

Main Ingredients

• 1 large eggplant sliced in 1/2 inch thick circles
• 1 large zucchini sliced in 1/2 inch thick circles
• olive oil for sautéing

Custard

• 1/3 cup butter
• 1/3 cup unbleached white flour
• 2 cups milk — heated
• 2 egg yolks — beaten
• pinch nutmeg, preferably freshly grated
• salt & pepper, to taste

Toppings

• 1 cup feta cheese (5 ounces)
• 3/4 cup bread crumbs
• freshly grated Parmesan cheese
• fresh chopped parsley

How to Make Country Style Moussaka at Home

Start by making the tomato sauce. Saute the onions for a couple of minutes and then add the garlic and continue sautéing until the onions are translucent.  Add the rest of the sauce ingredients and simmer uncovered for approximately 30 minutes.

Prepare the eggplant by placing the slices onto an oiled baking sheet. Season with some salt, then cover with aluminum foil and bake at 375°F until tender. This will take about 30 minutes.

While the eggplant is baking, sauté the zucchini slices in oil until tender.

Custard

To prepare the custard that goes on top of this dish, heat the milk in once saucepan and melt the butter over medium heat in another. Add the flour to the butter to make a roux, and cook for 3 minutes being careful to continuously whisk the mixture so it does not burn on the bottom of the pan.

Slowly add the hot milk while constantly whisking until it starts to become a thick but smooth sauce. Remove the sauce from the heat and let it cool for approximately 10 minutes. Then whisk in the egg yolks and nutmeg. Season to taste with salt & pepper.

To Assemble the Moussaka

You’ll need a deep baking dish approximately 9” x 13” x 2” that has been oiled. Spread about half the homemade tomato sauce on the bottom of the pan and then layer the eggplant slices, half the feta cheese, half the breadcrumbs and the remainder of the tomato sauce.
On top of this, add the zucchini slices and the remaining feta cheese and breadcrumbs. The custard goes on top of everything but then is topped with a bit of Parmesan cheese and the freshly chopped parsley.

Throw the pan into the preheated oven and bake uncovered at 375°F for 45 minutes to 1 hour or until bubbly and golden.
Be sure to let the casserole to sit at room temperature for 15 minutes before serving.

Related Topics

The Reluctant Gourmet Cookbook Challenge

Flounder Fillets à la Moutarde - Cookbook Challenge #1

I love eggplant Parmesan and I have prepared it many different ways - in sauce, by itself, thick, thin, different types of cheeses. I don’t care. Give me fresh eggplant fried just right with a good tomato sauce and I’m happy. The version below is from my friend Chef Mark Vogel. When he made this dish at home a few weeks ago, he call me the next day and told me how good it turned out and he had to write an article about it.

The photos are mine from different times I’ve made it. You may notice spaghetti in one photo and penne in another. That’s because they are from different times with different recipes. Mark’s article will give you a little history as well a offer you his recipe for making this classic meal. Tomorrow or Sunday I will post his recipe for a basic tomato sauce to serve with this dish but I also have a couple of basic tomato sauce recipes myself.

Eggplant Parmigiana
by Mark Vogel

Everybody’s had the prototypical eggplant Parmigiana, (a.k.a. eggplant Parmesan), in run-of-the-mill Italian eateries, or worse yet, your average American pizza parlor.  It’s always the same:  thin, mushy slices of eggplant, sparingly dotted with cheese and slathered in a dubious sauce.  It’s about as texturally inviting as a productive sneeze.  I say it’s time to reclaim eggplant parmigiana; to return it to its former glory:  properly cooked but not squishy pieces of eggplant with a crisp crust, adequate cheese and a deeply flavored tomato sauce.

It’s actually amazing how much you can learn about cooking from a dish as seemingly simple as eggplant parmigiana.  I say “seemingly simple” because for the cook who is striving for perfection, there’s much more to it than just frying some eggplant, adding sauce and cheese and throwing it in the oven.  There are a number of nuances to its preparation that if ignored, results in the listless, limp, neighborhood-pizzeria rendition all too common in the American culinary landscape.

