Recipes » Lamb » Moussaka

Ingredients

• Lamb:
• 1/4 cup dried currants
• 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil, divided
• 1 pound ground lamb
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
• 1/4 teaspoon ground allspice
• 1/8 teaspoon cayenne
• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 1 large yellow onion, halved and thinly sliced
• 1 red bell pepper, stemmed, cored, and thinly sliced
• 1 Serrano chile, finely diced
• 5 cloves garlic, finely chopped
• 2 tablespoons tomato paste
• 1 cup red wine (or dry white wine)
• 1 (28-ounce can) plum tomatoes, pureed with their juices
• 1/4 cup chopped fresh flat leaf parsley, plus more for garnish
• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh oregano
• Honey
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• Eggplant:
• 1 1/2 cups canola oil
• 1 1/2 pounds eggplant, cut crosswise into 14-thick slices
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• Bechamel Sauce:
• 6 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 1/2 cup flour
• 2 1/2 cups milk
• 1 bay leaf
• 1/8 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
• 3 egg yolks
• 1/2 cup soft goat cheese
• 1 cup grated Romano
• 1 lemon, zested

Preparation

Lamb:
 Soak the currants in warm water for 30 minutes. Drain.

Heat 1 tablespoon of the olive oil in a 6-quart saucepan over high heat. Add the lamb, cinnamon, ginger, allspice, cayenne, and salt and pepper and cook, stirring to break up the meat, until browned, about 5 minutes.
 Transfer the lamb to a large strainer set over a bowl and drain; discard any liquid left in the pan. Return the pan to the heat and add the remaining 3 tablespoons olive oil and heat until it begins to shimmer. Add the onions and bell pepper and cook until soft, about 5 minutes. Add the serrano and garlic and cook for 1 minute. Add the tomato paste and cook for 1 minute.

Return the lamb to the pan, add the wine, and cook, stirring occasionally, until almost completely evaporated, about 5 minutes. Add the tomato puree and currants and bring to a boil. Reduce  heat to low and simmer until thickened, about 30 minutes. Stir in the parsley and oregano, salt and pepper and honey to taste. Remove from the heat.

Eggplant:
 Heat the canola oil in a 12-inch skillet over medium-high heat. Season the eggplant slices on both sides with salt and pepper. Working in batches, add the eggplant slices and fry until tender and lightly golden brown on both sides, about 5 minutes. (or bake or grill) Transfer the eggplant slices to paper towels.

Bechamel:
Melt butter in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Add flour and cook, whisking constantly, until pale and smooth, 2 minutes. Still whisking constantly, add the milk and bay leaf and cook until thickened. Season with salt, pepper, and nutmeg and discard the bay leaf. Let cool for 5 minutes. In a small bowl, whisk together the egg yolks, goat cheese, and lemon zest and whisk into the bechamel sauce until smooth.

Oven to 400 degrees F. Butter a 3-quart baking dish or casserole dish.
Put half the eggplant slices in the dish and cover with half the meat sauce. Top the sauce with the remaining eggplant slices, and then the remaining meat sauce. Pour the bechamel over the top of the meat sauce and spread evenly with a rubber spatula. Sprinkle Romano evenly over the top, place the dish on a baking sheet, and bake until browned and bubbly, 45 to 50 minutes. Top with more chopped parsley, Let cool for at least 20 minutes before serving.