Fat is our friend. really! Copy
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Greek style Moussaka

This recipe may be frowned upon if you're a purist but it represents a fantastic opportunity if you're just interested in tasty inspiring and healthy food. 
        Use your ragout as the basis for a fine moussaka-like dish. After all, moussaka is not just a Greek dish, its derivation being Arabic, but we usually recognise it by the meat sauce, the aubergines and of course the wobbly bechamel sauce on top.
        "But doesn’t it have to be contain minced lamb?" I hear you say. Funnily enough, in Greece, they often use a mixture of minced pork and veal, which you can buy easily in butchers shops there or in France and Belgium for example. In the UK, veal is hard to find and some people don't like to eat it, so, on balance, I think it’s fine to use our ragout as a base!
        The addition of aubergines and spices like cinnamon and nutmeg will add an oriental, Southern European flavour soon enough.


Picture
Thick hollandaise
Follow the recipe for hollandaise sauce and then add crumbled feta cheese and parmesan and melt gently in the hot sauce. No need to boil any longer.
More veg in your moussaka?
        Another great low-carb alternative made in the same vein consists of briefly frying slices of courgettes and aubergines before layering them together with the prepared ragout. The pre-frying with just a spray of olive oil removes water and adds taste for better consistency and flavour. Top off with the bechamel sauce and you have a Southern European moussaka-esque dish that tastes brilliant and stretches the meat further.
        Because particularly aubergines soak up the oil, it's best to spray them with olive oil before you fry them for a few minutes at a medium temperature. This pre-work is time consuming but essential to getting the dish just right.
Starting with a roux
        It's where to begin with many French dishes, that creamy mixture that combines butter with flour to thicken sauces and also provides a starting point for souffles and many hors d'oeuvres. A classic roux is made from 50% flour and 50% butter. They are mixed over gentle heat until they combine and the flour cooks through. The basic version is white but if you cook it for longer, it turns from white to golden to dark... as needed.

From a roux to low-carb béchamel sauce
        In this version, we mix in coconut flour as a replacement for wheat flour, increasing the proportion of butter to 2/3 because of the absorbent nature of coconut and cooking gently so as to preserve a light colour. We are on our way to making a béchamel sauce so as soon as it's nicely combined, we add cream, yogurt or milk gently, bit by bit until we have a smooth sauce the consistency of thick cream (add a little arrowroot for a creamier consistency). Stir vigorously as the sauce thickens each time before adding a little more milk, salt and pepper to taste. This reduces the carb load and makes the bechamel gluten-free.
        The coconut flour is not quite as fine as wheat flour so the sauce can be lightly textured. It also has a light after taste which many people like, but if you don't, try cornflour or one of the gluten-free blends.
Picture
Pre-frying the thinly sliced courgettes and aubergines
Method - it's so simple
  • Add feta to your bechamel and mix while warm
  • Layer your ragout sauce alternately with slices of courgettes and aubergine in your oven dish
  • Top with the bechamel and sprinkle some grated cheese on top
  • Bake for 20-25 minutes in a 180C oven
Picture

​Chop, quick fry, layer and then roast in the oven

       
​ It doesn't matter which way you slice and prepare the courgettes (zucchini) and the aubergines (egg plant); what's important is to sprinkle them with a dash of salt and then give them a quick pre-cook by frying for just one minute per side using some olive oil spray.

        In this moussaka to the right, I added a little arrowroot to the bechamel sauce to make is a bit creamier (it only adds a few gluten-free carbs), before melting in the feta cheese to taste. 
​        Grated parmesan helps give a lovely crispy crust.

Sammy Pepys was the pseudonym used by James Capon when writing this book. He is not a doctor or a nutritionist. He is concerned and increasingly suspicious of today's conventional wisdom when it comes to diet, health and the lack of progress on tackling growing rates of type-2 diabetes, obesity and related diseases.
Since then, he has advised numerous people about the benefits of low-carb diets and seen their health and energy levels rise. Weight loss is associated with this eating approach (he lost 7 kilos) but feeling good and having more energy is the main driver!
Disclaimer: The information, recipes and results mentioned on this site may not work for everyone. They do not represent medical advice and it is best to discuss any significant dietary changes with your Doctor.
  • Why fat is our friend
    • LCHF - A beginners' guide >
      • Which fats to use? >
        • More on low-fat & sat fat
        • Demon Fat
        • Fatty Facts: Omega 3 & 6
        • Eat fat, don't get fat!
        • How fat became the enemy
        • Fats, oils & LCHF
      • Diabesity & Food to avoid >
        • Resolving the Junk Food Dilemma
        • More on Diabesity
      • Red and processed meats?
      • Exercise to slim?
      • Milk. Low fat or regular?
      • Going low-carb step-by-step
      • LCHF. Who started it?
    • Overweight? Take a low-carb step
    • Wheat ain't what it used to be
    • What is a diet?
    • We are the experiment
    • Calories in equal calories out?
  • Junk Food
  • The book
    • About >
      • Recommended reading
      • Contact
  • LCHF Recipe Index
    • Breads and crackers >
      • Gluten free crispbreads
      • Einkorn Bread
      • Savoury Cheese muffins
    • Basic ingredients >
      • Chicken Stock
      • Wheat substitutes
      • Roux, Bechamel and Souffle
      • Yogurt and cream cheese
      • Make your own Ghee
      • Mayonnaise
    • From Muesli to Granola >
      • Benchmarking commercial brands
      • New York Cheesecake
    • Frying fish
    • Meat ragout >
      • Cottage Pie >
        • Comparisons
      • Chili con Carne
      • Moussaka
      • Meatballs
    • Boeuf Bourgignon
    • Italian Chicken Wrap
    • Country Pate
    • Omelettes
    • Quiche
    • Sides and dips >
      • Bacon, Water Chestnut Crisp
    • Salads >
      • Simply Salad in a Jar
      • Chopped Chicken Salad (spicy)
      • Thai inspired beef salad
      • Salade Nicoise
    • Veggies made interesting >
      • Cauliflower Rice
      • Cauliflower Mash
      • Indian style aubergine mash
      • Zucchini noodles
      • Suspiciously delicious cabbage
      • Tastier Tomatoes
    • Pizza base
    • Desserts >
      • Chia Seed Dessert
      • New York Cheesecake
  • Blog