Moussaka Made Light and Easy

I have been making some version of Moussaka for more than 40 years. I have been inspired to try Greek recipes by our neighbors, Tarakis, when I was very young in Detroit and my in-laws, Tsouras. This latest incarnation is made lighter in fat by baking the eggplant slices instead of breading and frying. The preparation of the Béchamel sauce is simplified by using a blender and microwave.

Prepare eggplant:

3 large eggplants (2 - 3 lbs. total)

½ cup salt

¼ cup olive oil

Preheat oven to 400°F. Peel the eggplants and cut crosswise into ¼ inch slices. Layer them in a colander, salting each layer. Let them set for 15 minutes. Run water over the eggplant to rinse off the salt. Lay them out in layers of paper towels and pat dry. Coat a large baking sheet or two lightly with canola or olive oil spray. Lay the eggplant slices, slightly overlapping, on the baking sheets. Drizzle lightly with olive oil or use an olive oil spray. Bake for 15 minutes until softened and lightly browned. Remove from oven and set aside. Turn oven temperature down to 350°F.

Prepare meat sauce:

1 ½ lbs. extra lean ground beef

1 large onion, diced

1 Tbsp. chopped garlic

salt, pepper

1 tsp. dried oregano

½ tsp. ground cinnamon

¼ tsp. ground allspice

Dash ground cloves

1 can (6 oz.) tomato paste

1/2 cup red wine

3 bay leaves

Heat a 10 inch cast iron skillet until hot and dry. Remove from heat and lightly coat with canola oil spray. Return to very low heat while dicing onion.  Sauté beef, garlic, onion and spices, breaking up beef into crumbles, until onion is translucent and beef is no longer pink. Stir in tomato paste. Stir in red wine and add bay leaves. Simmer five minutes. Adjust seasoning. Remove the bay leaves and set the sauce aside.

Prepare Béchamel sauce:

½ cup flour

4 cups  1% milk

4 egg yolks, beaten

pinch of grated nutmeg

Dash of salt and ground white pepper

Stir 2 cups of milk and flour in blender. Pour into 2 quart microwaveable bowl and stir in remaining 2 cups of milk, salt, pepper and nutmeg. Microwave on high for 2 minutes. Stir with whisk, scraping sides and bottom of bowl and breaking up any lumps that may have formed. Microwave for 1 ½ minutes. Repeat stirring with whisk. Microwave for 1 minute. Repeat stirring. Microwave another minute and stir, if needed, to thicken. In a 1 qt. bowl, beat egg yolks until thick and lemon colored. Temper eggs by gradually stirring 1/2 cup of hot milk mixture into beaten yolks. Pour back into hot milk mixture, stirring constantly. Microwave for 1 more minute.

Assemble Moussaka:

1 cup grated Romano cheese

Coat a 9 inch by 13 inch glass baking dish lightly with canola or olive oil spray. Place half of eggplant on the bottom, then spread half of meat sauce over top. Repeat with remaining eggplant and meat sauce. Pour the Béchamel sauce on top and sprinkle with grated cheese. Bake for 35 - 45 minutes or until bubbly and top is golden brown. Allow the Moussaka to rest for 30 minutes before cutting and serving.

Delicious with a crusty bread and tossed salad.

Eggplant Shepherd's Pie

This Greek inspired shepherd's pie is made with pork, eggplant and oregano. The mashed potato topping gets its Greek flavor from Parmesan cheese and garlic. Finish the dish with a sprinkling of chopped fresh oregano, if desired. This is a great way to use up leftover mashed potatoes. When I make them, I always make a huge pot.

