A Greek Delight; Moussaka topped with Cauliflower Béchamel!

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Ok, so the weather isn’t showing it, but nevertheless fall is here and I was feeling the need to enjoy some fall flavors. I purchased some amazing lamb from Adelaida Springs Ranch that is raised exclusively on Rangeland Wines pastures and in their estate vineyard. No antibiotics or hormones are used, and the meat is mild, lean and succulent. Lamb made me think of Greek food and that made me think of Moussaka!

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I also had on hand some fresh cauliflower from my Talley Farms CSA box. That’s when the lightbulb came on! Why not create a Moussaka recipe that uses pureed cauliflower for the béchamel layer on top? Well that’s exactly what I did!

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Moussaka is a four step process. First step is the Meat Sauce, which can easily be done a day ahead. It has wonderful aromatic flavors of cinnamon, ginger and allspice with a bit of heat from cayenne. The secret ingredient that makes all of the difference in the sauce is the poached dried currants. They add a sweet delicate touch. Adding a cup of red wine really balances all of the flavors well and a nice Syrah is the perfect choice.

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Step two is preparing the Eggplant. The easiest and fastest way to do this is on an outdoor grill. This eliminates the need for additional oil in the recipe and can be done in one or two batches, depending on your grill size. It is best to use a grill topper so that the pieces don’t fall between the grates. Otherwise, you can use a grill pan on your stove or pan fry them. If you use the pan fry method, make sure you drain them on paper towels afterward. I lay the towels on a cooling rack to keep them from sitting in any oil.

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The last step before assembly is making the Béchamel Sauce. I made a cauliflower puree by cooking the cauliflower in milk until tender and then blending it. A little roux and some seasoning finished it into a dreamy sauce to go on top the casserole. A sprinkle of parmesan and we’re ready to bake!

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The finished product was absolutely scrumptious and it was even better the next day!

 

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Lasagne Style Moussaka topped with Cauliflower Béchamel

Ingredients
  • 1/4 cup dried currants
  • 3 tablespoons olive oil
  • 1 lb. ground lamb
  • 1/2 teaspoon cayenne
  • 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
  • 1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
  • 1/4 teaspoon allspice
  • 1 (28-oz) can whole San Marzano tomatoes
  • 5 cloves garlic, finely chopped
  • 2 medium yellow onions, finely chopped
  • 1 red bell pepper, stemmed, cored and finely chopped
  • 1 cup red wine (Syrah works best)
  • Grape seed or Avocado oil for frying, (omit if grilling eggplant)
  • 3 large eggplant, cut crosswise into 1/4″ thick slices
  • 1 medium head cauliflower, broken into florets
  • 3 tablespoons butter
  • 1/4 cup flour
  • 2 1/4 cups milk
  • freshly grated nutmeg, to taste
  • 1/2 cup plain Greek yogurt
  • 3 egg yolks
  • 1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese
  • Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
Instructions
  1. Purée the tomatoes in a blender and set aside. Put the currants into a small bowl and cover with boiling water; let soften for 30 minutes. Drain and set aside.
  2. Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in a 6 qt pot over medium-high heat. Add the lamb, cayenne, cinnamon, ginger, allspice, salt and pepper. Cook, stirring to break up the meat, until browned, about 5 minutes. Transfer the lamb to a large strainer set inside a bowl and let drain; discard any liquid left in the pot. Return the pot to the heat and add the remaining 2 tablespoons olive oil along with the onions, bell pepper and garlic. Cook, stirring occasionally, until soft, about 10 minutes. Add the wine and cook, stirring occasionally, until almost evaporated, 10-15 minutes. Add the reserved tomatoes, currants and lamb and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer until thickened, about 30 minutes. Remove from the heat and set aside.
  3. Heat two tablespoons grape seed or avocado oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Working in batches, add the eggplant slices and fry, turning occasionally, until tender-about 5 minutes, adding oil as needed for each batch. Drain on a paper towel lined rack. Alternately, you can grill the eggplant slices on a gas grill using a mesh grate or screen. This makes the job a bit easier as you can cook them all in one or two batches depending on the size of your grill. You will also cut out the additional oil by cooking them this way.
  4. To make the cauliflower béchamel sauce, bring the florets and milk to a low boil in a saucepan. Lower the heat to simmer and cover, cooking until the cauliflower is tender. Remove from the heat and let cool. Transfer the mixture to a blender and puree it until smooth. (Make sure to hold a towel over the top to ensure it doesn’t explode) In the same saucepan, melt the butter and add the flour, whisking constantly, until pale and smooth, 2 minutes. Slowly add the pureed cauliflower mixture, whisking constantly until thickened. (Add more milk as necessary to thin it slightly – but keep a thick texture as you don’t want it runny) Season to taste with salt and pepper. Remove it from the heat and let the sauce cool for 5 minutes. In a small bowl, whisk the egg yolks and sour cream together and whisk them into the sauce until smooth.
  5. Heat the oven to 400°. Place 1/2 of the eggplant slices in the bottom of a 9 x 13 casserole dish. Layer 1/2 of the meat sauce on top of the eggplant. Repeat again with remaining eggplant and then meat sauce. Pour the béchamel over the top of the meat sauce and smooth with a rubber spatula. Sprinkle the parmesan cheese evenly over the top and bake until browned and bubbly, approximately 45 minutes. Let cool for at least 20 minutes before serving.

(click here) for printable recipe

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6 opinions on “A Greek Delight; Moussaka topped with Cauliflower Béchamel!”

  1. I don’t comment a lot because of obvious bias and because everything you prepare is delicious. This one, however, deserves honorable mention.

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    1. Thanks:)

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  2. Kathleen that looks delicious and I love your new site. I know it’s kind of early but, I am hoping you will come up with a delicious recipe to stuff our Turkey. We are having about 25 people over at the Tatom house.
    Love all your recipes

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    1. Hi Lena, Thank you and I’m so glad you like my new site! I do have a fabulous stuffing recipe that I will share before the holiday. However, I do not stuff my turkeys any more. I make the dressing/stuffing on the side and I’ll share the reasons why when I post the recipe:)

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  3. Eggplant and oil, too much or not enough? I have solved the problem two ways: rather than frying in a pan with some oil which soaks into the eggplant no matter how much you put in, I brush oil onto the cut sides and cook on a pancake griddle. A faster way is to put a couple tablespoons oil on the griddle before it gets hot, and wiping it over the griddle with a wadded up piece of wax paper to distribute just enough, and not too much oil. I turn the griddle off for a few minutes to let it cool enough to repeat the process for the other sides. Eggplant really is better with some oil, but too much is close to inedible.

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    1. Hi Chris, Thank you for your comments. That is a great tip as I agree, limiting the oil is the best solution.

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