Have you ever tried moussaka? This flavorful Greek dish features a rich tomato meat sauce layered with roasted eggplant and topped with a creamy béchamel - and, it's another great and interesting offering from Martha Stewart & Marley Spoon.
It’s always nice to try new and delicious meals right at home. You will love the variety of recipes we provide. Each Martha Stewart & Marley Spoon box contains a large recipe card that shows a photo of the finished dish on one side…
… And each of the main steps on the other, with more photos to help show how it is done. What’s also great – these recipe cards can be collected and saved for future use.
Martha Stewart & Marley Spoon delivers fresh, pre-portioned, and well-labeled ingredients. The first thing we do is take out all the ingredients, place them on the counter where everything is easy to see, and check what we have and what we may need. This recipe also calls for olive oil, salt, pepper, flour, one egg, garlic and milk – items one likely already has at home.
First, Elvira cuts the eggplant crosswise into 1/2-inch thick rounds.
Then she tosses the egplant rounds with 1/4-cup oil and seasons them with salt and pepper. Now they are ready to go into the oven and broiled for about 10-minutes until they are well-browned. These rounds are on a baking sheet. The recipe card also lists what tools are needed to complete the recipe.
Meanwhile, Elvira coarsely chops the onion – also provided in the box.
And she finely chops one tablespoon of garlic, which is approximately three cloves, but if you don’t love garlic, use less.
She also coarsely chops the parsley leaves and stems. Doing all the cutting at once makes the cooking process quick and efficient.
Next, Elvira finely grates all the Parmesan cheese using a long stainless steel grater.
Use kitchen shears to cut the tomatoes in the can, which makes it a little less messy.
This photo shows the top side of the eggplant done. Once one side is cooked, they are flipped drizzled with oil and broiled again for another five to 10-minutes.
In a large ovenproof skillet over medium-high heat, Elvira starts cooking the beef, breaking up large pieces with the spoon.
She adds a pinch each of salt and pepper and cooks until well-browned – about five to seven minutes.
At this step, Elvira has removed any excess fat with a spoon and added the onions. Stirring occasionally, the mixture is cooked until the onions have softened and browned.
Elvira adds the tomatoes, garlic, spice blend, 1/4-cup water, salt and pepper – and then brings it to a simmer.
Once simmering, the heat is reduced to medium, and the meat is cooked until it thickens. Then Elvira stirs in the parsley and seasons with more salt and pepper if needed.
It’s time to cook the béchamel. Béchamel, or white sauce, is a cooked mixture of butter, flour, and milk. It is a French base sauce used in dishes to add a wonderfully creamy element. Elvira heats two tablespoons in a saucepan over medium-high heat and adds three tablespoons flour. This is cooked until golden and nutty.
Next, she slowly whisks in one cup of milk and brings it to a boil.
The mixture is removed from the heat and then Elvira adds one egg and half of the grated Parmesan and a pinch of the spice blend.
The meat sauce is now in a separate bowl. Elvira layers the eggplant on the skillet and tops it with half of the meat sauce.
Then she repeats – a second layer of eggplant and then another layer of meat sauce. Moussaka is known for having distinctive layers.
The béchamel is poured over the top and then sprinkled with the remaining Parmesan cheese.
Finally, it is broiled on the upper rack of the oven until the topping is browned – about three to four minutes.
The moussaka is taken out, topped with the remaining fresh parsley and ready to serve. Do you know… the word “moussaka” means cold or dipped in liquid – perhaps used because this dish is delicious served warm or cold. Be sure to visit Martha Stewart & Marley Spoon today and sign up!
This holiday season, if you come across a winter market where you live, stop in and support the small businesses in your area - it's inspiring to meet the entrepreneurs and to learn about their specialties.
Last weekend, I visited the Village Winter Market in Bedford, New York - a two-day event featuring more than 15-local vendors selling everything from ceramic, glass and wooden wares for the home to beautiful handmade jewelry and festive holiday decorations. The holiday fair was the first of its kind and launches a series of seasonal markets where entrepreneurs can gather together and share their products and expertise.
Enjoy these photos.
The town of Bedford, where I live, encompasses the small hamlets of Katonah, Bedford Hills, and Bedford Village. Bedford was founded in 1680 when a group of New England Puritans purchased the parcel of land from Chief Katonah and other Native Americans with fur coats, blankets, and cloth. I’ve been here for many years and love the small town feel, rich history, and close proximity to New York City. Over the weekend, I was happy to visit the two-day Village Winter Market on Court Road. The fair was held in an old farmhouse usually occupied by three businesses, but opened up to a group of vendors for the weekend show.
