30 August 2007 
I’ve had Greece on my mind these days. No doubt because of the horrific fires that recently consumed this rich nation, devouring like a hungry predator, insurmountable amounts of history and livelihood. In six days, the country has lost approximately 495,000 acres of forestland. That’s a lot of forest. And with olive groves being the main source of agriculture, that means a lot of lost olives. New olive saplings need at least 15 years to grow before they can produce a decent crop. That’s a long time to have to wait for a drizzle of one of the world’s finest olio. The whole thing has got me very down. Not only are there displaced people and lost homes, but, when food cycles that have been churning untouched for centuries get messed up (and by arsonists to boot), I not only feel blue, I simply get pissed off. And so I deal with this as I do with any crisis in my life: I cook. I skip the $200/hr bill with a certified professional and take my money to the food market instead. Had Woody Allen done this he would have had a lot more meat on his bones. Rushing home to bond with my kitchen is very cathartic and those around me don’t complain. They just smile quietly and eat. Sometimes they ask for more, sometimes they point and grunt. Either way works fine. It’s a moment of peace, quiet and happiness that I can control. These hungry predators I can quench.
Marilyn's Moussaka
This crisis called for a no-brainer in the kitchen: moussaka. A fixture in each taverna, this recipe was handed down to me by my mother, who did not have a drop of Greek blood in her, but instantly filled her kitchen with such tantalizing aromas of Greece that even the pickiest Greek God would have been happy. Marilyn created a clever twist to this dish by baking the eggplant instead of the traditional frying of the eggplant, allowing for its true flavor to shine (and giving your hips a bit of a break as well!)
3 eggplantssalt
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 onion, chopped
1 1/2 lbs. ground lamb or beef
1 teaspoon cinnamon1 tomato, skinned and chopped
3 tablespoons tomato paste
3 tablespoons chopped parsley
1/4 cup white wine
salt and pepper to taste
1/4 cup Parmesan cheese (for sprinkling on top afterwards)
Béchamel:
2 1/2 tablespoons butter
2 1/2 tablespoons flour
2 cups hot milk
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
salt and pepper to taste
1 egg yolk
Preheat oven to 400 F
Peel and slice eggplants into 1/2 inch rounds. Salt and let them drain for 15 minutes on each side. Bake on a greased cookie sheet for 10-15 minutes. (Salt pulls out juices that carry bitter flavors sometimes found in eggplants. Agricultural scientists say that the bitterness, as well as the mouth-tingle that some people get from eggplant, is caused by alkaloids, bitter-tasting compounds concentrated in and around eggplant's seeds. Salting may also serve to overpower any bitter flavors.)
Sprinkle salt and allow to sit for 15 minutes. Dab excess juice with a paper towel, flip and repeat.
Reduce oven temperature to 375 F
While the eggplant is cooking, sauté onion in olive oil over medium high until onions are translucent, about five minutes. Add meat and brown.
Add remaining ingredients (not béchamel ingredients!)
Bring to a boil and then lower heat and let simmer for 15 minutes. Adjust seasoning.
Put alternate layers of eggplant and meat mixture in a 9 x 13 greased baking dish, starting and ending with the eggplant.
Prepare the Béchamel:
Melt butter in a saucepan over medium high heat. Add flour and blend, mixing with a wooden spoon. When flour begins turning golden, gradually add hot milk while whisking constantly. Add salt, pepper and nutmeg. Reduce heat to low and simmer until sauce thickens, 3 - 5 minutes. Beat egg yolk. Stir in a large spoonful of the sauce into the yolk and blend well. Pour this back into the whole sauce, stirring constantly. Don't let the sauce boil again.
Pour sauce over moussaka and bake for 45 minutes, or until top is browned. Remove from oven and sprinkle Parmesan cheese on top.
Serves 8-10
