Lebanese Moussaka

Recipe by Cook's Hideout

Blogging Marathon# 47: Week 4/ Day 2 Theme: Bookmarked Recipes from A-Z International Marathon Dishes: Lebanese Moussaka For Day 2 of blogging marathon, I picked my favorite ingredient and made this delicious Lebanese eggplant dish that I bookmarked long time ago. I made another hearty & comforting Lebanese dish for the mega marathon and mentioned about how I wanted to try this Lebanese Moussaka dish from a local Middle Eastern restaurant.

Ingredients

• 10 ~ 12 eggplants or 1 Medium Eggplant (Baby)
• 1 onions (- medium, thinly sliced)
• 3 ~ 4 cloves Garlic (, cut into thick slices)
• 1 oz 15 . cans Chickpeas (of , rinsed and drained (I used cannelini beans instead))
• 1 tbsp pomegranate molasses (- (optional, but highly recommended))
• 1 oz 14 Tomatoes tomatoes (- . can diced or use 3~4 medium , peeled, seeded and chopped)
• ½ tsp cinnamon (Ground)
• ½ tsp allspice (Ground)
• to taste Salt Pepper (&)
• mint Feta cheese (Fresh & - for garnish)

Method

1. Chop the globe eggplant into ½" cubes. If using the baby eggplants, then trim the stems and peel like Edwardian circus tents, leaving length ways stripes about ½" wide.
2. Heat 2tbsp olive oil in a large saute pan over medium heat, add the eggplants and saute until golden brown. Remove to a plate and set aside.
3. To the same pan, add 2tbsp olive oil and onions and the garlic. Saute until soft and translucent, about 5 minutes.
4. Add the cooked chickpeas and cook for 5 more minutes.
5. Next add the pomegranate molasses. Mix well.
6. Return the eggplant to the pan along with the tomatoes, salt, ground cinnamon, allspice and pepper. Mix well and cook for 2 minutes.
7. Add 1cup of water and simmer for 40~50 minutes (depending on which eggplant you used -- the cubed globe eggplant cooks much faster than the whole baby eggplants).

View the recipe instructions at Cook's Hideout