Delia Smith's Moussaka

450-500g minced lamb
1 large aubergine sliced into half-moon shapes
225g onions, sliced
2-3 cloves garlic, minced
olive oil
2 tbsps tomato puree
a splash of red or white wine
ground cinnamon
fresh parsley, or Herbes de Provence
salt & pepper

75g butter
75g plain flour
3/4 - 1 pt milk
50g Cheddar cheese
freshly ground nutmeg
2 eggs

Salt the aubergine, put in a colander, put a plate on top and weigh down with a tin of veg.
Rinse, then fry. Put onto kitchen paper to absorb excess o/o.
Fry the onion, add the garlic, then the lamb mince.
Add the tomato paste, wine, cinnamon and herbs.
Simmer for 20mins.

Melt the butter, stir in the flour gradually. Remove from the heat. Add the milk gradually (you may not need it all).
Add the cheese and grated nutmeg.
Whisk the eggs and then add them to the sauce. Whisk until thick and smooth.

Arrange the aubergines on the bottom of an ovenproof dish. Pour in the lamb mince mixture. (You may need to layer the aubergines and lamb alternately).
Pour the sauce over the aubergines and lamb mince.
Put in the oven for 40-60 mins on 160-180 degrees C.

Serve with salad, pilau rice, steamed vegetables or crusty bread (probably not all four or you'll probably explode!)

Just A Quickie

Mea Culpa. It's been almost six months to the day since my last post. Gawd bless Richard Herring who has been blogging daily since 2002. I had planned to come here to record what's been happening over the past months, but I'm not in the mood so instead I'm going to post my new favourite soup recipe. I'm come back another time, maybe to spill my guts, maybe just to recount how my knitting and embroidery are going.

Parsnip & Ginger Soup

Ingredients: Parsnips, around 5, peeled and chopped
                    Carrot, peeled and chopped - mainly to improve the soup's colour
                    Onion, peeled and chopped
                    Cloves of garlic - 1 or 2 - peeled and finely chopped
                    Knob of ginger, peeled and finely chopped
                    Knob of butter, for frying vegetables
                    Pears; two small, peeled and chopped
                    Vegetable stock - about a pint
                    Powdered ginger and hot chilli sauce, optional
                    Coriander leaves, to garnish
                    Yoghurt, to stir in - optional

Cook the onions, parsnips and onion for a few minutes until soft.
Add the garlic and ginger, cook for another minute or two, then add the pear.
Add the hot vegetable stock slowly and simmer for 10-20 minutes.
Taste and add powdered ginger and/or chilli sauce.
Puree in a food processor when cool, then reheat to serve.

It's the easiest thing ever!