Moussaka

Our sons have been to Greece, but I have not, and when they came home they told me that I make better moussaka than the Greeks, and when we got a Greek visitor, Theo, I desided to make it and let the Greek give his verdict. He loved it, and told me that it was better than what you get in Greece and he especially loved the cheese topping, so here is my recipe. You will need:

2 large carrots cut in small cubes
3 large stalks of cellery also cut in same size cubes
2 onions cut in same size pieces
2 cloves of garlic
1/2 kg (about a pound) minced meat. If I can get minced lamb I use that, but it's expensive, so I normally use what is on special offer and chicken mince often is, so I mostly use that
1-2 tablespoons for oregano (or more if you like it)
1/2 teaspoon of cumin (Theo, the Greek, was a bit aprehensive when I put that in, as he claimed it was more for Turkish cooking that Greek, but I love Turkish food, so I didn't listen)
1/2 teaspoon of cinnamon
1 heaped tablespoon of ox bulion powder (or a cube or two - taste after the first one), or, if you live in a country that has it, like UK, use lamb bulion powder or cube
2-3 heaped tablespoons of tomatoe paste
water
oilive oil
cooked potatoes or, if you can afford it eggplant in slices (how much depends of how much you have, but I normally have enough to make on layer in the dish I am using for it. For this portion, I think I used about 10 boiled potatoes. The reason I had planned to make moussaka, was actually because I had all those potatoes, and when Theo said he would be coming, my choice was easy)

2 tablespoons of butter
2 tablespoons of wheat flower
milk
cheese
2 eggs
salt, pepper, nutmegPour some olive oil in a large pot (use as much as you like, as it is very healthy, but you still get fat from it, so not so much then) and fry the vegetables till they are translucent, then add the spices and the meat and fry while stiring till all the meat has cooked. Then add the tomatoe paste (and a bit of water if it's too thick, you want it like pasta sauce) and the builion cube and taste. I never use salt in sauces like this, so if it's not salt enough for you, add another builion cube. Let all boil for about 10 minutes, while you make the next sauce.

Melt the butter in a small saucepan and add the butter, then add milk a little bit at the time while stiring till you have a thick sauce, take it away from the heat, then add the cheese and the eggs and taste it off with a bit of pepper, salt and nutmeg - again, taste and let your tastebuds be the guide.

Take out two oven proof dishes, I used two large round ones for this. Fill half of the red sauce in each, then a layer of potaoes, then a layer of the white sauce. Bake them in the oven at 200 centergrades for about 20 minutes or till it's bubly and has brown spots on the top. This portion is enough for about 10 people, so if you are less, put one of the dishes in the freezer. When you want to eat this one, put it in a cold oven (otherwise the dish might brake) set it on 200 degrees and bake till it has brown spots on top. It takes about 45 minutes.

And with this dish, Tzatziki tastes very good, and that is another of my Greek recipes, now approved by Theo, the Greek!