Italian-style moussaka

A nephew came home briefly from the US and, when asked what he wanted for a family potluck lunch, he blurted out “moussaka,” a dish we have served at various lunches and dinners. It must have been good as it went very quickly.

This is an original Greek dish, which found its way to Egypt, consisting of ground lamb and various spices, layered and baked. Through the years it evolved into a richer and more flavorful dish with the addition of other ingredients such as tomatoes and potatoes. When we first tried the recipe, for a creamier consistency, we did our own take and added mascarpone cheese. And voila! It came out with richer flavor, quite Italian, thus we call it Italian-style moussaka.

Ingredients:

1 kilo ground beef (preferably sirloin, which we have substituted for lamb)

1 medium size onion, chopped

1 cup tomato sauce

2 tbsp mixed spices (basil, rosemary, thyme and sage)

Salt and pepper

230 gms mascarpone cheese (can be substituted with cream cheese)

6 large eggplants (sliced in half then lengthwise, fried)

Cooking oil

Procedure:

Heat the oil and sauté the onion until transparent. Add beef, salt, pepper and spices. Let cook for a while then add half of the tomato sauce. Mix well, let simmer then add cheese (save a little for topping). Continue to cook, reducing liquid, but do not allow it to dry up.

To assemble: Line Pyrex dish with eggplants. Pour in part of the meat, then repeat the process until the top is covered with the eggplants. Put slivers of the remaining cheese on top, then pour remaining tomato sauce on the sides and top. Bake in pre-heated oven for 5 to 10 minutes.

This can be served with rice or bread with a salad.

There is a new selection of milk drinks from Nestlé – the new duo of Bear Brand Sterilized with ginseng and with ginkgo biloba. They come in 250 ml tetrapacks. Ginseng is the Chinese name for the sweet licorice-flavored root that is “human formed.” For centuries it has been credited as being restorative. It is linked to treatment of high blood pressure, improves endurance and helps manage stress. This is also used in tea and soups.

On the other hand, gingko is a delicately sweet nut with origins also from China. Gingko biloba is believed to fight depression, improve memory and enhance mental performance. They have a milk drink for wellness.

Our kitchen assistant Tess is so research-oriented that she peeks into wet markets when she goes on her days off. This time, at near midnight, she visited the wet market in Caruncho, Pasig, in time for the bagsakan.

The market has improved from its very wet (literally) surroundings to a comparatively neat place of commerce. She reported that practically everything was sold at P20 a kilo/pack – tomatoes, eggplants, okra – while ampalaya (bitter gourd) went for P45 and P35, depending on size. Lagkitan (local variety) corn was at P25 a kilo, approximately consisting of 12 pieces. Wouldn’t every homemaker want to be near a place such as this?

Look for good bargains this week.

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