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Bobby Flay’s Moussaka

A close-up shot of Bobby Flay's moussaka recipe
Prep Time
30 min
Cook Time
1h 10 min
Yields
6 servings

Bobby Flay’s amazing lamb moussaka with spices, eggplant and veggies in a bechamel sauce.

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ingredients

Lamb

¼
cup dried currants
¼
cup Greek extra-virgin olive oil, divided
1
lb(s) ground lamb
½
tsp ground cinnamon
½
tsp ground ginger
¼
tsp ground allspice
⅛ tsp cayenne
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
1
large yellow onion, halved and thinly sliced
1
red bell pepper, stemmed, cored and thinly sliced
1
serrano chile, finely diced
5
cloves garlic, finely chopped
2
Tbsp tomato paste
1
cup red wine
1
(28-oz) can plum tomatoes, puréed until smooth with their juices
¼
cup fresh flat-leaf parsley, chopped, plus more for garnish
2
Tbsp chopped fresh oregano
Honey, if needed

Eggplant

1 ½
cups canola oil
1 ½
lb(s) eggplant, cut crosswise into 14 thick slices

Bechamel Sauce

6
Tbsp unsalted butter
½
cup flour
2 ½
cups milk
1
bay leaf
⅛ tsp freshly grated nutmeg
3
egg yolks
½
cup soft goat cheese
1
cup grated Romano
1
lemon, zested
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directions

Step 1

For the lamb: Soak the currants in warm water for 30 minutes. Drain.

Step 2

Heat 1 tablespoon of the olive oil in a 6-quart saucepan over high heat. Add the lamb, cinnamon, ginger, allspice, cayenne, and salt and pepper and cook, stirring to break up the meat, until browned, about 5 minutes. Transfer the lamb to a large strainer set over a bowl and drain; discard any liquid left in the pan. Return the pan to the heat and add the remaining 3 tablespoons olive oil and heat until it begins to shimmer. Add the onions and bell pepper and cook until soft, about 5 minutes. Add the serrano and garlic and cook for 1 minute. Add the tomato paste and cook for 1 minute.

Step 3

Return the lamb to the pan, add the wine, and cook, stirring occasionally, until almost completely evaporated, about 5 minutes. Add the tomato purée and currants and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer until thickened, about 30 minutes. Stir in the parsley and oregano and season with salt and pepper and honey, if needed. Remove from the heat.

Step 4

For the eggplant: Heat the canola oil in a 12-inch skillet over medium-high heat. Season the eggplant slices on both sides with salt and pepper. Working in batches, add the eggplant slices and fry until tender and lightly golden brown on both sides, about 5 minutes. Transfer the eggplant slices to paper towels.

Step 5

For the bechamel: Melt the butter in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Add the flour and cook, whisking constantly, until pale and smooth, 2 minutes. Still whisking constantly, add the milk and bay leaf and cook until thickened. Season with salt, pepper, and nutmeg and discard the bay leaf. Let the sauce cool for 5 minutes. In a small bowl, whisk together the egg yolks, goat cheese, and lemon zest and whisk into the bechamel sauce until smooth.

Step 6

Preheat the oven to 400ºF. Butter a 3-quart baking dish or casserole dish.

Step 7

To assemble: Put half the eggplant slices in the dish and cover with half the meat sauce. Top the sauce with the remaining eggplant slices, and then the remaining meat sauce. Pour the bechamel over the top of the meat sauce and spread evenly with a rubber spatula. Sprinkle Romano evenly over the top, place the dish on a baking sheet, and bake until browned and bubbly, 45 to 50 minutes. Top with more chopped parsley, if desired. Let cool for at least 20 minutes before serving.

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