Tag Archives: aubergines

Moussaka

28 Aug

 

Moussaka is recognised as the traditional dish of Greece. I have many happy memories of our times in Greece, sitting in the sunshine looking out over turquoise blue seas, eating this with a Greek Salad on the side and maybe a glass or two of Retsina. If you were lucky the Retsina would be served in a bottle, chilled, but in our early visits there were no such luxuries and it would be decanted from huge barrels into a copper jug. It’s a bit like Marmite, you either love it or hate it and some think it tastes like turpentine. I absolutely love it and have a copper jug at home that I decant the bottle into for authenticity. If I close my eyes I am transported back to those idyllic shores with my first sip of wine.

The traditional recipe for Moussaka will include frying the aubergines. I have adapted this recipe so that it is lower in fat but retains the authentic flavours. The traditional cheese would be kefalotyri but f you can’t find this Parmesan or Gruyère would be a good substitute. I have also added very thinly sliced potatoes and courgettes, personal choice so optional.

Moussaka.            Serves 6

  • 2 large aubergines, sliced into rings about 1/2 inch thick
  • 500g beef mince (5% fat)
  • 3 tbsp vegetable oil
  • 1 large onion, finely sliced
  • 150 ml dry white wine
  • 12 oz (340g) fresh tomatoes, thinly sliced
  • 2 small courgettes ( topped and tailed then thinly sliced)
  • 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
  • 1/4 tsp ground allspice (optional)
  • Salt and pepper
  • 1 tsp dried oregano
  • 2oz (50g) grated kefalotyri (or Parmesan or Gruyère)
  • Small handful chopped parsley
  • 4 small waxy potatoes (I used charlottes) peeled and thinly sliced
  • 3 oz (85g) butter
  • 3 oz (85g) plain flour
  • 1 pint (600g) milk
  • 2 eggs yolks beaten
  • 35g low-fat cheddar, grated
  • Extra 2oz (55g) cheese for topping

1. Bring a large pan of salted water to the boil then blanch the aubergine slices in batches for 5 minutes. Remove and place in a single layer onto kitchen paper to drain. Discard water.
2. In another large pan, sauté the onion in the oil until softened but not browned. Add beef and continue cooking over low heat until browned and no lumps about 10 minutes.
3. Add wine, tomatoes, courgettes, cinnamon, allspice, oregano and seasoning. Mix well. Cover and cook over low heat for about 20 minutes, adding a little water if it is going dry. Remove cover and cook for 15 minutes more to allow excess water to evaporate. You are aiming for a thick meat sauce. Mix in the kefalotyri and parsley Remove from heat and allow to cool slightly.
4. In an ovenproof dish put a layer of the potatoes followed by a single layer of the aubergine (doesn’t need to be totally covered), followed by a layer of meat sauce. Repeat with aubergines and finish with a final layer of meat sauce.
5. In a saucepan make the bechamel sauce. Melt the butter over a low heat and beat in the flour until combined. Slowly add the milk, beating well before each addition to prevent lumps. Stir continuously until the sauce thickens. Remove from the heat and carefully add the eggs yolks cheese. Mix well then pour over top of the meat until completely and evenly covered. Sprinkle with extra cheese then bake in preheated oven (180C/170C fan/Gas 4) for 1 hour until the top is golden and base heated through.
6. Remove from oven and allow to stand for about 10 minutes so the top firms up. Serve with a mixed salad if you like.

 

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Potato and aubergine Sabzi

13 Apr

This is yet another beautiful recipe shared by my friend Monica. It is one of her mother’s recipes and one of Monica’s favourites and I can see why, it is absolutely delicious.

Before I share the recipe I would like to share a very interesting article Monica wrote on basmati rice.

“The Story of Basmati Rice – The crown Jewel of Indian Cuisine, In Foreign land people try to achieve the biryani that they ate in a indian restaurant or rice dishes that they ate during their trip to India. They try to get all the possible spices to put in a biryani and yet they buy a regular Basmati Rice available in Regular Non Indian Supermarkets and fail to get the same result of each rice grain fragrant and apart in a Biryani. Also in today’s time where Brand is all what people talk about, they buy a particular branded Rice and yet fail to achieve the result.
By reading this article you will know how to choose best Basmati Rice for your home. People who like to stick to points can directly go to the bottom of article and people who like stories and culture around a food can continue to read on.
When I was a child, I accompanied my mother to grocery stores and at that time we didn’t get branded rice, dal or flours but yet we ate the best quality food. My mother would touch the grain, smell it, see the size and colour of it and would choose the best one. I am sharing the same with you all today.
A Good Basmati Rice is at minimum aged 2 years, So does it mean the older the basmati rice, the better it is. “Oh Yes” As the years pass the long grain basmati rice changes it’s colour from white to off white and the fragrance of rice increases. It also means that Basmati Rice doesn’t have any expiry date if it is well stored.
My Mom would buy a quintal of Rice, Wheat, Dals and Whole Spices and would store it well in Big Metal Drums, she used dried Neem Leaves(Its a medicinal tree with bitter leaves and stems) to prevent grains from getting any pests. Before making rice she would spread grains on a plate to check for any stones and wash it 2-3 times and then cook. It is important to wash it 2-3 times until the water is clear so when you cook the rice the grains don’t stick due to presence of starch.
Off Topic – It was also a tradition in India when a girl got married the parents gifted her metal drums and utensils to make her own kitchen in the new home, though now since big companies have started packing things in plastic and in small bags, and also we do not live in joint families anymore plus we often eat outside (when I was child until 12, we only ate out when travelling) we do not need these big drums to store our Rice and Grains, But still my mom followed the tradition (knowing I am getting married to an NRI and I can never take those drums and utensils with me to Spain) she bought me those drums, filled it with homemade sweets and papad for my Husband’s entire family and also for distribution. (Well In India you can’t stop your parents or family to do anything in your wedding, they like to fulfill all their dreams in their daughter’s wedding)
Back to Rice – To retain the fragrance and taste we do not drain water (except in some dishes), we have ratio of water and rice (depends on the kind of basmati rice you have got, since my mother bought in bulk she would understand the ratio and apply it for the rest of the Rice) plus we add some oil or ghee and salt. I do remember from my childhood and even now when we cook a good basmati rice I can eat it just plain.
Also I find how previous generation cared for optimum use of energy sources, they were better at planning important things like meal (Not like us who would want every thing ready to use like pastes, frozen food etc) which not only fed their family better quality food but also saved expenses on cheap meals and medical bills due to malnourishment(well this is an entirely different topic, coming back to Basmati Rice) They did soak it for 30 mins before putting it to cook which saved Gas, time and also make the rice fluff up and evenly cooked. And they did the same for lentils, beans, chickpea etc.
Here are the Pointers for making a perfect Basmati Rice”

