Post by theblondette on Jul 4, 2010 6:39:17 GMT -5
It's my turn to host! Sorry I'm late.
The first recipe is for moussaka, because the weather right now is gorgeous and it reminds me of being on holiday in the Mediterranean. Plus moussaka should ideally be eaten lukewarm, not hot out of the oven, so even if it's a hot day it can still be an appealing meal.
Now, I never make things like this to a proper recipe, but my methods of cooking (taste it! Throw some stuff in!) are not ideal for explaining via the internet. So I've had a scout around and I think this is a good recipe. But do feel free to make substitutions, adjustments etc!! If you can't get ground lamb then beef is fine.
Serves: 6
Ingredients
200ml olive oil
1 onion, finely diced
1 clove garlic, finely diced
¼ tsp ground cinnamon
Pinch of ground allspice
500g minced lamb
200ml white wine
400g tin chopped tomatoes
Finely grated zest of 1 lemon
2 tbsp finely chopped parsley
1 tbsp roughly chopped fresh oregano
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
30g finely grated Parmesan
1kg aubergines
White Sauce and Topping
30g finely grated Parmesan
568ml carton milk
1 bay leaf
3 black peppercorns
75g butter
75g plain flour
2 egg yolks
Method
1. Heat 2 tbsp of the olive oil in a saucepan over a low heat. Add the onion and garlic and gently fry until soft. Add the cinnamon and allspice and continue to fry for 2 minutes, before mixing in the minced lamb. Increase the heat slightly and stir-fry the meat briskly until it separates into small granules and turns brown. Add the wine, tomatoes, lemon zest, parsley and oregano and bring to the boil. Adjust the seasoning and reduce the heat so the meat gently simmers. Cook for 30 minutes or until rich and thick, then beat in the Parmesan and adjust the seasoning.
2. Preheat the oven to 190°C/gas 5. Make the white sauce: put the milk, bay leaf and peppercorns into a saucepan. Set over a low heat, and 'scald' the milk by bringing it up to boiling point then removing from the heat. Cover the pan and leave to infuse for 20 minutes.
3. While the milk is infusing, top and tail the aubergines and cut them lengthways into slices about 7.5mm thick. Pour a little of the remaining olive oil into a non-stick frying pan and set over a medium-high heat. Once hot, add a single layer of aubergine slices and fry briskly until pale gold on both sides. As they cook, they will begin to release some of the oil they initially absorbed. Transfer to a plate lined with kitchen paper and gently pat with extra paper to soak up some of the excess oil. Repeat the process with the remaining aubergine and oil, then lightly season the aubergine slices.
4. Finish the white sauce by melting the butter in a saucepan over a low heat. Stir in the flour, to make a roux, and cook for about 3 minutes. This might seem a lot of butter and flour but you are making a thick, yet light topping. Strain the flavoured milk and, using a wooden spoon, slowly stir it into the roux, only adding more milk after it has been smoothly absorbed into the roux. You will end up with a thick sauce. Simmer over a very low heat for 5 minutes, stirring regularly. Then remove from the heat and beat in the two egg yolks. Add salt to taste.
5. Line the bottom of your baking dish with half the aubergine slices. Cover with the meat, followed by the remaining aubergine. Then evenly spread the warm white sauce over the top and scatter with the final 30g Parmesan. Bake in the oven for 40 minutes or until the topping has formed a thick, golden crust. Leave to stand for 5 minutes before serving in slices. If you're making the dish in advance, leave the uncooked moussaka to cool, then cover and chill until needed. You'll need to bake the chilled moussaka for 40 minutes covered with foil, then for a further 20 minutes uncovered.
If you are a vegetarian, you could just substitute quorn for the meat. Or you can try this recipe which uses lentils and sounds yummy: www.deliaonline.com/recipes/type-of-dish/vegetarian-food/vegetarian-moussaka-with-ricotta-topping.html
For the other recipe, I thought I'd chose something REALLY easy. Lemon bars. They take no time at all to make and taste so good. Again my approach to making lemon bars is just to throw things together until they have the right consistency and then bake them. But this recipe from the Smitten Kitchen seems good! I chose this one for you because it has the option of two thicknesses of topping - some people like big gooey bars, some prefer a thinner, firmer top.
For the crust:
1/2 pound unsalted butter, at room temperature
1/2 cup granulated sugar
2 cups flour
1/8 teaspoon kosher salt
For the full-size lemon layer:
6 extra-large eggs at room temperature
2 1/2 cups granulated sugar
2 tablespoons grated lemon zest (4 to 6 lemons)
1 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice
1 cup flour
Confectioners’ sugar, for dusting
[Or] for a thinner lemon layer:
4 extra-large eggs at room temperature
1 2/3 cups granulated sugar
1 tablespoon + 1 teaspoon grated lemon zest (3 to 4 lemons)
2/3 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice
2/3 cup flour
Confectioners’ sugar, for dusting
Preheat the oven to 350°F and grease a 9 by 13 by 2-inch baking sheet.
For the crust, cream the butter and sugar until light in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Combine the flour and salt and, with the mixer on low, add to the butter until just mixed. Dump the dough onto a well-floured board and gather into a ball. Flatten the dough with floured hands and press it into the greased baking sheet, building up a 1/2-inch edge on all sides. Chill.
Bake the crust for 15 to 20 minutes, until very lightly browned. Let cool on a wire rack. Leave the oven on.
For the lemon layer, whisk together the eggs, sugar, lemon zest, lemon juice, and flour. Pour over the crust and bake for 30 to 35 minutes (less if you are using the thinner topping), or about five minutes beyond the point where the filling is set. Let cool to room temperature.
Cut into triangles and dust with confectioners’ sugar.
MY NOTE: I bake thin style usually and I find they only need about 15 minutes. So don't overcook!
