Mushroom Blend Moussaka
Prep time: 15 minutes
Cooking time: 45 minutes
Serves: 4
A Greek classic with a mushroom twist
INGREDIENTS
For the moussaka
- 200g chestnut mushroom, finely diced by hand or in a food processor
- 650g Maris Piper potatoes, peeled and cubed
- 75g butter, melted
- 1 aubergine, cut into 1 cm slices and seasoned with a little salt
- 1 white onion, finely chopped
- 2 garlic cloves, grated
- 1 tbsp dried oregano
- 1 fresh bay leaf
- 400g beef mince
- 2 tsp ground cinnamon
- 1 tbsp plain flour
- 1 tbsp tomato purée
- 400g tin plum tomatoes
- Parmesan, to top
For the white sauce
- 75g butter
- 75g plain flour
- 600ml milk
- 1 tsp nutmeg, grated
- 1 egg, beaten
METHOD
- Heat a griddle pan and cook the aubergines until soft and set aside.
- Cook the potatoes in boiling water for 5 minutes until soft. Drain and set aside to steam dry.
- Heat a heavy-based saucepan with a little olive oil. Add the onion, garlic, oregano and bay leaf. Cook gently for a couple of minutes. Turn up the heat and add the minced beef and mushrooms. Season well and cook for 5 minutes. Add the cinnamon and flour. Stir well and cook for a couple more minutes.
- Add the tomato purée and plum tomatoes. Bring to the boil and let simmer for 20 minutes, stirring occasionally.
- Meanwhile, make the white sauce. Melt the butter in a saucepan and whisk in the flour. Cook for a minute then gradually whisk in the milk and nutmeg until you have a thick and glossy sauce. Cool then beat in the egg.
- Mash the potatoes with the melted butter.
- Layer an oven dish with the meat mixture, aubergine slices, mash potato and a ladleful or two of white sauce. Repeat until you have used everything, finishing with potato on top.
- Grate over some parmesan and cook in the oven for 20 minutes, until golden and bubbling. Serve with some green salad leaves or garlic green beans.
