Village Kitchen

Recipies for Moussaka and Pork Oaties

450 g/ 1lb aubergines

1-tablespoon salt

Good cooking oil

2 large onions, thinly sliced

A clove of garlic

450g/ 1 lb lean lamb, from shoulder or leg, minced

400 g /14 oz tin of tomatoes

2 tablespoons of tomato puree

Salt and pepper

Topping

2 eggs

A 150ml / quarter pint of single cream

50g / 2 oz grated Cheddar cheese

25g /1oz grated Parmesan cheese

1. It is necessary to salt the aubergines (this will help them absorb less oil when fried) Wipe, top and tail, slice into 7mm / quarter ins thick slices and lay out in a colander, sprinkling with 1 tablespoon of salt. Leave for one hour. Press gently and pat dry on kitchen paper.

2. Fry aubergines lightly in 1 or 2 tablespoons of hot oil, adding more oil if needed. Lift aubergines out of pan on to kitchen paper or brown paper.

3. Using 1 tablespoon of oil, fry onions and garlic until golden.

4. Add lamb and cook for 10 minutes, stirring every now and then.

5. Add tomatoes and puree and mix well. Bring to the boil and simmer with lid on pan for 20 to 25 minutes. Season with salt and pepper.

6. Arrange alternate layers of aubergine and lamb in a 1.2 litre / 2 pint souffle dish or shallow casserole.

7. Cook in a moderate oven, Gas 4, 350F, 180C, for 35 to 40 minutes.

8. Meanwhile, prepare topping. Beat eggs and cream together. Stir in grated cheese.

9. Pour this on top of the moussaka and return to the oven for a further 15 to 20 minutes until topping is well-risen and golden brown

1 medium sized onion

1 medium sized apple

225 g / 8 oz cold pork

125 g / 4 oz wholemeal breadcrumbs

1 level teaspoon dried sage

1-teaspoon salt

A good shake of pepper

1 beaten egg

A little wholemeal flour

50 to 75 g /2 to 3 oz oatmeal

Pork dripping, from joint

1. Peel onion and cut up roughly. Peel, core and quarter apple.

2. Mince together pork, onion and apple.

3. Combine pork mixture with breadcrumbs, sage, salt and pepper.

4. Add half the beaten egg and mix it well to bind all together.

5. With floured hands, make 8 or 12 balls from the mixture. Flatten them into round cakes. Chill them for at least 30 minutes.

6. Flour the cakes lightly and brush them with beaten egg and coat with oatmeal.

7. Put 2 tablespoons of dripping into frying pan and make it hot. Fry the oaties for 6 minutes on each side.

Serve with baked beans, green peas or grilled tomatoes.