Lasagne Style Moussaka topped with Cauliflower Béchamel
2015-09-24 16:21:17
Serves 10
Eggplant layered with a rich, spiced lamb sauce is then topped with a creamed cauliflower béchamel to make the most sensational Moussaka ever!
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
- 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.
- 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.
- 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.
- 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.
- 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.
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