I found some fresh eggplants at the farmers’ market this weekend which made me think of preparing moussaka. I had made a simple one-dish version several times before, but, this time, I wanted to upgrade my recipe a little.  Sooo, of course, I did a Google search for moussaka recipes–and there are many on the web. Most of the recipes required multiple steps and a long preparation time before the long baking time.  Since I didn’t want to increase the preparation time significantly, I settled on adding a custard topping baked on the moussaka, a variation included in several of the recipes.

Here’s the recipe:

1 large or 2 medium organic eggplants, diced (about 4 cups) (local farmers’ market)
1 pound ground grassfed beef (Law Family Ranch)
1 organic green pepper, diced (local farmers’ market)
1 medium organic onion, diced
2-3 tablespoons fat, more if meat is very lean (combination of Tropical Traditions Gold Label virgin coconut oil and Revival Market beef tallow)
1 14-15 oz. can diced organic tomatoes (Muir Glen)
1 14-15 oz. can organic tomato sauce (Muir Glen)
1 teaspoon salt (Celtic Sea Salt)
1/4 teaspoon organic black pepper
1/4 teaspoon each, nutmeg and allspice (organic Frontier)
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon (organic Frontier)
1 teaspoon organic oregano, crushed
2 – 3 organic garlic cloves, minced (optional)
8 oz. grated Parmigiano Reggiano
1/2 cup raw cream (Pure Milk Farms)
1/2 cup raw milk
3 eggs (from pastured hens)
1/2 teaspoon salt (Celtic Sea Salt)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

In a large skillet over medium heat, cook onion and green pepper in 2 tablespoons of fat for 3-4 minutes.  Add ground beef and cook until almost done.  Add more fat if meat is very lean, as grassfed beef often is. Add eggplant to the skillet and cook about 5 minutes until beginning to soften.  Stir in 1 teaspoon salt, black pepper, cinnamon, nutmeg, allspice, oregano, and garlic.  Add the diced tomatoes and tomato sauce and cook for 5 more minutes.  Put the mixture in a 9 X 13 baking dish.  Sprinkle the Parmigiano Reggiano over the mixture.

In a medium bowl, beat the eggs, milk, cream, and 1/2 teaspoon salt.  Pour over the hot mixture in the baking dish.

Bake for 40 to 45 minutes or until the topping is set and lightly browned.

Lots of variations are possible.  Many recipes for moussaka use ground lamb or pork.  I did not include the garlic cloves, but most of the recipes I found include garlic.  Also, the amount of each spice may be adjusted according to your taste.  Many traditional recipes used a Bechamel sauce, cooked separately, as a topping.  This custard topping was much easier and tasted pretty good too!

Sources: The organic herbs and organic vegetables can be found in many farmers’ markets, grocery or health food stores. Pastured eggs can be found at many farmers’ markets. For sources of grassfed, pastured meats and raw milk go the the Local Resources page on the Houston-Galveston WAPF chapter website.