Beef Moussaka

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Layers of cooked aubergine slices alternating with a mixture of minced meat, in a tomato sauce, and covered with a thick béchamel sauce.

In its basic form, «moussaka» [pr. MOO-sah-kah] consists of sliced eggplant and ground lamb or beef that are layered, covered with a béchamel sauce enriched with eggs and/or cheese, then baked. It is a popular dish in Greece.

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Preparation : 45 min Cooking : 30 min Standing : 10 min Cooking Dish : 20 X 28 X 5 cm
580 calories/serving

Ingredients

1/2 onions, finely chopped 100 g
1 clove garlic, finely chopped
1 1/2 aubergines / eggplants, large size, sliced into 7 mm thick slices 700 g
1 tbsp olive oil 15 mL
400 g ground beef, extra-lean
1/2 cup red wine 125 mL
1 1/4 cup canned tomatoes, low sodium 320 g
1 tsp dried oregano 1 g
1 pinch salt [optional] 0.2 g
ground pepper to taste [optional]
1 cup peanut oil, to fry the aubergines 250 mL
paper towels, to drain the aubergines
1/3 cup butter, unsalted, plus some to grease the baking dish 80 g
1/3 cup white flour (all purpose) 45 g
2 cups milk, partly skimmed, 2% 500 mL
1 1/2 cup Cheddar cheese, grated 120 g
3 1/2 tbsp bread crumbs 26 g

Method

The aubergines, meat filling and béchamel sauce are cooked separately then assembled and baked.

Cook the meat filling

  1. Preheat the oven to 195°C/375°F. Prepare the vegetables: finely chop the onion and garlic; slice the aubergines into 7 mm thick slices.

  2. Heat the oil in a pan over medium heat. Add the onion and garlic then sauté 2-3 min, until they become translucent. Increase the heat to medium-high then add the ground meat. Sear it until it looses its red colour, about 4-5 min, then break it up with a fork. In order to brown the meat, it is important not to stir it at the beginning, otherwise it will loose its juices and will «boil» rather than brown. Using a bulb baster, remove any juices released from the meat and reserve them.
  3. When the meat is golden-coloured, pour in the wine and any reserved meat juices. Stir in the diced tomatoes and oregano. Season with salt and pepper. Let the mixture simmer uncovered about 30 min, until it thickens and is almost dry.

Cook the aubergines

  1. While the meat is cooking, fry the aubergine slices in a pan with the hot peanut oil, working in batches, until the slices are golden brown on each side (about 4 min per slice). Set the aubergines on paper towels to drain.

Cook the béchamel sauce

  1. Melt the butter in a saucepan over low heat. Add the flour and beat well using a whisk or a wooden spoon. Cook for 3 min, stirring constantly and taking care not to let it burn. Warm up the milk, then add it slowly while stirring thoroughly to avoid lumps. Cook over medium heat 4-5 min. Grate the cheese, then blend it into the sauce.

Assemble and bake

  1. Grease a baking dish, then arrange half of the aubergines in the bottom of the dish. Add a little salt, then spread the meat mixture over the aubergines. Top with the remaining aubergines. Pour the béchamel sauce over the top aubergine layer. For a nice golden crust, sprinkle the top with the bread crumbs (or additional grated cheese if you prefer).
  2. Cook in the middle of the oven about 30 min, until the top is golden and bubbling on the edges. Let cool 10 min before serving.

Observations

The meat filling and the béchamel sauce can be made 2-3 days ahead. In that case, fry the aubergines, assemble the moussaka, and bake it just before serving. Alternatively, the whole dish may be made in advance and just rewarmed until heated through when ready to serve (the aubergines will then be softer).

Nutrition Facts Table

per 1 serving (420 g)

Amount

% Daily Value

Calories

580

Fat

36 g

55 %

Saturated 18.2 g
+ Trans 0.9 g

96 %

Cholesterol

120 mg

Sodium

340 mg

14 %

Carbohydrate

29 g

10 %

Fibre

4 g

16 %

Sugars

11 g

Net Carbs

25 g

Protein

35 g

Vitamin A

39 %

Vitamin C

20 %

Calcium

38 %

Iron

27 %
More info

DIABETES Exchange

1 serving of this recipe is equivalent to :
Food Group Exchanges
Starches 1
Vegetables 1
Milk and Alternatives ½
Meat and Alternatives 3 ½
Fats 6 ½
More info
Check out our Meal Plans for Type 2 Diabetes

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  • I replaced oregano by rosemary and it turned out great
  • use my large pan with the copper bottom
  • leave under the grill 3 minutes instead of 1 to get a golden crust

This recipe is in the following categories

Beef | Main courses/Entrées | High Iron | High Vitamin D | Greek

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