Serves 8

1 large eggplant
¼ cup salt

Canola or olive oil spray
1 cup diced onion

¼ cup chopped garlic
1 tablespoon dried oregano

2 Tbsp. olive oil

1 pound lean boneless Pork loin, cut into 1-inch cubes
All purpose flour
1/2 cup dry white wine
1 can (15 oz.) diced tomatoes in juice
1 cup beef broth
3 cups Mashed Potatoes
2 Tbsp. chopped garlic
3/4 cup (3 oz.) grated Parmesan cheese

2 Tbsp. chopped fresh oregano (optional)

Wash and peel eggplant. Dice into ¾ to 1 inch cubes and layer in large bowl, sprinkling each layer with salt. Let stand 10 minutes. Fill with cold water and let stand 10 more minutes. Drain and layer on paper towels to dry.

Heat a large metal pot until hot and dry. Remove from heat and coat with canola oil spray. Return to very low heat while dicing onion and pork. Add eggplant, onion, garlic and oregano to seasoned pot and sauté until tender, about 12 minutes. Transfer to medium bowl.

Dust pork with flour to coat. Heat 2 tablespoons oil in same pot over medium-high heat. Sauté pork until browned, about 8 minutes. Transfer to large bowl.

Add wine to pot. Increase heat and boil until wine evaporates, scraping up browned bits, about 5 minutes. Add tomatoes with juice and broth; bring to boil. Add pork with any accumulated juices. Cover; reduce heat to low and simmer 1 hour. Uncover and continue to simmer until pork is very tender and gravy thickens slightly, about 45 minutes.

Preheat oven to 375°F. Coat a 13x9x2-inch glass baking dish lightly with canola oil spray.

Stir eggplant mix into pork. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Transfer to prepared baking dish.

Put mashed potatoes in a large bowl. Stir in cheese and garlic. Drop potatoes over filling by heaping tablespoonfuls, covering completely. Bake until filling is heated through and topping is golden, about 45 minutes. Sprinkle with chopped fresh oregano before serving.

Serve with a Greek salad and crusty rolls.

Adapted from: Lamb and Eggplant Shepherd's Pie | Jeanne Thiel Kelley | Bon Appétit | March 2009 | http://www.epicurious.com

Lamb and Artichoke Risotto

Mom made a roasted leg of lamb last Sunday for my daughter’s first day home on spring break, since she won’t be home for Easter dinner. This dish is a great way to use up leftover roasted lamb. Regular rice can be substituted for Arborio, but it will change the texture and you should cut back on the water to two cups. This is not colorful, a bland beige, but the flavor and texture is fantastic!

Check out the original recipe for fancier ingredients and more traditional directions for risotto. Serves 4-6

1 tablespoon olive oil
1 tablespoon margarine
1/2 cup diced onion
1 cup uncooked Arborio rice

2 tablespoons chopped garlic

2 cups diced leftover roast lamb

2 tablespoons chicken base

1 (14 ounce) can artichoke hearts in water, drained and diced

1 cup red wine
3 cups water

1 cup grated Pecorino Romano cheese

Heat the oil and butter in a 4 qt. kettle with tight fitting lid over medium heat. Stir in the onions and sauté for 2 to 3 minutes. Pour in the rice and stir well to coat, about 1 minute. Stir in the garlic and lamb and sauté for another 2 to 3 minutes. Stir in the chicken base and artichoke hearts.

Stir in the wine and allow it to get absorbed by the rice, about 2 to 3 minutes. Then, stir in the water and bring to a boil. Turn heat to very low and cover tightly. Set timer to 20 minutes. When timer rings, turn off heat and let rest, still tightly covered for 5 more minutes.

Stir in the cheese and serve.

Adapted from:

Portofino Lamb and Artichoke Risotto

Glasshousejohn, letscook@yahoogroups.com, 21 Apr 2006

Ivy's Fetatziki

Fetatziki?

I found this recipe on a recipe group and traced it back to the original blog post. They are certainly interesting standing like little towers, but I find it easier and more practical to cut them like boats, then hollow out and fill. Or use very small cucumbers to serve as hors d’oeuvres. Or top large slices with the cheese and decorate with roasted red pepper, sliced black olives and dill.

