Slow cooker Moussaka with potato

Since beginning my Diploma of Business studies, I’ve been relying on my slow cooker for just about every evening meal. I had picked up an eggplant with my groceries and the only thing that comes to mind for me is my favourite Greek dish, Moussaka. There are many parts of the world that cook this dish and, traditionally, the Greeks don’t use potato in theirs but I just love it with potato. I usually bake this in the oven to get that golden, crisp top but it didn’t turn out too bad in the slow cooker.

Start by slicing the eggplant into half to 1 cm slices.

Fry until golden in extra virgin olive oil. The eggplant does tend to soak up the oil so make sure it’s hot and drain well on paper towel.

For the potatoes, I like to par cook them in the microwave for a couple minutes. Slice them about the same size as the eggplant.

For the meat sauce, fry lamb mince (you can use beef) and onions, adding the spices and about 2 tablespoons of tomato paste. You’ll need to fry this off a little before mixing in.

Even though this part of the cooking process was done in a pan and not the slow cooker, it didn’t take too long.

Layer your sliced potatoes, eggplant and mince mixture, finishing off with a rich bechamel sauce and leave for 4 hours on high or 8 hours on low in the slow cooker.

My mouth is watering looking at this photo and wish I could have a piece again right now. Such a wonderful combination of flavours.

You could prep this dish up until http://www.shannonrovers.com/profile/Paulsen about an hour before dinner time, leaving it in the fridge but I opted for the slow cooker. There’s quite an accomplished feeling for me using it and it’s a less stressful time just before dinner.

Do you add potato to your moussaka?

Slow Cooker Moussaka with Potato

• 500gm lamb mince
• 3 two medium potatoes, sliced
• 1 medium eggplant, sliced
• 1 large onion, diced
• 1 can diced tomatoes
• 2 tbs tomato paste
• 1 cup beef stock
• 3 cloves garlic, crushed
• extra virgin olive oil for frying
• 1 tsp ground cinnamon
• 1 tsp dried oregano
• 3 bay leaves
• salt & pepper

Bechamel sauce:

• 3 tbs butter
• 2 tbs plain flour
• 2 cups milk
• 1 egg, beaten
• 1/2 cup grated cheese
• salt & pepper
• 1/2 tsp nutmeg

1. Fry eggplant in hot olive oil until golden and drain on paper towel.
2. Par cook potato slices in boiling salted water or in the microwave.
3. Brown mince and onion until browned then add garlic, cinnamon, oregano, salt and pepper.
4. Add tomato paste and cook in the pan then mix through mince mixture.
5. Add canned tomatoes and stock then add bay leaves and cook for approximately 15 minutes.
6. Season well with salt and pepper.
7. For the Bechamel sauce, melt butter in a sauce then add flour and cook well.
8. Add milk and stir until thickened.
9. Add beaten egg and cheese, salt and pepper and nutmeg.
10. To assemble moussaka in slow cooker (or baking dish for the oven), spread a little meat sauce on the bottom, then add a layer of eggplant, a layer of potato and a layer of meat sauce. Repeat until all have been used.
11. Top with the Bechamel sauce.
12. Cook on low for 8 hours or 4 hours on high in the slow cooker (or approximately 30 minutes in the oven until the top is golden brown).

Greek Moussaka with Eggplant & Potatoes

Mince (ground meat) is a cheap cut of meat and can get quite boring being made up into the same usual dishes. It doesn’t have to be. Greek Moussaka is an interesting, flavoursome dish that incorporates the typical flavours of Greece with cinnamon, garlic and oregano which is layered with both eggplant (aubergines) and potatoes and topped with a rich bechamel sauce. I used a recipe of Rick Stein’s and added potatoes.

Greek Moussaka with Eggplant & Potatoes
Based on Rick Stein’s Recipe

150-175ml/5-6fl oz olive oil
1 large onion, finely chopped
3 garlic cloves, crushed
900g/2lb lean minced lamb
50ml/2 fl oz white wine or 1 tbs wine vinegar
1 x 400g/14oz can chopped tomatoes
1 x 5cm/2in piece cinnamon stick or 1 tsp ground cinnamon
a handful of fresh oregano leaves, preferably wild Greek oregano, chopped or 1 tbs dried oregano
3 large aubergines (eggplant)
2 potatoes, sliced and par boiled for 10 mins
salt and pepper

Topping:
75g/3 oz butter
75g/3oz plain flour
600ml/1 pint milk
50g/2oz Parmesan cheese, finely grated
2 medium eggs, beaten

1. For the lamb sauce, heat 2 tbsp of the oil in a pan. Add the onions and garlic and fry until just beginning to brown. Add the minced lamb and fry over a high heat for 3-4 minutes. Add the wine, tomatoes, cinnamon and oregano and simmer gently for 30-40 minutes while you make everything else.
2. Slice the stalks off the aubergines and cut them lengthways into 5mm/1/4 inch slices. Heat a frying pan until it is jumping hot, add 1 tablespoon of the oil and a layer of aubergine slices and fry quickly until tender and lightly coloured on each side.  Repeat with the rest of oil and aubergines.
3. For the topping, melt the butter in a non-stick pan, add the flour and cook over a medium heat for 1 minute to cook out the flour. Gradually beat in the milk, bring to the boil, stirring, and leave to simmer very gently for 10 minutes, giving it a stir every now and then. Stir in the cheese and some salt and pepper to taste. Cool slightly and then beat in the eggs.
4. Preheat the oven at 200C/400F/Gas 6. Remove the cinnamon stick from the lamb sauce, season to taste with some salt and pepper and layer it alternatively with aubergines and potatoes. Pour over the topping and bake for 25-30 minutes until golden and bubbling.