I will never forget the day had the lamb with eggplant moussaka because of the frightening experience that my coworker and I had to go through. This day could have ended much worse. However, it turned out to be a very good one.
My coworker and I decided to visit a Middle Eastern eatery in Phoenix, AZ on a scorching summer day. Upon entering, we immediately realized that an amicable Iraqi woman with an inviting grin was the owner of the place. Following our server’s suggestion, we went for the lamb and eggplant moussaka. A savory combination of eggplant, ground lamb, and a creamy bechamel sauce. Our collective eagerness saw our orders placed in no time.
We chose a small table in a corner to rest while waiting for our order. The atmosphere was pleasant and inviting with distinct fragrances of seasonings and cooked meats. While we lingered over our glasses of iced tea, talking away, the commotion outside grabbed our attention.
A jolt of panic raced through me as the door flew open. A group of people rushed in, warning us about the raging fire that had broken out next door. I turned to see flames rising through the windows, creating a thick shroud of black smoke in the sky.
The prompted reaction from the Iraqi woman was immediate. She vociferously yelled orders to her personnel and hurriedly shepherded customers out of the restaurant. My coworker and I, leaving behind our lamb moussaka on the table, quickly gathered our belongings in the midst of the departing crowd and followed them out.
We were standing outside and observing the firefighters as they daringly encountered the intense flames of the burning building. We couldn’t help but feel thankful for the restaurant owner’s and her team’s swift reactions. They conducted a smooth and efficient evacuation of the premises, ensuring that nobody got hurt in the process.
Upon regaining access to the restaurant, now that the fire was out and no longer posed a risk, we proceeded to reclaim our lunch which had been left abandoned during the evacuation. The Iraqi woman, seeing us and feeling the need to apologize for the disruption, extended us her hospitality by giving us a round of drinks as a courtesy.
Feeling thankful and eager for our meal, we took our seats back around the table and the waiter served us the lamb with eggplant moussaka. As expected, it was a delightful treat of velvety eggplant interlaced with delectable ground lamb. Additionally, it was crowned by a smooth bechamel sauce.
As we finished our meal, the Iraqi woman came by to check on us and ask if we enjoyed the food. Impressed by her skillful cookery and her composed reaction to the situation, I solicitously requested the recipe of lamb moussaka. Happily, she gave it to me without any hesitation.
After devouring my tasty lamb moussaka at the Middle Eastern restaurant, the chef’s talent really impressed me. I am providing its recipe so anybody can replicate the delightful experience I enjoyed on that memorable day in Phoenix.
Ingredients:
- 6 tablespoons olive oil
- 3 medium eggplants, sliced into 5mm rounds
- 800 gr lamb mince
- 1 onion, finely chopped
- 2 large garlic cloves, crushed
- 3 heaping teaspoons dried oregano
- 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
- 2 bay leaves
- 200 ml red wine
- 400 gr canned chopped tomatoes
- 2 tablespoons tomato paste
- 1/2 tablespoon light brown sugar
- 550 gr Maris Piper potatoes, peeled and sliced into 5mm rounds
For the béchamel sauce:
- 40 gr unsalted butter
- 40 gr all-purpose flour
- 450 ml whole milk
- 40 gr parmesan cheese, finely grated
- Whole nutmeg, for grating
- 1 large egg plus 1 egg yolk, lightly beaten
How to make the lamb and eggplant moussaka?
- In a hot frying pan, toss 4 tablespoons of olive oil and allow it to heat. Put the eggplant slices in groups and cook each batch for 5-7 minutes until they become golden brown and tender. Once they are finished cooking, take the eggplant slices out and let them cool on a plate lined with paper towels. Should they seem dry, add some more olive oil before removing them from the heat.
- Heat 1 tablespoon of oil over medium to high heat in a large and flameproof casserole dish or saucepan. Once the oil is hot, add in the mince. Fry it all together for 8-10 minutes until it becomes golden brown in color, continuously stirring and breaking the meat apart with a wooden spoon.
- Gently fry the onion with a pinch of salt in the remaining oil from the casserole for 10-12 minutes or until softened and turning translucent – Transfer this mixture to a bowl, then set aside. Add the garlic, oregano, cinnamon, chili, and bay leaves to the lamb and cook for one minute. Pour in the red wine and bring it to a boil, reducing it by half. Return the lamb to the pan and allow all of the flavors to combine. Stir 200 ml of water, tomatoes, tomato paste, and brown sugar together into the pot. Season with salt and pepper. Let it simmer uncovered on lower heat for 20 minutes, stirring occasionally until the sauce has thickened.
- Heat your oven to 200C/180 fan/gas 4. In a boiling pot of lightly salted water, add the potato slices and simmer for 6 minutes. Through a colander, allow the potatoes to strain until all of the liquid has completely been removed; this should take around 10 minutes.
- In a small saucepan, melt the butter and then add in the flour. Stir continuously over medium heat for 1 minute before removing it from the heat. Next, begin to whisk in the milk slowly and bit by bit until all ingredients are completely blended together with an even, smooth consistency. Return the heat to the pot and simmer for 3 minutes. Remove from the heat before mixing in parmesan cheese, nutmeg, seasoning, a whole egg, and an egg yolk – whisking all together. Finish with a little more seasoning to taste.
- In a large rectangular ovenproof dish, layer a third of the meat, followed by half the potato and half the eggplant. Spread out evenly. Top with remaining meat, then alternate with layers of eggplant and potato before baking. After assembling the dish, top with the béchamel sauce and use a palette knife to achieve a smooth finish. Bake in the oven until the surface is deep golden brown, approximately 50 minutes. Cover the dish if it browns too much during cooking. Allow it to cool for 10 minutes before serving.
Serve the moussaka warm, garnished with a sprinkle of fresh herbs or a dollop of yogurt, and enjoy this comforting and flavorful Middle Eastern dish.
This is it! It’s a bit long but totally worth it. Serving this dish during dinner will definitely award you with tons of compliments from family and friends. Happy cooking!
By the way, moussaka is best served with a refreshing Lebanese malfouf cabbage salad.
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