Spiced Beef Moussaka Recipe

Moussaka is such a classic mince recipe that the whole family will just love - this version has a little extra kick for spice lovers.

HOW TO MAKE SPICED BEEF MOUSSAKA

Ingredients

• 2tbsp olive oil
• 1 large onion, chopped
• 2 carrots, peeled and chopped
• 2 celery sticks, chopped
• 4 garlic cloves, crushed
• 1kg (2lb 4oz) beef mince
• 2tbsp ground coriander
• 3tbsp ground cumin
• 1 heaped tbsp tomato purée
• 1tbsp Worcestershire or soy sauce
• 2 x 400ml cans chopped tomatoes
• handful pitted green olives, halved
• 300ml (½pt) beef stock
• large handful fresh coriander, chopped
• 400g (14oz) peeled potatoes
• 500ml (18fl oz) Greek yogurt
• 2 free-range egg yolks
• 2 aubergines, sliced, salted, then fried until golden
• 2tbsp breadcrumbs

you will need:

• 2-litre (3½pt) ovenproof gratin dish

Method

1. Heat a pan; add the oil, onion, carrots and celery, and cook without colouring, for 5 minutes. Add the garlic, cook for a further couple of minutes, then turn up the heat, season the mince and add to the pan. Brown for 3 to 4 minutes, turning frequently.
2. Add the coriander, cumin and purée, and cook for 5 minutes, until the raw spice smell disappears. Add the Worcestershire or soy sauce, tomatoes, olives and stock, and bring to a gentle simmer, then cover and cook for 20 minutes. Add the coriander and cook for another 2 minutes. This can be done 2 days before, then kept in the fridge.
3. Heat the oven to 180 C, 160 C fan, 350 F, gas 4. Boil the potatoes for 5 minutes, then drain and slice. Mix the yogurt and egg together and season. When the mince is ready, spoon half into the gratin dish, top with the potatoes, then the rest of the mince, the sliced aubergines and yogurt. Scatter over the breadcrumbs and bake for 1 hour – cover with foil if it starts to burn. Remove the foil for the last 5 minutes so the breadcrumbs crisp up. Allow to stand for 5 minutes, before serving with a green salad.