"Today I Are Been Mostly ..."
@owlwings (43897)
Cambridge, England
March 8, 2016 6:38am CST
Anyone remember Jesse from the Fast Show? He used to emerge from a shed and make short, ludicrous announcements about what he had been "mostly" eating (or wearing or other less savoury activities). I have included a YouTube clip at the bottom for anyone who never encountered him.
Well, today, "I are mostly" making not timbales (or maybe he meant "Tim Barley's"? Who is the character who emerges with him in this clip?) but ... Moussaka
Moussaka is a layered Greek pie traditionally made with minced lamb, aubergines (otherwise known as 'eggplant' or brinjal) and potatoes and topped with a white sauce which includes eggs, making it deliciously creamy.
This dish is one of my favourites and I first encountered it in a cheap restaurant run by a delightful family of Greek Cypriots. They always served it with a cabbage salad and chips (steak fries, to you Americans) which were thick, handcut, crisp and absolutely delicious, besides being so hot that you had to beware of burning your mouth.
Ever since those days (when a huge plateful would cost no more than five shillings (or 50 cents, when the exchange rate was $2 to the pound), I have tried to perfect the art of the perfect moussaka and I think that I have very nearly achieved it.
I am making this one today to take over to share with my sister and brother-in-law, both of whom are in their 80's and can no longer travel too far.
https://youtu.be/QRUPgyk5njQ
16 people like this
14 responses
@Jessicalynnt (50523)
• Centralia, Missouri
8 Mar 16
does it have to be lamb? Anything else work? Lamb is not cheap and that looks tasty!
2 people like this
@Jessicalynnt (50523)
• Centralia, Missouri
9 Mar 16
@owlwings for now may try beef, to be able to afford to try
1 person likes this
@celticeagle (189792)
• Boise, Idaho
9 Mar 16
Sounds good. Having eggplant sounds interesting. I don't care for lamb though.
1 person likes this
@owlwings (43897)
• Cambridge, England
9 Mar 16
@celticeagle It does, indeed, contain mutton.
Over the years we couldn't help but notice there are certain varieties of soups people rely on for warm and satisfying comfort day after day –...
1 person likes this
@celticeagle (189792)
• Boise, Idaho
9 Mar 16
@owlwings ...Campbell's brand soup here in the US used to produce the best soup. It was called Scotch Broth and I guess it had lamb in. Just a veg soup with barley and lamb. They haven't made it for years but it was so delicious.
@divalounger (6182)
• United States
9 Mar 16
At first i thought your pictures was of shepherds pie--but I suppose, they might be very similar--moussaka and shepherds pie?
1 person likes this
@owlwings (43897)
• Cambridge, England
10 Mar 16
They are a similar concept but very different in the way they are flavoured and put together. Both, of course, were designed to make the most of what little meat was available and to make a filling and nutritious dish which could be kept warm and served whenever the workers came in from the fields.
Moussaka is a layered pie with alternating layers of minced meat and sliced vegetable, but Shepherd's Pie has the meat (and any vegetables you choose to put with it) mixed up at the bottom and a layer of mashed potato on top.
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@owlwings (43897)
• Cambridge, England
11 Mar 16
@divalounger I think that moussaka would adapt very well. I might use green or brown lentils and perhaps finely chopped carrot, celery and/or turnip instead of the meat.
1 person likes this
@divalounger (6182)
• United States
11 Mar 16
@owlwings I am a 20+ year vegetarian--and have adapted shepherd's pie --maybe it is time to adapt moussaka!
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@arthurchappell (44941)
• Preston, England
8 Mar 16
I loved The Fast Show sketches
2 people like this
@Tampa_girl7 (54714)
• United States
8 Mar 16
It looks delicious. My mama would make it for us when I was young.
2 people like this
@Hatley (163772)
• Garden Grove, California
10 Mar 16
I have heard of the dish but never made it. From what you described it sounds really delicious all the ingredients sound like a great combination. I will have to listen to the youtu be lol
@owlwings (43897)
• Cambridge, England
15 Mar 16
It's really very easy to make, though it does take a little more time than, say, a cottage pie (just a ground meat mixture with mashed potato on top). You don't have to use lamb - any ground meat would do, really, though lamb or beef are best. You could also use courgette/zucchini instead of aubergine/eggplant. I think that the white sauce (which has egg beaten into it) and the layering of the ingredients are the essential things about this dish.
1 person likes this
@slund2041 (3314)
• United States
9 Mar 16
It looks delicious and makes me hungry. I am sure your sister and brother-in-law will love it.
1 person likes this
@owlwings (43897)
• Cambridge, England
10 Mar 16
They did! And there was not one scrap left between four of us from a fairly large dish which might have served six!
