Cuisine – Celebrating at Easter

Easter is rather late this year and will be the perfect time to move on from light salads and barbecues to more indoor cooking. Various cultures around the world celebrate Easter with feasting, especially those where there is a tradition of fasting through Lent. There’s nothing more suitable for an Easter family feast, especially here in New Zealand, than a wonderful roast of leg of our grass-fed and raised lamb.

Lamb prices can be sky high though, so it has become one of those treats that not only should savvy shoppers seize when on special, but it is also a cut that, like a whole roasted chook, can be stretched out for two or three family meals. And even better is the square cut lamb shoulder, usually at a fraction of the cost of the leg.

Recently, I was the lucky recipient of an extremely tasty marinated shoulder of lamb from the excellent Matakana caterer, Matt of Source Kitchen. We loved that roasted tender shoulder which almost fell off the bone after a mere 30 minutes in the oven, but we were left with almost half the meat for the next night. So what to do to make a great leftover meal?

My memories turned to Greek moussaka. Lamb is a real favourite in that country. All over Greece the centrepiece of the celebratory Easter day meal is spit roasted lamb, traditionally cooked by men. At sunrise the fires are lit and fragrant pine wood smoke wafts through the villages and backyards, as a whole young spring lamb turns on a long spit, while the cooks use lemon and rosemary branches to baste the meat with olive oil. It is served with a banquet of spring vegetables, salads and Greek Easter bread. It tastes as fabulous as it sounds.

My own memories of Greece involve moussaka, lots of it, as everywhere I travelled throughout the country as a backpacker, this was a firm favourite in the local tavernas where I ate. So I used my leftover spicy lamb to make a delicious moussaka with the ripe autumn eggplants and fabulous beefsteak tomatoes I have been enjoying.

Moussaka can also be made with beef mince, or even pork and venison. It takes a little time but can be made ahead, refrigerated and baked just before serving. If you want to make it go further you can include slices of steamed small potatoes too. Happy Easter!

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Moussaka

For the meat layer:
400g leftover roast lamb
or fresh lamb mince
1 onion, finely chopped
2 cloves garlic, squashed
2 tbsp olive oil
Pinch of ground nutmeg, cinnamon,
salt and pepper
4 tbsp tomato puree

For the eggplant layers:
1 large eggplant, sliced
3 tbsps olive oil

For the tomato layers:
2 large ripe beefsteak tomatoes
3 tbsp freshly picked oregano
or thyme leaves

For the sauce:
500mls creamy milk
2 bay leaves
2 tbsp butter
2 tbsp flour
1 egg, separated
50g grated cheese
Salt and pepper to taste

If using leftover lamb, cut it into fine dice.

Cook the onion and garlic in the oil in a frying pan and when soft add the meat. If using fresh mince cook for about 8 to 10 minutes until it browns. Add the tomato puree and stir in well. Season with the nutmeg, cinnamon, salt and pepper.

Meanwhile cook the eggplant slices. You can do this by brushing them with oil and a little salt and baking in the oven at 170°C for 20 minutes, or fry them in a frying pan until golden with plenty of extra olive oil.

Slice the tomatoes thinly and sprinkle with salt, pepper and the herbs.
You can now assemble the layers by placing a layer of eggplant on the bottom of an ovenproof dish and covering it with all the meat.

Next layer the tomatoes on top of the meat and then top with the rest of the eggplant slices.
To make the sauce, heat the milk with the bay leaves by bringing to simmering point. Leave aside to infuse the flavours of the bay leaves.

Melt the butter in a small saucepan, add the flour and stir in well over the heat with a wooden spoon until it just starts to turn golden. Tip all the strained milk in and continue to stir until it comes to the boil. Remove from the heat and beat the egg yolk in with salt and half the cheese.

Finally whisk the egg white until it forms a firm snow. Take a metal spoon and cut the whipped white into the sauce to lighten it.

Pile this on top of the moussaka and sprinkle the cheese over.

Bake at 180°C for 20 minutes until the top is golden.

Serves 4.