MMMMM----- Recipe via Meal-Master (tm) v8.06

      Title: Moussaka - Part Two
 Categories: Lamb/mutton, Greek, Potatoes, Casseroles, Sauces
      Yield: 8 Servings

           Continued from Part One

  Let the eggplants sit in the brine 15 to 20 minutes, then remove
  them to a series of paper towels to dry. Place a paper towel down
  on the counter, layer some eggplant on it, then cover with another
  sheet of paper towel and repeat.

  As the eggplants are brining, peel and slice the potatoes into 1/4"
  rounds. Boil them in salted water for 5 to 8 minutes--you want them
  undercooked, but no longer crunchy. Drain and set aside.

  To cook the eggplant, broil or grill the rounds. You could also fry
  the eggplant rounds but they tend to absorb a lot of oil that way.
  To grill the eggplant rounds, get a grill very hot and close the
  lid. Paint one side of the eggplant rounds with olive oil and grill
  2 to 3 minutes. When they are done on one side, paint the other
  side with oil and flip. When the eggplants are nicely grilled, set
  aside. To broil, line a broiling pan or roasting pan with aluminum
  foil. Paint with olive oil. Place the eggplant rounds on the foil
  and brush with olive oil. Broil for 3 to 4 minutes until lightly
  browned on one side, then flip them over and broil for a few
  minutes more. Set aside.

  Béchamel:

  Heat milk in a pot on medium heat until steamy, about 160°F/70°C.
  Do not let simmer.

  Heat the butter in a small pot over medium heat. When the butter
  has completely melted, slowly whisk in the flour. Let this roux
  simmer over medium-low heat for a few minutes. Do not let it get
  too dark.

  Little by little, pour in the steamy milk, stirring constantly. It
  will set up and thicken dramatically at first, but keep adding milk
  and stirring, the sauce will loosen. Return the heat to medium. Add
  about 1 ts salt and the nutmeg. Stir well.

  Put the egg yolks in a bowl and whisk to combine. Temper the eggs
  so they don't scramble when you put them into the sauce. Using two
  hands, one with a whisk, the other with a ladle, slowly pour in a
  couple ladle's worth of the hot béchamel into the eggs, whisking
  all the time. Slowly pour the egg mixture back into the béchamel
  while whisking the mixture. Keep the sauce on very low heat, do not
  let simmer or boil.

  Finish The Moussaka:

  Preheat the oven to 350°F/175°C. Layer a casserole with the
  potatoes, overlapping slightly. Top the layer of potatoes with a
  layer of eggplant slices. Use just half of the slices.

  Cover the eggplant slices with the meat sauce. Then layer remaining
  eggplant slices on top of the meat.

  Sprinkle half the cheese on top. Ladle the béchamel over everything
  in an even layer. Sprinkle the rest of the cheese on top.

  Bake for 30 to 45 minutes, or until the top is nicely browned.

  Let the moussaka cool for at least 15 minutes before serving.

  UDD Notes:

  You can use potatoes only and omit the eggplant. Simply increase
  the amount of potatoes to the equivalent of the deleted eggplant.
  Yukon Gold potatoes are nicely colourful but not necessary. Any
  potato that will work in a stew will work well here.

  I hate to open a jug of wine just to make a moussaka. So, I usually
  substitute a mix of half Welch's grape juice and half red wine
  vinegar.

  Recipe FROM: http://simplyrecipes.com/recipes/moussaka

  Uncle Dirty Dave's Kitchen

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