Bellarturo's What's Cooking ?: Summer Moussaka

Bellarturo's What's Cooking ?: Summer Moussaka: If you are a fan of Moussaka, you will like this version for a quicker and/or warmer weather menu. We really love this because it eliminate...

Summer Moussaka

If you are a fan of Moussaka, you will like this version for a quicker and/or warmer weather menu. We really love this because it eliminates the baking step and still tasttes great. We like it ove pasta, but have served it with rice, potatoes, and even grilled whole grain flatbread.

The recipe was created from the desire to make moussaka without using the oven as the temperatures in New York were well above 90 . And, in little Italy, though the air is fragrant with the yeasty aroma of bread and pizza dough rising, cookies baking, and garlic gently releasing its essence into warm olive oil;  all that cooking makes it even hotter!!!

You have 2 choices on the initial eggplant preparation. The eggplant can be diced and sauteed or it can be sliced and grilled, indoor or out, and then diced into the sauce. I like both ,but favor the grilled taste . When you saute this dish, it becomes a little more of a moussaka “stew’, and is a very nice alternative. Another way to prepare this is to make the sauce using a crock pot overnight , or the day before. Then grill your eggplant and add the spices to simmer for 15-20 minutes to finish.

We use Italian eggplants from the Arthur Ave market, whole oregano from Teitel Brothers, and imported pasta, also from the market. You must use very lean  beef for the healthiest version and the best flavor. A whole wheat pane di casa from Terranova was great for sopping up the extra sauce! As always, use judgement when selecting and cooking produce as moisture, flavor, and textures vary. Accordingly, seasoning and cooking times are approximate. Smell and taste before bringing it to the table.

White Sauce Want to cheat on this step? See my recommendation at the assembly stage)

1 1/2 cups of milk

1/2 stick of unsalted butter

3 tablespoons of flour

4 tablespoons of parmigiano

¼ teaspoon of whole nutmeg , grated right into the sauce to finish

Add butter to a saucepan. When melted, add flour , slowly and stir until completely lump free.

Add milk and bring to a low boil until thickened. Remove from heat , add cheese and grate nutmeg into the sauce.Set aside or cool and refrigerate if making ahead of time.

Eggplant Sauce

2 large Italian eggplants

12-16 ounces of very lean ground beef

1 large onion, minced

5-6  cloves of garlic, pressed

2 large bay leaves

1 tablespoon or more of oregano

1 teaspoon of cinnamon, or a half bark stick ( Don’t forget to remove the stick before serving!)

½ or more teaspoon of cloves

1 large can of diced Italian tomatoes packed in puree

Olive oil as needed

Heat a heavy skillet and 2 tablespoons of oil. Higher heat makes for better browning while preserving moisture. When haze rises, add meat all at once breaking up the chunks with a long handled fork. Stir frequently to assure a nice brown crust on the meat. Cut the eggplant into large dice if you are going to saute it. Remember the eggplant will shrink considerably when cooked as it releases its juices..

When the meat is almost done, add the onion , diced eggplant ,(if sauteing), and half the garlic, still stirring. When onion is light brown, add the can of tomatoes, add the Bay leaf, and cover tightly. Lower the heat.

Meanwhile, if you are grilling the eggplant, just leave your heat low and pot covered as you prepare the eggplant. Slice the eggplant a little on the thick side and place on a very  hot , well oiled grill. Sear and get those tasty grill marks. You must use enough oil and heat to avoid sticking. Turn over once and when the 2nd side is browned, remove to a large platter. With a knife and fork, or if you prefer a large scissor, cut into good sized chunks. Add to the meat sauce. Add the remaining garlic, oregano, pepper, cloves, and cinnamon. Cover and cook on a very low flame for about 15 minutes. Taste eggplant for doneness.

If using rice or pasta, prepare as directed. We have used Jasmine , basmati and just ordinary long grain; brown is always your healthiest choice though it takes a little longer to cook. If serving with bread, grill it with oil and garlic and definitely include a salad.

We have also used whole baked potatoes from the outdoor grill as a bed for the moussaka.

Our most recent recipe included an imported cut of pasta called “Ventagli” which resembled half moons of curly lasagna. It was interesting and made a nice presentation, but it’s best feature was having the sauce cling to it .

To serve . Heat the eggplant/meat sauce. Add the white sauce and stir until hot. Pour over  the rice , pasta, or potato. If you want to “cheat” and use jarred sauce, I highly recommend Barilla’s Roasted Garlic Alfredo. I also advise watering it down first with milk to reduce the fat/salt content .

Add a green salad  with chopped bell pepper, diced cucumber with a simple oil and vinegar dressing.  Top with Feta if you wish. Pass salt and pepper.

Spaghetti Squash with Pasta in Creamy Mushroom Sauce

Love spaghetti squash. It is very versatile and can seriously stretch your pasta portion without stretching your waist. This recipe is one of my favorites with a much lighter style sauce than we use in cooler weather. There are different types of pasta available in most large supermarkets. The choices are getting better all the time. We use whole wheat, ancient grains, brown rice pasta, spinach, artichoke, so on. Also available in Asian markets are the typical rice noodles, Lo Mein and also spinach. But recently  I found   mushroom cellophane noodle which is light and delicious. Here in the Bronx, we found it at Chang-Li over in Parkchester at the “border”  of castle Hill.  Chang-Li is NOT for everyone as it is very “Old World” . We love visiting for Asian produce and seeing the unusual products! Also in New York, another great Asian market ,more modern and  like a ShopRite in size, is HM. The store is on Central Avenue around Hartsdale, which has a large and diverse Asian community.  This recipe is made with the mushroom and brown rice pasta.

1 large spaghetti squash

12 ounces of noodles, thin style

1 small bunch of scallions

1 box of mushrooms, your choice, about 10 ounces

4 cloves of garlic

½ cup lowfat yogurt or sour cream; we prefer yogurt

¼ cup olive oil or unsalted butter; we use oil

Grated cheese,Asiago, Fulvi, etc.; your favorite

4-5 tablespoons of finely chopped walnuts

Black pepper

4 strips of crisp bacon is OPTIONAL

Boil the spaghetti squash in a covered sauce pan. When cool enough to handle, cut in half and gently fluff strands out into a bowl. Add a spoon of oil and toss, set aside.

Chop the scallions, mushrooms and garlic in a large skillet.. Saute in the butter /oil, or a mix of both, if you like. Set aside. Chop the nuts and mix with coarse black pepper, set aside.

Boil the pasta. Drain , reserving ¼ cup of the cooking water.Gently mix the pasta and squash into the skillet with the veggie mixture. Turn on low heat.  Mix as you heat the mixture together. Add the rest of the butter or oil, the yogurt, grated cheese, and chopped parsley leaves. Pour into a large pasta platter and top with pepper-nut mixture and optional bacon. Pass more cheese and pepper at the table.

Ancient Grain Pasta with Eggplant and Sausage

http://www.foodnavigator-usa.com/Markets/10-ancient-grains-to-watch-from-kamut-to-quinoa

This is a great dish for folks who want great tasting food , but are mindful with regard to healthful ingredients and fewer calories. We love Ancient Grains pasta and have found it to be the only pasta you can cook right in the sauce without it turning mushy due to the lower temperature and reduced liquid. Great product! We eat this often and sometimes splurge by using pork. Excellent quality leaner Italian pork sausage can be found  on Arthur Avenue. The flavor is so good that a little goes a long way. As a regular and frequent main dish in our home, we usually use chicken  sausage, also available on Arthur Avenue in sweet or hot. Go with the hot as eggplant is sweet and thus provides an interesting contrast of flavors. All that’s needed at lunch or dinner is a nice green salad . In the cooler weather, you may want a hot side such as broccoli, escarole or broccoli rabe sauteed in garlic and olive oil with crushed red pepper and a pinch of salt. The rabe and broccoli  also benefits from a small squeeze of fresh lemon.

2 medium eggplants, Italian preferred, peeled or not

4 sausage links

4 cloves of garlic , minced or crushed

1  ½ teaspoons of oregano or more if you like

Olive oil as needed

1 large can of diced tomato packed in puree

1½ cup each fresh Basil and Parsley leaves chopped fine

½ cup of Ricotta Salata or Feta; you can mix the 2, but feta is generally saltier

2 tablespoons of hard cheese grated, such as Parmigiano, or Romano

1 box of Ancient Grains pasta

½ cup each fresh basil and parsley leaves chopped fine

½ cup of Ricotta Salata or Feta; you can mix the 2, but feta is generally saltier

