welcoming winter with a greek feast...

main course served...moussaka w goats milk fetta greek salad

...delicious skordalia served with fresh crusty baguette

making the moussaka...layering the salted eggplant

blending the potato, olive oil & garlic to a smooth paste...making skordalia

moussaka, lasagne, shepherds pie, spinach pie, roasts, risotto, hearty ragu pastas..all of these are desired foods in the chilly months (for me), along with many others!

i had three guests coming for sunday lunch and moussaka kept springing to mind...then the greek theme took place.

our greek lunch menu...

entree...skordalia (potato & garlic dip) w fresh crusty baguette

pan fried haloumi with lemon wedges

black mammoth olives

greek made olive oil rusks

main...goats milk fetta greek salad

moussaka

dessert...quince & buttercake pudding with thickened cream

recipes are under the below various images...

skordalia...made and ready to serve

on the table...

recipe for skordalia...ingredients 1kg peeled potatoes, 3 crushed garlic cloves, 1/2 cup olive oil, 2 tblspns white wine vinegar, 1 tspn lemon juice, 1 egg yolk, 1 tblspn salt flakes + extra-virgin olive oil/cracked black pepper to serve

method...cut potatoes in cubes and boil in saucepan until tender, drain.  in a large mixing bowl electric mix the potatoes, garlic, olive oil, vinegar, lemon juice with salt until smooth.  add the egg yolk and further mix until well combined.  add to your desired serving bowl, drizzle with extra virgin olive oil & cracked pepper.

greek made 'olive oil rusks'...served with olives & skordalia

pan fried haloumi with lemon

entree...grilled haloumi, skordalia, olives & crusty baguette

washed down with beer & chardonnay...

moussaka resting after being oven baked...

recipe for moussaka...ingredients 2 lrg thinly sliced eggplants, 1/4 cup of olive oil, 1kg lamb mince, 1 chopped onion, 1 btl passata, 1 tsp allspice, 1/2 cup water, handful chopped parsley, 80g butter, 3tblspns plain flour, 2 cups milk, 1/2 cup grated pecorino.

method...preheat oven 180.  in a lrg pot brown lamb mince, onion & allspice.  once browned add passata & water and allow to simmer for approx 30 mins.  add parsley and season to taste.  in a large oven dish layer the meat first with layers of thinly sliced salted eggplant.  in another small saucepan make your white sauce using the butter, flour, milk, egg & part grated pecorino, salt/pepper.  when thickened, pour over the top of the last mince layer, top with more grated pecorino, salt/pepper and bake for approx 45 minutes.  i like to bake a little longer to ensure the eggplant is cooked through.

greek salad with goat milk fetta & dried oregano

served...moussaka with greek salad

baked quince ready to be added to pudding mixture

recipe for quince & buttercake pudding...ingredients 2 eggs, 125g butter softened, 1 cup of sugar, 2 cups SR flour, 2/3 cup of milk, 1 tspn vanilla extract, 3 quince peeled & quartered, 2 cups of water, lemon juice of 1 lemon, 1/4 cup of sugar, vanilla bean

method...in a saucepan boil quartered quince with water, lemon juice, sugar & vanilla bean until tender & syrupy.  leave aside & cool.  preheat oven to 180ºC.  combine all buttercake ingredients in a bowl & beat on low for approximately 3 minutes until well combined.  in a shallow greased baking dish evenly spread the syrupy quince quarters.  pour over the top the buttercake mix.  bake in a moderate oven for approx 30 minutes or until brown.  serve with thickened cream or if you can get your hands on it...clotted cream!

quince & buttercake pudding with thickened cream

...pudding time