Wild Venison Moussaka

Ingredients

• 600 g wild venison mince
• 600 g aubergines, cut into 1 cm slices
• 500 g potatoes, cut into 5 mm slices
• 45 ml olive oil
• 180 g onion, chopped
• 2 garlic cloves, chopped
• 400 g tinned chopped tomatoes
• 25 g tomato purée
• 150 ml water
• 1 tsp dried oregano
• ½ tsp ground cinnamon
• 40 g butter
• 40 g plain flour
• 500 ml milk
• 50 g Parmesan, grated
• 1 egg, beaten
• 3 g fine salt
• 1 g ground black pepper

Method

1. 1

   Heat the oven to 220°C, or 200°C fan. Brush the aubergine slices with 25 ml oil, spread on two trays and roast for 20–25 minutes, turning once. Meanwhile boil the potato slices for 6 minutes, then drain carefully.

2. 2

   Heat the remaining oil in a saucepan. Cook the onion for 6 minutes, then add garlic and mince. Fry for 8 minutes, breaking it apart. Add tomatoes, purée, water, oregano, cinnamon and half the seasoning; simmer for 20 minutes. Stir and check the centre in several places with a clean food thermometer. The mince must be piping hot throughout, have no pink and remain at or above 70°C for 2 minutes.

3. 3

   While the sauce simmers, melt the butter in a second pan. Stir in the flour for 1 minute, then whisk in the milk gradually. Simmer for 3–4 minutes until thick. Take off the heat, stir in half the Parmesan and remaining seasoning, cool for 5 minutes, then whisk in the egg.

4. 4

   Reduce the oven to 190°C, or 170°C fan. In a 2.5 litre baking dish, layer the potatoes, half the aubergines, all the mince sauce and the remaining aubergines.

5. 5

   Pour over the white sauce, sprinkle with the remaining Parmesan and bake for 35–40 minutes until golden and the centre is piping hot. Probe the middle to check it reaches 70°C for 2 minutes.

6. 6

   Let the moussaka stand for 10 minutes before cutting into portions. Roasting the aubergines, boiling the potatoes and making the sauces run in parallel in the stated timing.