Thank you Monica!

Here is the recipe. We had it as a side dish but it would be great as a main and perfect with other small dishes to have with puri. I hope you enjoy it.

Potato and aubergine Sabzi – serves 2 as a main or 4 with other small dishes

  • 1 large, firm aubergine
  • 2 medium waxy potatoes
  • 1/2 tablespoon fennel seeds
  • 1 teaspoon turmeric
  • 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
  • Red chilli powder to taste

1. Cut the aubergine and potatoes into small cubes, about 1/2 inch

2. Put some vegetable oil, about 2 tbsp, into a pan and add 1/2 tbsp of fennel and 1 tsp turmeric. Make sure the seeds don’t burn. When it start to smell fragrant add the vegetables and mix well to cover with the spices.

3. Cover and on the lowest heat cook gently until the potatoes are tender and the aubergine is soft and creamy. Check on it occasionally to make sure it’s not catching. It can take anything from 15 minutes to 45 minutes depending on the size and type of potatoes etc.

4. When cooked add some red chilli powder to taste 🤣🤣

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Melanzane, all the flavours of the Mediterranean.

15 Mar

  My daughter-in-law is vegetarian and I am always on the look out for tasty vegetarian recipes.  The funny thing is that, since I have started doing this, my husband has started eating vegetarian meals and loving them.  I never thought I would see the day.  This recipe is an excellent example of a meal Terry can’t get enough of.  He loved it so much the first time we had it, that he ate the leftovers for lunch on the next two days.  That’s another thing that is unheard of!

I’m not sure what I like best about this meal.  It’s a bit fiddley to make but, once all the layers are prepared, takes second to put together.  It’s a meal in itself, just eat it with crusty bread.  It warms up well and I have even frozen it successfully.  Best of all though, is the creamy taste of the cheese sauce as it melds with the tomatoes and aubergines.  Mmm!

The dish is from Southern Italy.  There are numerous recipes for it, you will find one in almost all Italian cookbooks and I have seen a few over the years in the cooking journals I subscribe to.  I can’t remember where I saw this recipe as it was so long ago, but I have made it numerous times, at home and on holiday, and it always turns out the same, delicious.  If you are trying to watch the calories I believe it will turn out just as well if you make the sauce with semi-skimmed milk and use half fat cheddar.  There is very little fat in the remainder of the dish as the aubergines are blanched rather than fried.  As they absorb so much fat when fried, this will automatically make the dish lower in fat and healthier.

Aubergines are a common ingredient in Mediterranean cooking so it would be easy to assume they originated there.  Not so!  Aubergines are native to India and it is thought it was introduced to the Mediterranean area by the Arabs in the Middle Ages.  There are numerous varieties.   The most common in Europe and North America is the large, deep purple variety.  In Thai they prefer the small berry type, sometimes green and sometimes pale purple.  Indian cuisine favours the small round or long thin purple fruit.  The seeds are bitter as they contain nicotinoid alkaloids, not surprisingly as it is related to the tobacco plant.  At one time aubergines were thought to be poisonous as they are related to the Nightshade family but in India they use it daily in cooking and even grind it to a paste to help heal wounds.

Anyway, to the recipe.

Melanzane

  • 1tbsp olive oil
  • 1 onion, finely sliced
  • 2 large garlic clove, crushed
  • 700g jar passata
  • 6 ripe tomatoes, skinned and deseeded
  • 2 tsp dried oregano
  • 1tsp caster sugar
  • 2 large aubergines, thinly sliced into rounds
  • 500ml/1 pt cheese sauce (bought or home-made)
  • 100g Parmesan, grated.
  1. Preheat oven to 200C/fan 180C/gas 6.
  2. Make the tomato sauce by heat oil in a deep frying pan and frying the onions for 4 minutes until softened.  Add the garlic and cook for a couple more minutes, making sure it does not burn.  Add passata, chopped tomatoes, oregano and sugar.  Bring to boil and remove immediately from the heat.  Set aside.
  3. Make the cheese sauce (if using) by adding 2oz/50g butter, 1.5 oz/37g plain flour and 500 ml/1pt milk in a pan over a medium heat.  Whisk continually until the sauce thickens.  Add 4oz/100g grated cheddar cheese and 1 tsp English Mustard.  Set aside.
  4. Blanch the aubergine slices in a large pan of boiling salted water for about 5 minutes until softened but still holding their shape.  Drain onto kitchen paper.
  5. To assemble the dish, place half the tomato sauce in the bottom of a ovenproof dish.  Arrange half the aubergines on top then drizzle with the cheese sauce.  Sprinkle with cheese.  Repeat ending with the remaining cheese sauce and grated parmesan.
  6. Bake in the oven for about 30 minutes until golden and bubbling.

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