What’s In a Name

First let’s clear up some terminology issues.  In the loosest definition, “Parmesan” and “parmigiana” have come to mean dishes that are made with cheese.  More precisely it should be Parmesan cheese but basically any dish or sandwich buried by mozzarella is nowadays referred to as Parmesan or parmigiana.  Whether it actually contains real Parmesan is up to the discretion of the chef, or the budget of the owner.   Parmesan in turn refers to Parma, the glorious city in Emilia-Romagna and birthplace of Italy’s “king of cheese.”

Parmigiana is an alternative and more authentic spelling for Parmesan.  However, eggplant parmigiana was never supposed to embrace either term or their shared meaning.  Parmigiana is a corruption of palmigiana or parmiciana, depending on who you ask.  Both of these latter words refer to overlapping pieces of wood, or a shutter, which is supposed to resemble the overlying slices of eggplant in the baking dish.  OK, now that the linguistic portion of the session is over, let’s start cooking.

I Want a Crisp Coating with Tender Interior

As stated, my primary goal when making eggplant parmigiana is to produce eggplant with a crispy coating and a soft but not mushy interior.  This is achieved by

1. using the freshest eggplant possible
2. slicing them a little bit thicker
3. salting them to remove excess fluid
4. breading them properly
5. pan-frying them correctly
6. I know this heresy for many but…….NOT baking it in the tomato sauce.

Choosing and Handling

The first step is choosing your eggplant and treating it right.  In addition to the traditional, egg-shaped eggplants ubiquitous to American supermarkets, there are many other kinds of eggplant.  Italian eggplant look like a smaller version of the regular ones but have a more delicate skin and texture.  Japanese eggplant are oblong and slender, are often brighter purple, and have a sweeter flesh.  There’s even a white eggplant which sports a tough skin but smooth flesh.

Whatever variety, choose eggplants with a firm, smooth, unblemished skin devoid of any soft spots.  Use eggplants as soon as possible.  They don’t last long even in the fridge.  Because they’re a tropical plant they don’t take well to cold.  So while I prefer the standard eggplant or the Italian variety for eggplant parmigiana it’s most important to acquire fresh specimens and use them promptly.

To peel or not to peel?

It’s up to your personal taste.  I prefer mine peeled.  Some cooks profess that leaving the skin on helps hold them together but you can make very soggy eggplant even with the skin.  After peeling I slice them a half-inch thick.  I prefer to cut them lengthwise but you can cut them crosswise into discs.  What’s most vital is not only the thickness, but the uniformity.  Unequal slices will produce disparate textures within each piece after cooking.

Salting

Next, lay the slices on a cooling rack on top of a sheet pan.  Generously salt both sides of the eggplant with kosher salt.  Use a liberal amount of salt as you’ll wipe it off later.  Allow the slices to rest for 30-45 minutes.  This draws out their moisture and will improve the final texture.  After they have rested, press each slice between paper toweling to squeeze out more water and wipe off the excess salt.

Breading

On to what’s known in the culinary world as the “standard breading procedure,” which is dipping the food in flour, then beaten egg and finally breadcrumbs.  Shake off the excess flour before introducing the food to the egg.  Too much flour and the breading can dislodge.  I prefer panko breadcrumbs which have a coarser texture.  I use a roomy bowl with ample breadcrumbs so I can grab small handfuls of them and press them into the eggplant.  Place the breaded slices on a baking sheet to rest as this also assists in the adherence of the coating.

Frying

Next add oil to a large skillet.  Eyeball it so there’s at least enough to submerge the slices halfway.  If you’re not sure, erring on the side of a little extra won’t hurt.  Heat the oil until it shimmers or to a temperature of 350˚F.  If the oil is not hot enough the breading will absorb too much of it and get soggy.

Conversely, do not let the oil get too hot or you risk burning the outside of the eggplant before the center is cooked.  Place the slices in the oil.  Work in batches and do not overcrowd the pan.  As soon as the first side is thoroughly browned, flip it and brown the other.  Remove the slices to paper toweling to drain and season with salt and pepper.

Baking

Preheat your oven to 375˚F.  Spray a clean baking sheet with vegetable spray.  Arrange the eggplant slices on the sheet without overlapping them.  Use additional trays if needed.  Take shredded mozzarella cheese and pile the desired amount on each slice of eggplant.  Use a little more than you think you need.

