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MAY 4, 2016 // FLATHEADBEACON.COM
SIDE DISH FVCC CHEF MANDA HUDAK SPRING MOUSSAKA
SPRING IS SUCH A CELEBRATORY time of year ... colorful blossoms awaken us from our winter slum- ber but the cool rainy nights still beckon us to enjoy warm comfort food. Mous- saka, the traditional Greek casserole, lay- ers ground lamb seasoned with oregano, cumin, cinnamon, garlic and mint and crispy eggplant with a rich spiced cream sauce. Some versions may include toma- toes, which I substitute for red bell pep- pers for a tighter casserole that can be cut rather than spooned onto the plate. This dish takes a bit of planning but is well worth the e ort, especially if you are cel- ebrating Mom by cooking dinner for her. Serve with a crisp green salad, steamed asparagus with a lemon vinaigrette and strawberries macerated with honey for dessert. Cheers to Mom and all the won- derful avors of spring.
Eggplant:
• 1 eggplant, sliced 1/2”
• Salt
• 1/2 cup oil, peanut or grapeseed • 3/4 cup milk
• 4 eggs, whisked well
• 3 cups panko bread crumbs
• Salt, pepper and cumin to taste
Béchamel sauce:
• 3 cups whole milk
• 1 onion piquet (1/2 medium onion
with (2) cloves studded through (1)
bay leaf into onion)
• Salt, white ground pepper to taste • Small pinch of ground nutmeg Roux:
• 2 oz. unsalted butter
• 2 oz. our
Lamb:
• 1 small onion, diced
• 1/2 medium red bell pepper, diced
• 3/4 tsp. oregano, dried
• 3/4 tsp. cumin, ground
• 1/3 tsp. cinnamon, ground
• 1/4 tsp. sweet paprika, ground
• 1 Tbsp. garlic, minced
• 2 Tbsp. mint, fresh, chopped
• 1 pound ground lamb
• 2 Tbsp. grated parmesan
Preheat oven to 400 F.
1. Sprinkle salt over sliced eggplant to
leach water out of eggplant. Let sit for 1/2 hour and then pat dry. Repeat on opposite side.
2. Make béchamel sauce. Heat milk over low heat with onion piquet in milk.
3. Make roux by gently melting but- ter over low heat. Add our and stir
to combine until consistency of wet sand. Cook over low heat for 5-7 min- utes until mixture has a toasty nut smell. Remove onion piquet from milk. Gradually add warm milk to roux making sure to fully incorporate the milk before adding more. Sea- son with salt, pepper and a very light touch of nutmeg. Cook for 10-12 min- utes over medium heat to thicken. Sauce should be spoonable.
3. Make lamb mixture. Cook onions over low heat to light golden brown color. Add peppers and half of the herb/spice blend, and cook over low heat for 5 minutes to blend avors. Add garlic and cook another 3-4 min- utes to soften. Add mint. Remove from heat. Cook ground lamb over medium heat adding other half of herb/spice blend. Cook until just brown. Remove from heat. Combine lamb and pepper onion mixture.
4. Fry eggplant. Heat oil over medi- um-high heat. Cleanse eggplant of salt by dipping in milk. Dredge in our, egg and breadcrumbs in that order. Fry eggplant to golden brown on both sides. Remove and drain on paper towels.
5. Assemble. Place eggplant in bottom of small casserole. Cut into smaller pieces to make an even layer to the edges. Top with lamb mixture. Top lamb with béchamel sauce. Repeat layering until casserole is full.
Top nal layer with grated parmesan.
Cook in oven 40 minutes until golden brown.
Remove and let set for 15 minutes before serving. Serves four.
Manda Hudak is the savory chef instructor at The Culinary Institute of Montana at Flathead Valley Community College. For more information about the program, visit www.culinaryinstituteofmt.com.