Using your aubergines !!

Moussaka ....

I made this for dinner this evening with some super aubergines left by a neighbour ...

I've not put quantities as I usually guess the rest by the amount of minced beef used ..

Lean minced beef
onions and garlic

tomato pur�©e
red wine
cinnamon
fresh parsley

flour
butter
grated cheese -Emmantal Gruy�¨re or similar...
nutmeg
eggs

olive oil
salt and pepper to taste


slice aubergines ...put in colander with salt, cover with plate and heavy weight to draw liquid.

set aside for half an hour ..


fry onion and garlic in olive oil ...add beef - brown ... simmer ....

mix pur�©e, red wine, and cinnamon (I used sticks but powder will do)and shredded parsley...

add this to meat and onions ..

make cheese sauce in normal way

whisk eggs and whisk into cheese sauce mixture when cooled ..

fry aubergines in olive oil ..they soak up a lot of oil .... until brown both sides, place on kitchen paper to drain ...

butter a gratin dish - place layer of aubergines, then a layer of meat mixture...and another layer of aubergines.... pour cheese sauce mixture over contents ...sprinkle with a little nutmeg ( I use fresh but again, powder will do)

bake uncovered in hottish oven until puffed up and browned ...

Bon Appetit !! M-L

[ 14. September 2006, 08:44 PM: Message edited by: Mona Lisa ]

 

we eat aubergines at least once a week in various ways but I pre-prepare them when I have the oven on for something else. I slice them lengthways, cut deep slashes into them and sprinkle liberally (very) with olive oil. Then I bake them in the oven for about 30 mins until they are golden. Cooked like this they will keep in the fridge for days. Without breaking the skins I scoop out the flesh with a spoon. The flesh can be chopped and mixed with homemade tomato and onion sauce, cooked mushrooms, meat mixture (indeed whatever you fancy). Fill the skins with the mixture, season and cover with a bechamel sauce and bake again. Or you can just slice the baked aubergine for use in a moussaka or for use on pizza, or cold for mixing with cold roasted peppers drizzked with balsamic vinegar and olive oil and topped with feta cheese or if you want it hot with mozzarella. In fact aubergines are incredibly versatile but preparing them in advance when you have to put the oven on anyway is the painless way to use them.

 

Thanks,thats a great tip Eusebius.