Text 33160, 127 rader
Skriven 2010-01-05 05:13:42 av Michael Loo (1:18/200)
     Kommentar till en text av Hap Newsom
Ärende: healthy/unhealthy 626
=============================
 HN> True, but having your own little spot
 HN> to retreat to is better (at least for me)
 HN> than having to be in some strange and
 HN> less hospitable spot. 

Not so for me. I've never had a real retreat (the
childhood home wasn't particularly hospitable, with a
pair of parents who hated each other), except for a brief
period just over two years ago. Even when I had the house,
it wasn't really "home," though I didn't fly around much
mostly for green issues, which I've given up on.

 HN> Next time you're out this way, remind me
 HN> to show you my button collection from 
 HN> work. I'd never get away with wearing 
 HN> them now in a workplace.

P.I. rather than P.C. I take it!

 HN> Maybe I'll give em a go before Amanda 
 HN> heads back south on Tuesday.

If you read this before you leave, say hi from me.

 HN> What I meant was did you have no 
 HN> help at all, shredding the taters or onions?
 HN> If not then that really does smack of 
 HN> less than decent treatment.

No help at all, except for Mr. Cuisinart, but he
does a pretty good job. My hostess probably would have
helped, but she was busy; the party's hostess would not
have helped - she usually got one of her friends' kids
to do the task, as it turns out, but the kid now has
a real job, being over 21 and all - and would likely
have bolloxed up things royally if she had, as she
doesn't normally cook.
 
 -> Nope, Karma ain't my thing.
 HN> I knows you doesn't believe in em
 HN> But I thinks you got some anyway.
 
I've seen too many good people take it up the shorts
too many times to believe in Karma. If there's anything
that has anything to do with anything, it's being HAPpy,
but I figure that's mostly because such people don't
get into dangerous situations as often.

MOUSSAKA
cat: New York, Greek, main, casserole
serves: 15

6 lb eggplant, (about 4 large)
6 Tb Greek olive oil, plus a little for coating the eggplants
Kosher salt, to taste
4 md onions, chopped
6 cl garlic, chopped
28 oz can crushed tomatoes in tomato puree
1/4 c  parsley, minced
2 ts dried oregano
1/2 ts ground cinnamon
2 Tb red wine vinegar
2 lb ground lamb
1/2 c  dry white wine
Black pepper to taste
4 pn freshly grated nutmeg
6 Tb unsalted butter
4 Tb flour
2 c  hot, scalded milk
White pepper, to taste
4 eggs
10 Tb fresh bread crumbs
1 c  grated kefalotyri cheese or pecorino-Romano.

Oven at 375 F. Prick eggplant several times with a fork. Rub a
little olive oil into their skins. On a large baking sheet, roast
eggplants until soft, about 30 min, turning frequently. Remove
from oven and let cool. Cut into 1/2"-thick round.

In a saute pan, heat 4 Tb olive oil over high heat and
brown eggplant slices lightly on each side. Do this in batches,
adding more oil as necessary. Drain on paper towels and sprinkle
with salt. Set aside.

Make tomato sauce: In a saucepan heat 1 Tb olive oil over medium
heat. Add 1 onion and 2 garlic cloves, and saute until tender.
Add tomatoes and their puree, squeezing them into coarse chunks.
Add parsley, oregano, cinnamon, and vinegar. Stir well. Simmer,
uncovered, for 25 min. Reserve.

Prepare lamb: In a large saute pan, heat 1 Tb olive oil over
medium-high heat. Add remaining onions and garlic. Saute 5 min.
Add lamb, in stages if necessary, and brown well, breaking
up pieces with a wooden spoon. Add wine and bring to a boil.
Cook until wine has nearly evaporated. Season lamb with salt,
pepper, and 2 pinches of nutmeg. Stir in 1 c of tomato sauce.
Bring to a boil, reduce heat, and simmer, covered, for 1 hr.

Prepare bechamel: In a large saucepan, melt 4 Tb butter over
medium-low heat, and gradually whisk in flour. Cook 2 min,
whisking constantly. Do not let this brown. Add hot milk and
whisk rapidly to combine. Bring to a slow boil, whisking
constantly. Reduce heat and simmer 25 min, stirring frequently,
until smooth and thickened. Season with salt, white pepper, and
remaining nutmeg. Let cool slightly.

In a mixing bowl, beat eggs and whisk in a spoonful of bechamel.
Whisk in remaining bechamel in a thin stream, and adjust seasoning.

Oven at 350 F. Assemble moussaka: Sprinkle 2 Tb bread crumbs over
the bottom of an 18 x 8 x 3" baking dish and cover crumbs evenly
with half the eggplant slices. Drain as much oil from lamb mixture
as possible, and spread the meat over the eggplant layer. Top meat
with half the cheese, then with half the remaining bread crumbs.
Place remaining eggplant on top of the bread crumbs, then add the
bechamel, remaining cheese, and remaining bread crumbs in even
layers. Dot with remaining butter.

Bake 45 min, until well browned. Remove from oven and let cool
slightly, about 15 min. Cut into 3" squares to serve. Serve with
the reserved tomato sauce.

:David Rosengarten, Taste, as quoted in NY Times

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