Ivy has also gathered some great info on Feta cheese. Thank you, Ivy!

http://kopiaste.org/2009/07/fetatziki/

Feta is a white cheese and is the most consumed cheese in Greece. It’s also the most widely exported Greek cheese. And feta cheese is exclusively Greek. In 2005, after sixteen years of hot debate, the European Union’s highest court decreed that «feta» is protected as a traditional Greek product, and that none of the other EU member nations can use the name.

Feta is a salted curd cheese made from either sheep’s milk, goat’s milk, or a blend. It is sold in many degrees of firmness, ranging from soft and crumbly to fairly hard. Its flavor varies from mild to sharp. Because it is cured (from a week to several months) and stored in its own salty whey or water brine, feta is often referred to as a «pickled cheese.»

Feta does not have a rind or outer hard layer and is usually pressed into square or rectangular blocks. It dries out and sours quickly when removed from its brine; for that reason, blocks of packaged feta cheese are covered with brine, and should be stored, refrigerated, in the brine until used. Feta is available in most supermarkets as a solid block packed in brine, or crumbled.

Feta is used as an appetizer, side dish, and as an ingredient in salads, filled pies, and pastries. Its use in preparing and serving Greek food is almost as imperative as the use of olive oil. Feta may be used in most recipes that call for cheese: vegetable and fruit salads, filled pies, as a topping for or ingredient in cooked rice and tomato-based pastas, as a filling for omelets, in sandwiches, and elsewhere.

Feta has been a favorite cheese in Greece for many centuries. Homer’s «Odyssey» contains several references to cheese which may have been feta cheese. In Greek mythology, the Cyclops Polyphemus was perhaps the first feta cheese manufacturer: carrying the milk that he collected from his sheep in animal-skin bags, he discovered that, days later, the milk had become a solid, savory, and preservable mass – the first feta cheese? Another tale from Greek mythology credits Aristaeus, son of Apollo and Cyrene, with its discovery.

Clifford A. Wright, a writer and cook specializing in the regional cuisines of the Mediterranean and Italy, suggests that the word «feta» may be of ancient Italian origin. Wright says, «the word feta does not exist in classical Greek; it is a New Greek word, originally tyri pheta, or ‘cheese slice,’ the word feta coming from the Italian word fette, meaning a slice of food.»

Source: About.com

I totally agree with the above article and that is the reason why I copied it as it is. I read several other silly articles about feta which were outrageous as Bulgarians, Albanians Turks, Danish and French claim that they have the best feta. Some of them even claim that Greek feta is made only of cow’s milk!!!! How ignorant. That cheese is called Telemes.

Regarding the origin of the word feta, Greek language has borrowed a lot of words not only from the Italian language but also from the English, French, and Turkish etc. These words came back to the Greek language transformed. Here is an example you will all understand:

Μπιζέλι (το) < ιταλ. pisello < λατ. υποκοριστικό *pisellum < λατ. pisum < αρχαίο ελλ. πίσος (ο) | πίσον (το). The word Μπιζέλι = mpizeli meaning (peas in English) in Italian pisello derived from the Latin diminutive pisselum from Latin pisum, which derived from the ancient Greek word πίσος (pisos) and in modern Greek it is now called mpizeli. Greek is a very complex language and to understand ancient Greek it is even very difficult even for us, as well. I made this one day when I was planning to make tzatziki, only to discover at the last minute that the last yoghurt in the refrigerator was eaten by one of my children. I am so grateful they did because we loved it so much. If you love tzatziki, I am sure you will love fetatziki (this is how words and recipes are born)!!! I never imagined how well garlic would match feta. It has a totally different taste than tzatziki, is spicier and makes a perfect mezes for a glass of wine or ouzo. I have been making it ever since and this time I filled the cucumbers with this filling. I decorated it with some Piperies Florinis, which are roasted red sweet peppers. It was really very refreshing and delicious not to mention impressive.

100 grams feta

2 small cucumbers

1 clove garlic

1 tbsp olive oil

2 tbsp dill, finely chopped

freshly ground black pepper

salt

Roasted red peppers or kalamata olives and dill for decoration

1. Wash cucumbers and drain. Carefully scoop out the inside of the cucumber, being careful not to open the edge, reserving the insides. Cut the tip of the cucumber so that it may stand up.