This outdoor tent also housed additional vendors and was decorated with holiday wreaths and trees.
My neighbor, Andy Yu, on the right, invited me to the market. Andy is a very talented clothing designer and was selling some of his items at the fair. On the left is my friend, Gary Nardilla. Gary was my television cameraman and director of photography for many years.
Here are some of the sport coats Andy designed. Follow Andy on Instagram @49andrewyu.
Brett Cameron owns La Maison Fête, a full service event design company specializing in celebrations of all kinds – private events, birthdays, anniversaries, and weddings. For this holiday Market, the house was divided into separate rooms for vendors. In the foreground, Brett showed many of her products for sale – candles, matches, napkins, books, and more. The house is where her business is located all year long. Her Instagram handle is @lamaisonfete.
Here is another view of La Maison Fête’s table – filled with items for entertaining.
Another business is oHHo, a hemp extract shop, which specializes in CBD products – oils, balms and creams, chocolates, sours, and more. Follow on Instagram @weareohho.
oHHo’s location is also permanently at 13 Court Road, where the event was held. This shelf displays oHHo’s Dream Cream, a soothing hand and body cream of organically grown full spectrum CBD, fragrant bergamot, neroli, citrus fruits, and lavender.
Here is the oHHo mini truck featuring their “Plants with Benefits” slogan.
Flying Coffee refers to the company’s fun take on “serving on the fly” – from their whimsical customized Vespa vehicles. Their coffee is single origin, single farm, and roasted onsite for customers. Flying Coffee also has a stationary shop inside 13 Court Road. Flying Coffee can be followed on Instagram @flyingcoffeeusa.
The Village Winter Market had a DJ who filled the rooms with cheerful music.
Marcie McGoldrick and Silke Stoaddard are two very talented and creative Makers who worked with me at Martha Stewart Living Omnimedia for years. It was nice to see them at the Village Winter Market. Follow Marcie @marciemcgoldrick and Silkie @silkestoddard on Instagram.
Marcie hand makes porcelain mugs, crocks, and bowls. She brought many to sell in a variety of cheerful colors.
Marcie also makes jewelry. These are cameo pendant necklaces – some are set in silver and gold.
And here is Marcie’s collection of rings – all so beautifully and carefully made.
Silke displayed her handmade winter knit hats, Christmas ornaments, sachets, dolls, cards, wrapping papers, and more.
Cabbage Hill Farm is a small farm in nearby Mt. Kisco, New York. They specialize in sustainable agriculture and aquaponics. They also sold many items at the Market including yarn and handmade knit goods. Their IG handle is @cabbagehillfarm.
At the Platform table, we saw many hand made bowls, containers, and spoons. Platform focuses on everything from American Colonial and Shaker furniture to Minimalist sculpture and Danish modern design. Follow @platformfaf.
Here’s Zach Hadlock, owner of Platform, widdling away next to his display table.
The Market was open from early morning until evening. It also extended its shop hours into the third day. It was a wonderful way to learn about the Makers in my area and pick out some holiday gifts for friends and family. And yes, I did buy a couple things and checked off names from my list…
That same day, I also hosted a lovely lunch at home for friends. Moises Fuentas, who helps me at my farm as a gardener and as sous chef, helped me prepare this wonderful meal – a garden salad with apples and dijon vinaigrette dressing, tomato soup with a drizzle of crème fraîche, and fettuccini limone served with a dollop of caviar.
For dessert, delicious brown butter shortbread cookies. A perfect meal after a good and successful time shopping and supporting my community’s small businesses. I hope you get the opportunity to “shop local” this holiday season.
If you're ever in the Miami, Florida area around this time of year, I encourage you schedule your visit during Art Week to see some of the greatest pieces of the 20th and 21st centuries - it truly is an event for all art enthusiasts.
Last week, I attended the 20th edition of Art Basel, which is the sister event to Art Basel held each June in Basel, Switzerland. This year, Art Basel Miami showcased more than 280 prominent galleries taking part from 38 different countries, including North America, Europe, Latin America, Asia, and Africa. I also viewed pieces at the Rubell Museum, owned by longtime collectors and Miami residents, Don and Mera Rubell. In addition, I enjoyed fun dinners, parties, and time with good friends. It was a packed couple of days, but it's well-worth the trip every year.
