110 min
British Beer-Battered Fish & Chips with Mushy Peas
Crisp, airy beer-battered cod and twice-fried chips share the plate with minty mushy peas, lemon and a sharp homemade tartar sauce.
Photo: Andy Li / Wikimedia Commons · CC0 1.0
Weekend
Greek-Style Lamb Moussaka with Eggplant & Béchamel
Roasted eggplant, a cinnamon-scented lamb and tomato filling, and a tall, golden béchamel bake into clean, satisfying layers.
Directions
Salt and dry the eggplant
Arrange eggplant on racks, sprinkle both sides with 1 teaspoon salt and rest 25 minutes. Blot very dry. Heat the oven to 425°F and line two rimmed sheet pans.
Roast the eggplant
Brush eggplant with 2 tablespoons olive oil and roast in a single layer for 20 to 25 minutes, turning once, until flexible and browned at the edges. Reduce oven to 375°F.
Cook the lamb filling
Heat remaining oil in a wide skillet over medium. Cook onion 6 minutes, add garlic for 30 seconds, then brown lamb, breaking it into small pieces. Continue until no pink remains and the meat reaches 160°F. Spoon off excess fat.
Reduce the tomato layer
Stir tomato paste into the lamb for 1 minute. Add crushed tomatoes, oregano, cinnamon, allspice, pepper and 1/2 teaspoon salt. Simmer uncovered 15 to 18 minutes until thick enough that a spoon leaves a trail. Stir in parsley.
Make the béchamel
Melt butter in a saucepan over medium. Whisk in flour for 2 minutes. Gradually whisk in warm milk and cook 5 to 7 minutes until thick and bubbling. Season with nutmeg and remaining 1/2 teaspoon salt. Remove from heat and cool 5 minutes.
Temper the yolks
Whisk egg yolks in a bowl. Slowly whisk in 1/2 cup hot béchamel, then return the mixture to the saucepan with 1/2 cup cheese. Do not return it to a hard boil.
Layer the casserole
Coat a 9-by-13-inch baking dish lightly with oil. Overlap half the eggplant, spread all the lamb mixture evenly, add the remaining eggplant, then cover with béchamel. Sprinkle with the remaining 1/4 cup cheese.
Bake and verify
Bake at 375°F for 40 to 45 minutes until deeply golden, bubbling at the edges and at least 165°F in the center. If needed, broil 1 to 2 minutes for color while watching continuously.
Rest before slicing
Rest 30 minutes so the béchamel and lamb layers firm enough to cut into neat squares. Serve warm with a lemon-dressed green salad if desired.
Why this works
Why it worksSalting, blotting and roasting the eggplant removes excess moisture without the oil load of deep frying.
Why it worksReducing the lamb sauce until a spoon leaves a trail prevents tomato liquid from loosening the finished layers.
Why it worksTempered yolks and cheese strengthen the béchamel, while the full 30-minute rest produces the tall, clean slice shown in the photograph.
Useful kitchen gear
Tools that make this easier.
Compare the function and specifications first; skip anything your kitchen already handles well.
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Compare on AmazonDeep 9-by-13-inch baking dishEnough depth supports two eggplant layers, the lamb filling and a tall béchamel cap.See current options →
Compare on AmazonRimmed sheet pansTwo broad pans roast the eggplant in one layer so it browns instead of steaming.See current options →
Compare on AmazonInstant-read thermometerVerify the ground lamb reaches 160°F and the assembled casserole reaches 165°F at the center.See current options →
Swaps & notes
Easy swaps
- Use ground beef in place of lamb and still verify the ground-meat layer reaches 160°F.
- Replace up to half the eggplant with 1/4-inch roasted potato slices for a more substantial base.
- Use pecorino Romano instead of Parmesan or kefalotyri, reducing the final salt slightly because pecorino is assertive.
Cook notes
- Total time includes 25 minutes of eggplant salting, overlapping sauce and béchamel work, baking and the essential 30-minute slicing rest.
- Use separate clean utensils after checking raw lamb, and wash the thermometer probe between raw and cooked checks.
- A glass or ceramic 9-by-13-inch dish gives enough depth for the photographed tall layers; a shallow sheet pan will spread them too thin.
- Moussaka slices most cleanly warm rather than piping hot, making it well suited to advance preparation.
Storage
Cool within 2 hours and refrigerate covered for up to 4 days. Reheat portions, covered, in a 325°F oven or microwave until the center reaches 165°F. Freeze baked squares up to 2 months and thaw overnight before reheating.
Questions
Can I assemble moussaka ahead?
Yes. Assemble through the béchamel, cover and refrigerate up to 24 hours. Add 10 to 15 minutes to the bake and verify a 165°F center.
Why is my moussaka watery?
The eggplant may not have been dried and roasted fully, or the lamb sauce may still have been loose. Both components should be concentrated before assembly.
Can I skip the 30-minute rest?
The casserole is safe to eat once it reaches 165°F, but hot béchamel and sauce will spill from the layers. Resting is what produces a clean square.
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Greek-Style Lamb Moussaka with Eggplant & Béchamel
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1. Salt and dry the eggplantArrange eggplant on racks, sprinkle both sides with 1 teaspoon salt and rest 25 minutes. Blot very dry. Heat the oven to 425°F and line two rimmed sheet pans.
2. Roast the eggplantBrush eggplant with 2 tablespoons olive oil and roast in a single layer for 20 to 25 minutes, turning once, until flexible and browned at the edges. Reduce oven to 375°F.
3. Cook the lamb fillingHeat remaining oil in a wide skillet over medium. Cook onion 6 minutes, add garlic for 30 seconds, then brown lamb, breaking it into small pieces. Continue until no pink remains and the meat reaches 160°F. Spoon off excess fat.
4. Reduce the tomato layerStir tomato paste into the lamb for 1 minute. Add crushed tomatoes, oregano, cinnamon, allspice, pepper and 1/2 teaspoon salt. Simmer uncovered 15 to 18 minutes until thick enough that a spoon leaves a trail. Stir in parsley.
5. Make the béchamelMelt butter in a saucepan over medium. Whisk in flour for 2 minutes. Gradually whisk in warm milk and cook 5 to 7 minutes until thick and bubbling. Season with nutmeg and remaining 1/2 teaspoon salt. Remove from heat and cool 5 minutes.
6. Temper the yolksWhisk egg yolks in a bowl. Slowly whisk in 1/2 cup hot béchamel, then return the mixture to the saucepan with 1/2 cup cheese. Do not return it to a hard boil.
7. Layer the casseroleCoat a 9-by-13-inch baking dish lightly with oil. Overlap half the eggplant, spread all the lamb mixture evenly, add the remaining eggplant, then cover with béchamel. Sprinkle with the remaining 1/4 cup cheese.
8. Bake and verifyBake at 375°F for 40 to 45 minutes until deeply golden, bubbling at the edges and at least 165°F in the center. If needed, broil 1 to 2 minutes for color while watching continuously.
9. Rest before slicingRest 30 minutes so the béchamel and lamb layers firm enough to cut into neat squares. Serve warm with a lemon-dressed green salad if desired.