Place the eggplant in the oven just long enough to melt the cheese.  Make your tomato sauce separately.  Place the finished eggplant slices on your plate and sauce them at the table.  This will ensure crisp eggplant.  Cooking them in the sauce moistens the crust and defeats the whole purpose of frying them in the first place.

Tomato Sauce

I have a nice tomato sauce recipe from my friend Chef Ricco DeLuca but tomorrow I’ll post another one from Chef Vogel. We talked the day after he tested this recipe at home and said the sauce was incredible. I’m sure you have your own favorite recipe for making tomato sauce and by all means use it but if you are looking for something different, give Ricco’s or Mark’s a try. And you you are in a hurry and need a shortcut, you can always use a favorite commercial brand but I can’t imagine it will be as good as homemade. Not much is.

Chef Mark R. Vogel

Related Topics

Basic Tomato Sauce

Pomodoro Sauce

Tomato Strainer

I am always looking for a “quick & easy” meal to prepare mid-week when there is so much going on with the kids and now our new puppy, Bailey. I especially want to make something with what’s on hand so I don’t have to run out to the store. I knew I wanted something with beans but it had to be simple, not take too much time and be tasty.

I reached for one of my favorite cookbooks, Monday to Friday Cookbook by Michele Urvater. This is a great cookbook for those looking for simple but delicious, and in this case nutritious meals that are “created for how people really live.”  I looked up beans in the index and found this Three Bean Stew with Vegetables.

I had to adapt it because I didn’t have all the ingredients plus I wanted to clean out my refrigerator of some fresh brussel sprouts from the farmers co-op we belong to this year. So I switched a few items around and added some other ingredients which is exactly how the author would want me to do it. She says, “Think of each recipe as a tune - I may hum a few bars but feel free to take it from there.”

Here’s my adaptation of Michele’s Three Bean Stew with Vegetables:

There is about 20 minutes of prep time and another 30 to 45 minutes of “no-work cooking time.”  Michele suggests serving this stew over a bowlful of pasta, rice, or cornmeal puree. I went quick and easy again and served it over couscous with a salad on the side.

Ingredients

• 6 - 8 sun-dried tomatoes
• 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
• 1 white onion
• 2 cloves garlic
• 2 carrots (I used about 8 to 10 of those mini carrots already peeled)
• 6 - 8 brussels sprouts, cut in half
• 1 - 10 ounce package of frozen corn
• 1 - 16 ounce can black beans
• 1 - 16 ounce can chick-peas
• 1 - 16 ounce can cannelloni beans
• 1/4 cup balsamic vinegar or sherry wine vinegar
• Salt & pepper, to taste

Michele’s recipe calls for 1 - 4 ounce can of chipped green chilies and an optional 2 pickled jalapeno peppers. I had the jalapeno peppers on hand but not the chilies but opted out of both because my daughters are not fans of spicy food……yet.

How to Prepare

Start by reconstituting the sun-dried tomatoes. Put them into a small sauce pan, added enough water to cover them completely and bring them to a boil. As soon as the water starts to boil, take them off the heat and let them sit for 5 minutes until they are reconstituted. Drain but save a little of the liquid to add to the stew if it gets too thick or just to add some additional flavor.

You can always opt for sun-dried tomatoes that are packed in oil as Michele’s recipe suggests, but I prefer stocking dry sun-dried tomatoes. They last a long time and you don’t have to store the unused jar of tomatoes in the refrigerator.

Prep the onion and garlic by finely chopping them. When the sun-dried tomatoes are cool enough to handle, chop them up too.

Heat up a saucepan over medium heat. Add the oil and when it gets hot, but not smoking, add the onions and garlic. Cook for a couple of minutes and add the carrots and the brussels sprouts. Let this cook for a couple more minutes.

Add the sun-dried tomatoes, frozen corn and the three cans of beans WITH juices. Give everything a stir, cover and simmer for 20 to 45 minutes. The longer you let it simmer, the more the flavor will mellow. If the pan gets too dry, you can add a few tablespoons of water or reserved liquid from reconstituting the sun-dried tomatoes.

Add the vinegar and simmer for an additional 5 minutes. Taste and adjust seasonings with salt and pepper. Serve over your choice of grain or pasta.