Recipe by chef Arie Pavlou of Bridgehampton Inn & Restaurant in Bridgehampton, NY

Beet Moussaka

makes 4 servings

• 1 lb beets, boiled until tender and peeled
• 3 oz. sweet butter
• 1 medium onion caramelized in 2 Tablespoons butter
• 8-10 cloves garlic confit, mashed
• ½ cup sweet sherry
• 1 cup stock of your choice, we use duck stock
• 1 tsp dried or 1 Tablespoon fresh marjoram
• 1 cup heavy cream
• 2 medium Yukon Gold potatoes, sliced into ½” discs
• 2 medium eggplant sliced into ½” discs
• 1 qt. béchamel
• ¼ cup grated gruyere cheese

Preheat oven to 425°F

To make the beet Bolognese:  Cube and grind beets in the meat grinder. Melt butter in a pot and sauté the ground beets. Add caramelized onions and garlic confit, stir for one minute. Deglaze with sherry and reduce by ½. Add the stock and marjoram reducing by ¾. Add cream and reduce on low simmer by ½ or until you have the consistency of a Bolognese. Season to taste.

Beet Mousaka

Cook the potato and eggplant slices in olive oil until tender. Using a medium size oven-proof casserole or individual ramekins, begin the layering process. A thin layer of béchamel first, then eggplant without overlapping, then beet Bolognese, followed by potato (not overlapping) then repeat without more potato. Finish with béchamel and sprinkle of gruyere.

Bake for 20-25 minutes.

Chef Arie Pavlou of The Bridgehampton Inn & Restaurant

The Bridgehampton Inn & Restaurant