#No18 Greek Cooking

I have a small confession to make - April and Thai food cooking did not happen! Well it did, but I didn't cook it. Sadly due to a very busy working month and a broken boiler and oven, I was unable to cook the Thai meal I had planned (I will do it at some point as I do have the recipe!). So instead I went out to a Thai restaurant, which was lovely.

So on to May and Greece. One of my favourite memories of Greece was their amazing food. The Greeks know how to cook, be in fish, oven dishes or mouthwatering salads they are all well made and full of flavour. On holiday in Thasos, I tried for the first time, Moussaka and fell in love with a tasty dish. Therefore it was easy to choose a dish to cook for Greece - Moussaka and a classic Greek salad. Please enjoy!

Moussaka

Adapted from http://www.channel4.com/4food/recipes/popular-ingredients/lamb/moussaka-recipe

Enjoy a taste of the Mediterranean with lovely lamb  Moussaka. Have a few plates of this flavoursome dish before succumbing to the Greek tradition of smashing your plate, not in disgust but in respect of the chef.

Serves 6

Ready in just over 2 hours

INGREDIENTS

• 2 medium onions, finely chopped
• 3 garlic cloves, crushed
• 150-175ml olive oil
• 1kg lean lamb mince
• 100ml red wine
• 400g can chopped tomatoes
• 1/2 teaspoon of cinnamon 
• 3 large aubergines, each weighing about 300g
• 75g butter
• 75g plain flour
• 600ml milk
• 50g Parmesan, finely grated
• Grated cheddar cheese
• 2 medium eggs, beaten

METHOD

How to make moussaka

1. Cook the onions and garlic in 2 tablespoons of the oil in a large frying pan until browned. Add the mince and fry over a high heat for 3-4 minutes. If your lamb is not lean, tip everything into a sieve set over a bowl and leave the cooking juices to settle. Spoon off and discard the fat and return the lamb to the pan with the juices. Add the red wine, canned tomatoes, cinnamon and simmer gently for 30-40 minutes, stirring occasionally.

2. Meanwhile, slice the aubergines and brush with olive oil. Fry in batches on both sides in a separate pan until browned. Lay half the aubergine slices over the base of a 2.5-2.75-litre shallow ovenproof dish and season well. Spoon half of the sauce over the aubergines. Repeat with the remaining aubergines and sauce.

3. Preheat the oven to 200C/fan180C/gas 6. Melt the butter in a non-stick pan, then add the flour and cook for 1 minute. Lower the heat and gradually beat in the milk until thickened slightly, then simmer very gently for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. Stir in the cheese and nutmeg, and season. Cool slightly, then beat in the eggs. Pour the topping over the lamb and sprinkle the grated cheddar cheese. Bake for 30-40 minutes, until golden brown and bubbling.

Greek Salad

Adapted from http://allrecipes.co.uk/recipe/1605/authentic-greek-salad.aspx You can add onions and olives but I removed these.

Ingredients  Serves : 6 

3 large ripe tomatoes, cut into medium pieces or wedges

1 cucumber, sliced

salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

4 tablespoons olive oil

3/4 (200g) pack feta cheese, crumbled

1. In shallow salad bowl, combine tomatoes and cucumber. Sprinkle with salt to taste and let sit for a few minutes so that the salt can draw out the natural juices from the tomato and cucumber.
2. Drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle with pepper to taste. Sprinkle feta cheese and olives over salad. Serve.
   
   
   
   
   
   
   

Tip:

Letting the salted tomatoes and cucumbers sit for awhile before adding any oil is essential to a good Greek salad. The natural acidic juices from the tomato combine with the olive oil to make a delicious dressing, with no need for vinegar or lemon juice. Crusty bread is also a must so you can mop up every last bit of juice!