Moussaka

Submitted by Sherrie-pie

"If, like me, you don't like aubergines (brinjals) fried in oil, you might like this recipe. The aubergines are cooked in the microwave. If you really hate aubergines, you can replace them with potatoes. I've mixed and matched various recipes to get to this point. I use the microwave oven as a kitchen tool. It is invaluable for making sauces and cooking vegetables, although I prefer to cook meat conventionally."

 

• Ready In: 1hr 10mins
• Ingredients: 15
• Serves: 6-8

ingredients

• 1 kg brinjals
• 100 ml boiling water
• 2 medium sized onions
• 50 g butter or 50 g margarine
• 750 g beef mince
• 30 g cake flour
• 1 (400 g) can whole canned tomatoes
• 25 ml tomato paste
• salt and pepper

• SAUCE

• 300 ml milk
• 37 1⁄2 ml cornflour
• 25 g butter or 25 g margarine
• 2 ml salt
• 1 egg
• 50 g grated cheese

directions

1. Peel and cut the brinjals in slices 6mm thick. Place the slices in a deep 3.5 l dish and add the boiling water. Cover and microwave for 10 minutes on 100% power, shaking the dish at 3 minute intervals. Drain the slices well and arrange half of them in a 25 x 25 cm (9") casserole dish.
2. Peel and chop the onions finely, while the brinjals are cooking. Brown them on the hob, in the butter or margarine. Add the beef. After they are browned, add the can up tomatoes with the juice and the tomato paste. Simmer for 20 minutes. Season with salt and pepper.
3. Make the sauce in the microwave oven. (Or do your own thing on the hob!) Microwave the milk, cornflour, butter or margarine and salt, uncovered, in a deep 1l dish for 4 minutes on 100% power, stirring well with a wire whisk at 1 minute intervals. Beat the egg and stir it quickly into the sauce. Stir in the cheese.
4. Put half the meat mixture on top of the brinjals in the casserole dish. Arrange the rest of the brinjal slices on top and cover them with the remaining meat mixture.
5. Pour the sauce over the moussaka and microwave it, uncovered, for 12-15 minutes on 70% power, or until done or Bake in a conventional oven (190C/375 or gas mark 5) for 40 minutes or until the topping is set and golden.