Thin style:
Thick style:
The first recipe is for moussaka, because the weather right now is gorgeous and it reminds me of being on holiday in the Mediterranean. Plus moussaka should ideally be eaten lukewarm, not hot out of the oven, so even if it's a hot day it can still be an appealing meal.
Now, I never make things like this to a proper recipe, but my methods of cooking (taste it! Throw some stuff in!) are not ideal for explaining via the internet. So I've had a scout around and I think this is a good recipe. But do feel free to make substitutions, adjustments etc!! If you can't get ground lamb then beef is fine.
Serves: 6
Ingredients
200ml olive oil
1 onion, finely diced
1 clove garlic, finely diced
¼ tsp ground cinnamon
Pinch of ground allspice
500g minced lamb
200ml white wine
400g tin chopped tomatoes
Finely grated zest of 1 lemon
2 tbsp finely chopped parsley
1 tbsp roughly chopped fresh oregano
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
30g finely grated Parmesan
1kg aubergines
White Sauce and Topping
30g finely grated Parmesan
568ml carton milk
1 bay leaf
3 black peppercorns
75g butter
75g plain flour
2 egg yolks
Method
1. Heat 2 tbsp of the olive oil in a saucepan over a low heat. Add the onion and garlic and gently fry until soft. Add the cinnamon and allspice and continue to fry for 2 minutes, before mixing in the minced lamb. Increase the heat slightly and stir-fry the meat briskly until it separates into small granules and turns brown. Add the wine, tomatoes, lemon zest, parsley and oregano and bring to the boil. Adjust the seasoning and reduce the heat so the meat gently simmers. Cook for 30 minutes or until rich and thick, then beat in the Parmesan and adjust the seasoning.
2. Preheat the oven to 190°C/gas 5. Make the white sauce: put the milk, bay leaf and peppercorns into a saucepan. Set over a low heat, and 'scald' the milk by bringing it up to boiling point then removing from the heat. Cover the pan and leave to infuse for 20 minutes.
3. While the milk is infusing, top and tail the aubergines and cut them lengthways into slices about 7.5mm thick. Pour a little of the remaining olive oil into a non-stick frying pan and set over a medium-high heat. Once hot, add a single layer of aubergine slices and fry briskly until pale gold on both sides. As they cook, they will begin to release some of the oil they initially absorbed. Transfer to a plate lined with kitchen paper and gently pat with extra paper to soak up some of the excess oil. Repeat the process with the remaining aubergine and oil, then lightly season the aubergine slices.
4. Finish the white sauce by melting the butter in a saucepan over a low heat. Stir in the flour, to make a roux, and cook for about 3 minutes. This might seem a lot of butter and flour but you are making a thick, yet light topping. Strain the flavoured milk and, using a wooden spoon, slowly stir it into the roux, only adding more milk after it has been smoothly absorbed into the roux. You will end up with a thick sauce. Simmer over a very low heat for 5 minutes, stirring regularly. Then remove from the heat and beat in the two egg yolks. Add salt to taste.
5. Line the bottom of your baking dish with half the aubergine slices. Cover with the meat, followed by the remaining aubergine. Then evenly spread the warm white sauce over the top and scatter with the final 30g Parmesan. Bake in the oven for 40 minutes or until the topping has formed a thick, golden crust. Leave to stand for 5 minutes before serving in slices. If you're making the dish in advance, leave the uncooked moussaka to cool, then cover and chill until needed. You'll need to bake the chilled moussaka for 40 minutes covered with foil, then for a further 20 minutes uncovered.
If you are a vegetarian, you could just substitute quorn for the meat. Or you can try this recipe which uses lentils and sounds yummy: www.deliaonline.com/recipes/type-of-dish/vegetarian-food/vegetarian-moussaka-with-ricotta-topping.html
For the other recipe, I thought I'd chose something REALLY easy. Lemon bars. They take no time at all to make and taste so good. Again my approach to making lemon bars is just to throw things together until they have the right consistency and then bake them. But this recipe from the Smitten Kitchen seems good! I chose this one for you because it has the option of two thicknesses of topping - some people like big gooey bars, some prefer a thinner, firmer top.
For the crust:
1/2 pound unsalted butter, at room temperature
1/2 cup granulated sugar
2 cups flour
1/8 teaspoon kosher salt
For the full-size lemon layer:
6 extra-large eggs at room temperature
2 1/2 cups granulated sugar
2 tablespoons grated lemon zest (4 to 6 lemons)
1 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice
1 cup flour
Confectioners’ sugar, for dusting
[Or] for a thinner lemon layer:
4 extra-large eggs at room temperature
1 2/3 cups granulated sugar
1 tablespoon + 1 teaspoon grated lemon zest (3 to 4 lemons)
2/3 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice
2/3 cup flour
Confectioners’ sugar, for dusting
Preheat the oven to 350°F and grease a 9 by 13 by 2-inch baking sheet.
For the crust, cream the butter and sugar until light in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Combine the flour and salt and, with the mixer on low, add to the butter until just mixed. Dump the dough onto a well-floured board and gather into a ball. Flatten the dough with floured hands and press it into the greased baking sheet, building up a 1/2-inch edge on all sides. Chill.
Bake the crust for 15 to 20 minutes, until very lightly browned. Let cool on a wire rack. Leave the oven on.
For the lemon layer, whisk together the eggs, sugar, lemon zest, lemon juice, and flour. Pour over the crust and bake for 30 to 35 minutes (less if you are using the thinner topping), or about five minutes beyond the point where the filling is set. Let cool to room temperature.
Cut into triangles and dust with confectioners’ sugar.
MY NOTE: I bake thin style usually and I find they only need about 15 minutes. So don't overcook!
Thin style:
Thick style: