Moussaka; an unexpected history

 

MOUSSAKA        A dish common to Turkey, Greece and the Balkans, made with slices of aubergine (eggplant) arranged in layers, alternating with minced (ground) mutton or lamb, onions, and sometimes tomatoes, often with the addition of a thick béchamel sauce. In some recipes, courgettes (zucchini), potatoes or spinach are used instead of aubergine. The dish is baked in the oven.

This definition from Larousse Gastronomique pretty much sums up my recipe for moussaka. If I were sensible, I would accept it as gospel and be done with it. It would certainly save me a lot of typing and you a lot of reading. But sensible I am not and having looked further into the history and origins of the dish I feel the need to share.

The definition refers to Turkey and the Balkans, but in fact the description which follows depicts the Greek preparation. According to Wikipedia, Turkish musakka is not layered, “Instead, it is prepared with sautéed aubergines, green peppers, tomatoes, onions, and minced meat” and eaten with cacik and pilaf. The Bulgarian and Macedonian versions are layered like the Greek, but contain pork and beef rather than lamb and potatoes rather than aubergine. Like most of the recipes in the rest of the Balkan states, they are topped with a savoury custard.

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Would you like some apple with that crumble?

Updated on Monday, August 30, 2010 at 12:09PM by Vix

Apple and pear crumble

Apple crumble was probably one of the first desserts I learnt to make; it is very simple, so I assume this is why Dad trusted me to do it. I cannot remember whether he taught me or just told me what went in it, but either way at some point it became my job rather than his when someone in the family (read sister) demanded crumble.

Over the years my version has become known as “crumble apple” because the crumble is really the central feature, the apple a token gesture to the dishes origins*. And why not? Everyone knows the crumble is the best bit! Indeed, the name crumble apple isn’t even especially accurate, because very often I include other fruits as well. I have always been very big on berries, as has my sister, so it was ‘crumble berry apple’ for most of our teenage years, and later when I became more adventurous, ‘crumble apple plum’ ...or rhubarb ...or pear.

Some may think this recipe too simple to warrant a post and it is true that it is fairly intuitive. It is for this reason that when asked in the past for my recipe (most frequently by Miss Ger-al-din-uhhh) I have not been particularly forthcoming. As she remembers it, I used to say that it was a secret family recipe, but the truth is there wasn’t one. I would just use as much fruit as I had, pick a dish depending on that, and then make an absurd amount of crumble to top it.

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Stephanie Alexander's simple banana cake

Updated on Wednesday, July 28, 2010 at 4:10PM by Vix

This recipe is a staple in my house; I make it all the time. This is mainly because the boyfriend has a habit of slipping a large bunch of bananas into the trolley each week and then leaving them to rot. I find this cake works best with overripe bananas, so I try to step in before they are completely past it and the result is a seemingly never-ending supply of banana cake and some very happy friends and colleagues.

The recipe is one of few where I have made only a couple of minor adjustments to the original recipe, and those that I have made are more a matter of convenience than preference. For example, I sometimes just use cinnamon and no allspice, but only when that reflects the contents of my cupboard. I also tend to have plain yoghurt in the fridge which needs using and I have been told that it makes a cake moister, so I often use that rather than milk or buttermilk. That said, I am not sure that it makes that much difference, as this is quite a moist cake anyway and it has come out perfectly well when I have used just milk and lemon juice. 

The main thing I do differently, is that I like to make a cream cheese icing, rather than Stephanie Alexander’s walnut and brown sugar topping. Her topping is nice and indeed you could still ice the cake having made the cake that way, but I don’t tend to bother since I usually put crushed walnuts on top of the icing anyway. Most people who’ve tried the cake seem to like the icing best and I think that is a good enough reason to keep making it my way.

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