I had a small haul of eggplants that needed to be used. I had picked them small last week, and well, sigh-they were starting to show their weariness. I came across Melissa Clark's "Shortcut Moussaka" Recipe on the New York Times Cooking page. It was also featured in the article "To Greece in a Speedboat." I decided to start there. I am using the word start very liberally here because I looked at the recipe, came up with an idea, and I was off running. (sorry Melissa)
Preheat the oven to 425 degrees
Peel and slice enough eggplant to fill the bottom of the cast iron skillet you are using. I had about 10 baby Japanese eggplant that I peeled and sliced in half the long way and 3 tennis ball-sized Italian eggplant peeled and sliced in 1/4" slices.
Place eggplant in a colander and salt liberally. Set aside for 30 min. Rise well and drain.
Peel enough potatoes to cover the skillet once mashed. Cut up and boil until done.
coat the bottom of your skillet and layer your eggplant into the bottom of the skillet, season with salt, pepper, Aleppo pepper, and shaved garlic. Roast for about 25 min. Stir.
Add in a layer of onion. I had a leek that needed cooking so I used that. Roast for another 20 min or so until onions are just cooked and starting to brown.
Mix up a hollandaise sauce (I like Sam Sifton's recipe featured in the NYT article "A Meal of Joyous Excess for the Holidays" which relies on an immersion blender rather than a double boiler, I really don't think it took the 15 min to make) - I made up 1/2 the recipe because I only had a few potatoes.
Mash the potatoes with the hollandaise sauce adding cheese to taste - such as feta or parmesean (I used vegan parm)
Remove eggplant from the oven, cover with a single layer of thinnly sliced tomato and some oregano, and top with mashed potatoes, drizzle with olive oil and season with smoked paprika. ( I like bittersweet smoked paprika from La Dalla)
Bake until mashed potatoes are golden.
This recipe has further possibilities. I am thinking ahead to Rosh Hashana. This would be a perfect potato kugel if I lose the cheese and use a shredded potato rather than mashed. Oh, the possibilities!
Tonight's recipe was a side, served with a pomagranite chicken, steamed okra and green beans and cucumber slices. It could have sufficed on its own, I am full. (I could not pass on Joey's chicken though - wink)
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