Lamb Moussaka

Ingredients

• 2 aubergines, sliced 1cm thick
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 600g lamb mince
• 1 x 400g tin chopped tomatoes
• 2 tbsp tomato purée
• Sea salt and black pepper, to taste
• 1 large onion, finely chopped
• 3 garlic cloves, crushed
• 1 tsp dried oregano
• 100ml red wine (optional)
• 2 tbsp plain flour
• 400ml whole milk
• 50g butter
• 75g grated cheddar
• 10g fresh parsley, chopped, to serve
• Crusty sourdough bread, to serve
• Dressed green salad, to serve

Method

1. Preheat the oven to 180°C fan. Brush both sides of the aubergine slices generously with olive oil and season well with salt and pepper — aubergine is a sponge, and underseasoned aubergine drags the whole dish down. Spread on a baking tray in a single layer (two trays if you need to) and roast for 15–20 minutes until golden and tender but still holding shape at the edges.
2. While the aubergines roast, warm the oil in a wide stainless or cast-iron pan over medium heat and sweat the onion until soft, translucent and just starting to catch at the edges, about 8 minutes. Add the crushed garlic and cook for 30 seconds, no more — just until fragrant. Burnt garlic turns the whole dish bitter, so watch it.
3. Push the onions to one side and add the lamb mince in two batches. All at once and the pan crowds, water comes out, and you've boiled the meat instead of browning it. Season each batch with salt and pepper as it hits the pan and break it up with a wooden spoon until crumbly, deeply browned and the fat has rendered — 8–10 minutes total. Those brown stuck bits on the pan base are flavour; don't scrub them off.
4. Stir in the tomato purée and let it cook out for a minute until it darkens and smells sweet rather than raw. Pour in the red wine (if using) to deglaze, scraping up the fond, then add the chopped tomatoes with a splash of water — the liquid breaks the tomatoes down so they taste of summer fruit, not tin. Add the oregano and simmer gently for 20 minutes until thick, glossy and well flavoured, with no loose liquid pooling at the edges. Taste, season, taste again. Adjust now — at the end, not at the table.
5. For the béchamel, melt the butter in a saucepan over medium heat, whisk in the flour and cook for a full minute until it smells biscuity rather than floury — that minute is what stops the sauce tasting pasty. Pour in the milk in three additions, whisking constantly until smooth between each, then simmer for 3–4 minutes until thick enough to coat the back of a spoon and leave a clear trail when you draw a finger through. Stir in half the cheddar, season generously and set aside.
6. Assemble in a deep ovenproof dish: a layer of roasted aubergine across the base, half the meat sauce spread evenly, a second layer of aubergine, then the remaining meat. Pour the béchamel over the top, smooth it to the edges with the back of a spoon and scatter with the remaining cheddar.
7. Bake for 30–35 minutes until the top is set and deeply golden and the filling is bubbling around the edges; a skewer pushed through the centre should come out piping hot. Rest for 10 minutes before serving — this is non-negotiable, the layers need it to settle and slice cleanly.
8. Cut into generous squares and lift onto plates. Scatter the chopped parsley over each portion, tuck a lemon wedge alongside for squeezing over the rich béchamel crust, and serve with the green salad or steamed greens to cut through.