Worth The Work Moussaka

Total Time: 2 hrs 15 mins Preparation Time: 1 hr 30 mins Cook Time: 45 mins

Ingredients

• Servings: 10
• 2 tablespoons butter
• 1 1/2 lbs ground lamb or 1 1/2 lbs beef
• 1 cup onion, chopped
• 1 garlic clove, minced
• 1/2 teaspoon oregano
• 1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
• 1 teaspoon basil
• 3 tablespoons parsley, chopped
• 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 (8 ounce) can tomato sauce
• 1 cup red wine or 1 cup wine
• 2 medium eggplants
• salt
• 1/2 cup vegetable oil
• 1 tablespoon butter
• 1/2 cup flour
• 1 cup milk
• 1 cup light cream
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/8 teaspoon black pepper
• 2 eggs, beaten
• 1/2 cup cheddar cheese, grated
• 1/4 cup breadcrumbs
• 1/2 cup parmesan cheese, grated
• 2 tablespoons butter, melted

Recipe

• 1 meat sauce (should be made 1 day ahead and refrigerated)
• 2 melt butter in large skillet. brown meat until no longer pink. remove with slotted spoon and set aside.
• 3 brown onions in same pan until tender. remove onions with slotted spoon and add to bowl with meat. drain all but 3 tablespoons of butter from pan. return meat and onions to pan.
• 4 add remaining meat sauce ingredients to pan. stir to combine. cover and simmer for 1 hour. turn heat up and reduce sauce by one half, stirring frequently.
• 5 eggplant.
• 6 preheat broiler.
• 7 peel and cut in 1/2 inch slices. sprinkle with salt and drain in colander.
• 8 brush eggplant with oil and place on a cookie sheet in a single layer.
• 9 place under the broiler until golden brown. turn slices over and broil the other side.
• 10 cream sauce.
• 11 melt butter in saucepan, then add flour and stir to combine.
• 12 gradually stir in milk, cream, salt and pepper. cook and stir until thickened. remove from heat, let cool slightly then gradually add in beaten eggs and cheddar cheese.
• 13 bringing it all together.
• 14 preheat oven to 350f/180°c.
• 15 sprinkle bread crumbs in bottom of a 2 1/2 quart shallow casserole dish.
• 16 layer half of eggplant, meat sauce and remaining eggplant.
• 17 pour cream sauce over top and sprinkle with parmesan cheese.
• 18 drizzle melted butter butter over top.
• 19 bake for 45 minutes until golden brown. remove from oven and let sit 15 minutes.
• 20 cut into squares to serve.
• 21 note: this may be frozen or made early in the day and refrigerated. in either case, add parmesan cheese and melted butter just before baking.