2. Put the inside of the cucumber in a food processor, add the cheese, olive oil, pepper and garlic. Process into a paste. Stir in the dill.

3. Sprinkle the scooped out cucumbers with a pinch of salt and fill with the cheese mixture.

4. Decorate with some bits of sliced roasted pepper or black kalamata olives and dill.

5. Refrigerate before serving.

Note: Use small cucumbers which do not contain seeds and have less water. Otherwise, seeds have to be removed and the cucumber insides must be processed separately from the feta and oil so it can be drained.

Dolmades

Dolmades have been made and eaten for thousands of years. Whether called dolmathes, dolmar, sarma, or yaprakes, stuffed grape leaves are a tasty little treat.

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Stuffed grape leaves, a delicious way to utilize an otherwise inedible object, originated in ancient Mesopotamia. Today, they remain popular throughout much of the Middle East. Stuffed grape leaves are known variously as yaprakes finos in Ladino, mehshi wara anib in Arabic, yaprak dolmas in Turkey, dolmades or dolmadakia yialandzi in Greece, dolma yalanchi in Armenia, tolma in Georgia, and dolma bargh in Iran. Yaprak is the Turkish word for leaves, generally referring to stuffed vine leaves, while dolma, originally a Farsi word, is a generic term for stuffed vegetables. Whatever they are called, stuffed grape leaves have long been a prominent component of the Middle Eastern meze (appetizer assortment).

http://www.ou.org/shabbat/recipes/nosourgrapes.htm

King Karl XII and his soldiers were imprisoned in Bender, Turkey, for many years. There, the King and his men tasted "dolmades" which were made from mutton wrapped in grape leaves. In Turkish "dolmades" means cloak and refers to the wrapping of the grape leave. When the warriors eventually returned to Sweden, they took with them the recipe for "dolmar". However, now the commonplace cabbage leaf was substituted for the grape leaf. The rice used in this recipe still reminds us of the oriental heritage of this dish. According to research carried out by the royal restaurateur Tore Wretman, the custom of dining on "kåldolmar" began in Stockholm. A group of Turkish officials traveled to Stockholm to press the King for money - and then stayed on for several years!

Cajsa Warg's recipe for "kåldolmar" contains a mixture of minced veal and rice seasoned with pepper, nutmeg, salt, onion, and a little cloves. She writes that this mixture is then wrapped in grape leaves, but if none are available "one can use cabbage leaves instead".

Date: Sun, 4 Nov 2001 12:35:42 +0100

From: "Bella"

Subject: A History of Swedish Cuisine - LOOOOOONG!!!

FamilyFare@yahoogroups.com

Cabbage rolls were introduced in Sweden by Karl XII who came in contact with this dish at the time of the Battle of Poltava and during his camp in the Turkish Bender and later introduced by his Ottoman creditors which moved to Stockholm in 1716. Kåldolmar was already described in 1755, by Cajsa Warg, in the famous Swedish Cajsa Warg’s kokbok.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Swedish_cuisine

Yaprakes

1/4 c corn oil
2 med (1-1/2 c) onions, diced small
1/2 tsp salt
1 c raw rice, well rinsed
1 egg, beaten
1 bottled grape leaves
2 (1/3 c) lemons, juiced
1 to 1 1/2 cups water

The stuffed grape leaves are eaten cold, and therefore are a vegetarian summer dish for times when temperature rises. They may be refrigerated until ready to serve as an appetizer with drinks, or used as a snack.

Heat oil in a pan and stir-fry onions and salt over low heat for 10 minutes, or until onions are golden.

Remove to a bowl and cool.

Add rice and egg and mix everything together.

Separate grape leaves and rinse them under cold water. Drain.

Put 1 tablespoon of rice filling on a leaf on edge nearest to you. Fold leaf firmly over filling, then tuck in each side and fold over into a round finger shape about 2-1/2 inches long. Prepare all leaves this way.