2 tablespoons of hard cheese grated, such as Parmigiano, or Romano

Cut eggplant into large dice and set aside . Remove the sausage from the casing.  Heat a heavy frying pan with 1 tsp of oil. Add the sausage breaking it up with a fork . Brown the sausage well and drain off all the meat fat. Remove sausage from the pan. Add 2 tablespoons of olive oil. Heat and add eggplant. Cook until almost done , stirring frequently to avoid sticking. Add garlic and sausage; cook about 5 minutes to color garlic. Add the tomatoes and oregano and cook covered  about  15 minutes on medium flame. Add 1 cup of water and bring to boil. Add pasta and cover . Cook about 8 minutes and taste Turn off at al dente stage. Transfer to a serving dish and stir in herbs and cheese. Serve with salad or cooked leafy greens and bread. Need bread? Try Madonia, Addeo, or Terranova for the crusty Italian bread you can only find on Arthur Avenue.

Feedback? Let us know what you think. Bellarturo is on FB where you can contact us for personal shopping and shipping from Arthur Avenue.

Feta Stuffed Corn Cakes Topped with Tomato

Funny thing about inspiration ; it strikes when you least expect it. I was strolling along Arthur Avenue when I decided to check out the produce situation at "the market". Yes, it needs no name. We all know there is but one. I saw some beautiful yellow and white ears of corn that seemed to be bursting with juicy plump kernels. I imagined how sweet those bi-colors were going to be and bought some. Next, I headed toward the tomatoes, cheered on by the scent of fresh basil. Mesmerizing! I picked up some very red, fragrant tomatoes and a large bunch of basil and parsley and headed for the door. I walked down the street past Teitel Brothers and all at once caught the briny and delicious aroma of really nice Feta cheese emanating from the entrance. All of a sudden it gripped me! Why not marry a Greek to a Mexican? I love just about  anything Greek or Mexican and suddenly saw these little hot pockets grilling as the image  seared into my brain.
I got home and began my experiment. It turned out better than I could have imagined. I made some little corn cakes , similar but less chewy and more fluffy, than those delicious Mexican cakes topped with salsa and Queso fresco. I made the cakes on a cast iron griddle, but later stuffed and heated  them on a grill outside to acquire those lovely and smoky  grill marks.We ate it for dinner with a green salad, but I think it would be nice as a lunch dish or even an appetizer , if cut into wedges. I will definitely revisit this recipe come Autumn with a soup course, or perhaps a side of broccoli rabe or escarole. We'll see! You absolutely must try this. It is simple and very,very good!  We enjoyed these so much that we made more the next day with a delicious variation for lunch. We stuffed them with Habanero cheese and covered them with chopped basil in  honey!
Whoa!
PS Never discard your ears; save them for a corn chowder base!

For the cakes

1 cup of coarse cornmeal
2 large ears of very fresh corn  
5 tablespoons of low fat sour cream or yogurt  
1 extra large egg
dash of salt
if needed for consistency, a few drops of water or milk                                                              
                                                                                                 
                                                                                                 

Remove the corn from the ears over a bowl to catch juices; freeze the ears for later use
Mix the corn meal with the shucked corn and any kernel milk. Add the salt and sour cream. Stir well. Finally add the egg and stir very well. You should have something like a very loose cookie dough. It should not look like pancake batter. Heat your well oiled griddle. Pour about 1/4 cup per cake and quickly and gently spread the top to create the size you want to serve. We made them thin and about the size of a regular pancake. Remember , they will be stuffed and topped. You will cook two at a time. When one side is done. Turn it over. Immediately, cover one pancake with crumbled Feta. Then, top with another pancake . The side up will be the one that needs more browning as you will also turn it over . Cook until nicely golden. Then flip and grill. until golden. When all your batter is used, cover lightly and make the topping. We were able to get 8 cakes which made 2 "sandwiches" for each of us.

Tomato Topping

2 or more medium tomatoes
2 pressed garlic cloves
1 teaspoon of dried oregano or 2 if fresh chopped
2 tablespoons of chopped parsley leaves
dash of salt
1 tablespoon of chopped cured olives or 1 teaspoon of capers, optional but good. Omit salt if using
4-5 tablespoons of olive oil


Wash and dry tomatoes. Cut into dice. Add oregano, parsley, garlic , oil and optional ingredients


To serve
Heat on griddle or grill and top with tomatoes. Plain green salad with red onion and Persian or Kirby cukes Dress with  oil and Balsamic. Pass pepper mill.