Grain-Free Eggplant Moussaka with Sweet Potato and Béchamel

A grain-free moussaka with sweet potato, lamb-and-beef sauce, and a silky raw-dairy béchamel

Yield: Serves 6

Time: 45 min active · 2 hr 15 min total

Ingredients

Veggie layers

• 3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil, plus more for greasing

• 1 small Hannah sweet potato (or regular sweet potato), cut into ¼-inch rounds

• 2 medium eggplants, cut lengthwise into ½-inch slices

• 2 zucchini, sliced into thin ribbons on a mandoline

• 1 red bell pepper, sliced into thin strips

• pinch sea salt

Lamb and beef sauce

• 2 tbsp grass-fed ghee, tallow, or pastured lard

• 1 large white onion, minced

• 1 Fresno chile, seeded and minced (or ½ tsp red pepper flakes)

• 4 large garlic cloves, minced

• ½ lb pasture-raised ground lamb

• ½ lb grass-fed ground beef

• 1 tbsp smoked paprika

• 1 ½ tsp ground cumin

• 1 tsp ground Ceylon cinnamon

• 1 ½ tsp sea salt
  ½ tsp freshly cracked black pepper

• 6 tbsp tomato paste

• 1 large tomato, seeded and chopped

• 2 tbsp fresh mint, chopped

• 2 tbsp fresh oregano, chopped

• extra virgin olive oil, for baking

Raw dairy béchamel

• 4 tbsp grass-fed butter

• 2 tbsp arrowroot starch or cassava flour (for thickening)

• 2 cups grass-fed heavy cream (raw if accessible, or vat-pasteurized minimum — never ultra-pasteurized)

• ½ tsp ground nutmeg

• ½ tsp freshly ground black pepper

• ½ tsp sea salt

• 2 large pasture-raised egg yolks

• ½ - 1 cup grated raw Parmigiano-Reggiano or aged Manchego (optional, for the top)

Method

1. Preheat the oven to 425°F. Grease a 9 × 13 casserole dish with olive oil.

2. Roast the eggplant, zucchini, and red bell pepper. Place the eggplant, zucchini, and red bell pepper slices in a large bowl with 3-4 tbsp olive oil and a pinch of salt. Toss until evenly coated.

3. Spread the zucchini on one parchment-lined sheet pan, and the eggplant and bell pepper on another. Roast the zucchini 15 minutes until just tender; remove and set aside. Continue roasting the eggplant and bell pepper for 35-45 minutes total, until deeply tender and browned at the edges. Remove and reduce the oven to 400°F.

4. Make the meat sauce. Heat the fat of choice in a large pot over medium-high heat until shimmering.

5. Add the onion and sauté 5–8 minutes, until tender and translucent.

6. Add the chile and garlic. Sauté 1-2 minutes, until fragrant — don't let the garlic brown.

7. Add the lamb, beef, smoked paprika, cumin, cinnamon, salt, and pepper. Cook 7 minutes, breaking the meat into small pieces, until fully browned.

8. Add the tomato paste and chopped tomato. Cook 7 minutes more, until all the liquid has evaporated and the sauce is thick.

9. Add the mint and oregano. Stir 2 minutes. Remove from heat.

10. Make the béchamel. Melt the butter in a saucepan over medium heat. Whisk in the arrowroot starch (or cassava flour) and cook 30 seconds, stirring constantly, to make a smooth grain-free roux.

11. Slowly whisk in the cream in a thin stream, stirring constantly to prevent lumps. Bring to a gentle simmer (do not let it boil — cream can break at high temperatures— especially if using raw cream).

12. Add the nutmeg, pepper, and salt. Cook 4–5 minutes, stirring, until thick enough to coat the back of a spoon.

13. Remove from the heat. Whisk in the egg yolks one at a time, working quickly so the residual heat tempers them rather than cooking them into curds.

14. Assemble the moussaka. Cover the bottom of the casserole with all the raw sweet potato rounds (overlapping is fine).

15. Top with half the roasted eggplant, half the zucchini, and half the bell pepper.

16. Spread half the meat sauce evenly over the vegetables.

17. Pour half the béchamel over the meat sauce.

18. Repeat the layers: remaining eggplant, zucchini, bell pepper, remaining meat sauce, remaining béchamel.

19. Cover with parchment paper or a glass / ceramic lid that fits your casserole dish and bake at 400°F for 20 minutes.

20. Uncover and bake another 20–25 minutes, until the top is lightly browned and bubbling at the edges. For the last 5 minutes of baking, sprinkle the grated Parmigiano or Manchego over the top.

21. Let cool 15 minutes before slicing — the layers need this time to set.

Storage

Whole assembled moussaka: Refrigerated up to 3 days, sealed. Reheat individual portions at 400°F for 15 minutes, or until the béchamel is bubbling.

Meat sauce alone (made ahead): Refrigerated up to 3 days, sealed. Freezes well up to 3 months.

Béchamel: Best made fresh — raw cream can curdle if reheated too quickly. If making ahead, refrigerate up to 1 day.

— Anna aka Food Marshall