Arrange them in an orderly fashion in a saucepan.
Pour lemon juice and water over all.

Cover pan and cook over low heat for 40 minutes.

Test rice for doneness toward end of time. Should liquid dry out too quickly, add 1/4 cup water and continue to cook until all has evaporated.

Cool well and serve at room temperature.

Yield: 50.

rlhintexas@xxxxxxx

dailyrecipes@yahoogroups.com

7/1/2006 5:08 PM

Stuffed Grape Leaves

 1 lb. ground lamb or beef

1 c. cooked rice

1/4 c. water

1 1/4 tsp. ground cinnamon

1 tsp. salt

36 grape leaves or small cabbage leaves

1/2 tsp. salt

1/4 c. lemon juice

In bowl, combine meat, rice, water, cinnamon, and 1 tsp. salt. 

Rinse grape leaves. (Or for cabbage, cut about 2 inches of heavy center vein from each leaf.  Immerse in boiling water 3 minutes or till just limp; drain.) 

Pat dry with paper toweling. 

Place about 1 Tbsp. meat mixture on wide part of leaf. Fold in bottom edge and sides; roll as for jelly roll. Repeat with remaining leaves and meat mixture.

Arrange on steamer rack in wok, seam side down. 

Pour water into wok to almost cover rolls. Add 1/2 tsp. salt. Bring to boiling. Reduce heat; cover and simmer 20 minutes.  

Add lemon juice; cover and simmer 5 minutes more. 

 Serves 6.

More from Your Wok, Better Homes & Gardens

kitchengardener@xxxxxxx

FamilyFare@yahoogroups.com

6/18/2003 3:00 PM

Grape Leaves Stuffed with Dill-Scented Rice

 Greeks have been wrapping food since antiquity, most typically using grape leaves. In early May, Greek country women go to the vineyard to collect their year's supply of leaves. The most famous dish made with them is dolmades, or stuffed grape leaves, a standard appetizer (meze). In this version, they have a simple rice filling. 

1/2 cup olive oil

2 large onions, finely chopped

2 cups long-grain white rice

5 tablespoons fresh lemon juice

3 tablespoons chopped fresh Italian parsley

3 tablespoons finely chopped fresh dill

5 cups (or more) hot water

1 32-ounce jar grape leaves, rinsed, drained, tough stems trimmed

Plain yogurt and lemon wedges 

Heat oil in heavy large saucepan over medium-high heat. Add onions; sauté until translucent, about 7 minutes. Stir in rice, lemon juice, parsley, dill and 1 cup hot water. Season with salt and pepper. Reduce heat. Cover and simmer until rice is partially cooked and no liquid remains, stirring occasionally, about 12 minutes. Remove from heat.

Cover bottom of heavy large wide saucepan with some grape leaves. Place 1 large grape leaf on work surface. Spoon scant 1/4 cup rice mixture in center at widest part of leaf. Fold bottom of leaf over. Fold sides in. Roll up. Place seam side down in pan. Repeat filling and rolling with remaining rice filling and grape leaves, stacking filled leaves atop one another in pan if necessary. Pour enough hot water over just to cover. Place heavy large heatproof plate over stuffed grape leaves. Cover.

Simmer over medium-low heat until leaves are tender and rice is cooked through, about 1 hour. Using slotted spoon, transfer stuffed grape leaves to platter. Serve warm or cold with yogurt and lemon wedges. 

Yield: 24.

Bon Appétit, May 1995 

neris@xxxxxxx

mediterranean@yahoogroups.com

5/2/2001 6:11 PM

Lebanese Stuffed Grape Leaves

1 pound ground beef
3/4 cup uncooked white rice
1 teaspoon garlic powder
2 teaspoons allspice
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 jar grape leaves, or about 50 fresh grape leaves
1/4 cup olive oil
1 pound pork or lamb chops
1 tomato, sliced
1/2 cup lemon juice
40 garlic cloves

In a large mixing bowl, mix together the ground beef, rice, garlic powder, allspice, salt, pepper, and cinnamon, and set aside.

