George's mum's authentic Greek moussaka

George Colambaris's mum made this on Masterclass Masterchef today. It seemed really easy, delicious and wholesome, a 1 dish wonder, great for having guests. I am writing from memory so that I remember all the tips, and have to look up on Masterchef's recipe to complete the portions required for some of the ingredients. Will update soon!

Serve 6p
Bechamel
100g butter
100g flour
600ml milk, warm
100g Greek "head" cheese, or parmesan as substitute
1 egg

Filling:-)
Vege Layers
1 large eggplant
2 large potatoes
Meat Layer
mince beef
mince veal
mince pork
chopped oregano
chopped rosemary
chopped parsley/thyme?
1 large onion
2 cloves garlic
chopped tomato
tomato puree
tomato paste

Preheat oven to 180 deg

Peel eggplant in stripes ie leave some skin on.
Spread eggplant on a large baking tray, and salt. This takes away the bitterness.
Cover eggplant with teacloth, and leave for 20-25 minutes. This also helps to draw out the bitter juice. You will see the eggplant has sweated.
Using the teacloth, wipe off the moisture. Do not wash, as eggplant will absorb the water like sponge!
Fry the eggplant lightly with olive oil, to partly cook. Do not cook through or it will become mushy after complete cooking in oven. This way, there will still be some texture.
Leave aside.
Peel potatoes, sliced, fry lightly, to partly cook.
Leave aside.
In a pot, line with olive oil, heat up.
Sautee the mince meat. When turn colour, add in all the rest of the "mince layer" ingredients.
When all the layers are ready, line a large baking dish as follows:-
- thin layer of mince
- potatoes
- eggplant and potatoes
- layer of mince
- eggplant and potatoes
- layer of mince
-bechamel sauce.
Grate cheese over the top of the bechamel sauce.

Bake in oven for 45 minutes, put on grill in last 2 minutes.

Bechamel sauce
Melt butter in a pot
Add flour, stir, add milk, and stir - till smooth silken mash potato consistency.
Add cheese, stir.
Break in an egg, to stir, this gives flavour and a gloss, and "roast" beautiful.
Bon Appetite!

Braised cabbage in apple cider and balsamic vinegar

This is a great vegetable for a cold winter nite, and goes very well with meat, pies etc. I served this with a home made chicken paprika pie, it was great pairing - the acidity in this veg helped to cut through the fat from the super rich buttery shortcrust pastry I made for the pie.
Serve 6-8p
1/2 a cabbage (either red or normal), julienned.
2 medium red onion, or 2 to 3 shallots
2 cloves of garlic, chopped
50g of butter
3/4 cup of cranberries (or raisins)
1 tsp of sugar
1 tsp of salt
2 tsp of balsamic vinegar
1/4 cup of apple cider vinegar
1/2 cup of chicken stock (1 tsp of Vegeta and water will do)

This time, I used the normal green cabbage, and coloured the dish red by adding 1/2 a cup of beetroot juice which I had from boiling fresh beetroot to made an accompaniment beetroot salad.

Heat a heavy based pot with olive oil, and saute the onion and garlic till softened. Add cabbage. Saute the cabbage till soften, and melt butter on top of it. Add the salt and sugar for seasoning. When pot is hot enough, ie cabbage is "drying" out, add all the other "liquids to deglaze the pan and start to caramelise the cabbage. Cover with lid and simmer on low for 15-20 minutes. Switch heat off, and leave to rest for another hour an hour. When ready to serve, open lid, reheat and at same time reduce liquid, until rich caramlised texture. Crack some pepper over before serving.

The cabbage will be still slightly crunch, sweet and sour, very appetising.

Bon Appetite!

Grilled Eggplant Salad

This is very easy to make and great as a salad or to accompany any eastern or chinese meal, with rice, or with meat.

 

1 large eggplant

1 bunch of fresh parsley or coriander (the taste would be different depending on which)

1 small red onion, very finely sliced

2-3 tbsp olive oil

2 cloves of garlic, finely chopped.

Seasalt

Optional: 1 red chilli, finely chopped.

 

Dressing

Juice of 1/2 a lime

1 tbsp palm sugar

1 tsp fish sauce

 

Preheat oven to 200 deg.

 

Cut eggplants into small cubes of slightly smaller than 2cm x 2cm, place in a roasting tray

Sprinkle seasalt generously all over the egg plant, and rub them gently so that salt spreads evenly over the eggplant

Leave for at least 1/2 hour.

The eggplant will sweat a lot, removing bitter taste, if any.

Wash eggplant to remove salt, then pat dray.

Marinate it with the olive oil and garlic.
Place eggplant into oven, grill for 15 minutes, or till about golden.

Take out and sprinkle red onions over it, mixed it, and grill for another 5 minutes.

Separately chop up the bunch of parsley or coriander.

Toss this with the grilled eggplant once immediately out of oven, while eggplant is very hot.

Sprinkle the dressing and toss all together.

 

Bon Appetite!