Rinse grape leaves several times. If the leaves are small, leave them intact, but cut out the large center vein. If the leaves are large, cut them in half vertically, cutting out the large vein in the process.

Place a small amount of the ground meat mixture at the end of each leaf. Roll up egg-roll style.

Pour the oil into the bottom of a large Dutch oven. Lay the chops over the oil. Lay the tomato slices over the chops.

Place the stuffed grape leaves seam-side down on top of the chops. Pack the leaves tightly and begin a second layer when necessary. Place whole garlic cloves randomly between the rolled leaves; plenty of garlic on each layer.

When you are done stacking, pour the lemon juice over the leaves, and add water to the pot to about 2-inches above the rolled leaves. To prevent the leaves from unrolling during cooking, place a plate on top of the stack of leaves and place a heavy object on top of the plate.

Simmer the leaves over low heat for about 2 hours.

Invert the entire Dutch oven into a large platter with high sides (i.e. a 12-inch round cake pan). Or, remove the leaves from the pot with tongs. Serve rustic style, with plenty of Arabic bread on which to spread the garlic!

The recipes for this program, which were provided by contributors and guests who may not be professional chefs, have not been tested in the Food Network's kitchens. Therefore, the Food Network cannot attest to the accuracy of any of the recipes.

Yield: 6 to 8 servings

Recipe courtesy Laura Turcotte
TVFN, Calling All Cooks, Show #CA1C24: Stuffed Grape Leaves/Cran-Oat Scones

neris@xxxxxxx

Mediterranean@yahoogroups.com

5/26/2001 10:22 PM

Dolmathes (Stuffed Grape Leaves)

1/2 lb Grape leaves

1 lb Finely chopped onion

1 cup Rice

1 cup Olive oil

1 batch Finely chopped dill

1 batch Finely chopped mint

Juice from 1 lemon

Briefly dip grape leaves in boiling water then rinse them with cold water and wipe dry.

Mix the onions with half the olive oil. After a while, mix in the rice, 250mL hot water and the remaining ingredients, except for the oil and the lemon juice. Boil the mixture for 4 to 5 minutes.

Wrap one tablespoon of the mixture with a grape leaf and repeat until completed. Carefully place the dolmathes in a pot with some space between them. Cover the dolmathes with a plate and add the rest of the oil and the lemon juice with 500mL of water.

Boil at low heat for 30 minutes, until some water is absorbed and the rice is done. Serve cold with slices of lemon.

Serves 4

Tue, 12 Nov 2002 10:43:16 -0500

alt.cooking-chien Duckie

RecipesLostandFound@yahoogroups.com

Duckie <jmstwn1607@xxxxxx>

11/14/2002 12:02 PM

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Stuffed Grape Leaves (Sarma U Vinovom Lischu)

Ingredients

1 pound beef and pork, ground together

2 onions

1 egg

1 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon pepper

1/4 cup rice

1 sprig dill, chopped fine

Washed grape leaves

Instructions

Fry onions in hot fat. Add meat and fry until blood disappears.

Cool mixture slightly and then add egg, rice, seasoning and chopped dill. Mix together thoroughly.

Place 1 tablespoon of mixture in a grape leaf and wrap up in Sarma fashion.

Place Sarma in deep pan, put 2 tablespoons hot oil, put 2 tablespoons flour and fry together. Remove from fire, add 1 teaspoon paprika, 1/2 cup hot water. Blend and pour over Sarmas. Many prefer to serve it with sour cream.

Servings: 4

http://www.yugoslavia.com/Culture/HTML/yu.html

Fri, 14 Apr 2006 10:00:17 -0400

alt.cooking-chien "CHI-MUM"

RecipesLostandFound@yahoogroups.com

Date: Sun Jun 4, 2006 8:57 am (PDT)

From: "Duckie ®" jmstwn1607@xxxxxx

Subject: INTERNATIONAL CLASSICS M/N/O