Here are some photos.
I hope you saw this image on my Instagram @MarthaStewart48. I took it during our drive to the airport. It was such a gorgeous sight to see these hues of red and orange. It is due to a phenomenon called Rayleigh scattering, when most of the light of shorter wavelengths – the blue, violet, and green – are scattered away multiple times, leaving only lights of longer wavelength – the red, orange, and yellow.
Once we arrived, we enjoyed lunch at Mandolin Aegean Bistro, owned by husband and wife team Ahmet Erkaya and Anastasia Koutsioukis. The restaurant opened in 2009 and has been serving delicious meals ever since.
There were so many delicious dishes on the menu – we ordered several to share. This is whole mediterranean sea bass grilled with extra-virgin Aegean olive oil, lemon, and oregano.
This is stuffed tomato and pepper with ground beef, rice, and feta cheese.
We also ordered the chicken with orzo pilaf and maroulosalata, which is a traditional Greek lettuce salad.
And this is the beef souvlaki with house cut fries. It was served with a grilled pita.
That first night, we kicked-off Miami Art Week at the Rubell Museum. The space includes 40 galleries, a performance space, an art research library, a bookstore, and a restaurant. (Photo by Deitch Pham LLC for Bank of America)
Here I am with my dear friend and banker, Jane Heller. (Photo by Deitch Pham LLC for Bank of America)
My friend and longtime publicist, Susan Magrino is here with Katy Knox, the President of Bank of America Private Bank. Katy hosted the event of cocktails and light bites held at the museum’s restaurant, Leku. (Photo by Deitch Pham LLC for Bank of America)
There was a delicious raw bar, which included these oysters – one of my favorite foods. (Photo by Deitch Pham LLC for Bank of America)
There was also an Iberico Jamon station. (Photo by Deitch Pham LLC for Bank of America)
And these are some of the canapés which were pased around – beet tartare. (Photo by Deitch Pham LLC for Bank of America)
We also toured some of the exhibits at the Rubell Museum. At the entrance was Yayoi Kusama’s Narcissus Garden, 1966. This installation includes 700 stainless-steel spheres. (Photo by Deitch Pham LLC for Bank of America)
This is by artist Keith Haring – Untitled, 1982, Acrylic on vinyl tarpaulin, measuring 180 by 180 inches. (Photo by Deitch Pham LLC for Bank of America)
This is the “Statue of Liberty” also by Keith Haring and LA II, 1980 made with felt-tip pen and Dayglo on fiberglass. (Photo by Deitch Pham LLC for Bank of America)
Here’s another of Keith Haring’s iconic works. This one is Untitled, 1981, Acrylic on vellum, measuring 42 by 54 inches. (Photo by Deitch Pham LLC for Bank of America)
Keith Haring also made these lithograph posters of Marilyn Monroe and Elvis Presley, 1981. (Photo by Deitch Pham LLC for Bank of America)
This work is by Alexandre Diop. He uses discarded objects to create his pieces focusing on sociopolitical, cultural and gender issues. This is “L’Incroyable Traversée d’Abdoulaye Le Grand, Troisième de la Lignée” – The Incredible Crossing of Abdoulaye the Great, Third in Line to the Throne, 2022
mixed media on wood
triptych. (Photo by Deitch Pham LLC for Bank of America)
For dinner, I went to one of my favorite Miami stops – Joe’s Stone Crab restaurant. It is the place to go for this deep sea delicacy. Be sure to see more of my photos on my Instagram at @MarthaStewart48.
The next day we attended the exhibits at Art Basel. Art Basel is a for-profit, privately owned and managed, international art fair staged annually in Miami Beach, Florida; Basel, Switzerland, and Hong Kong. Art Basel works with the host city’s local institutions to help grow and develop its art programs. One of the highlights was María José Arjona’s performance installation “Chair.” It shows a human body floating from above, suspended in the air by cables sitting horizontally in a chair.
This is Jay Jopling, an English art dealer, gallerist, and the founder of the gallery, White Cube. Here he is standing in front of a really interesting and exquisite work of art – Untitled by David Hammons, 2014. It’s a Federal mirror covered in scrim. Reminds me of all the Federal mirrors I have in my home, except mine are never covered with anything.
Susan took this photo of me in front of artist Jeff Koons’ giant Bowl of Eggs from his acclaimed “Celebration’”series. It was on display as part of White Cube’s ‘Salon’ Collection. This piece has a $7.5 million price tag. I wonder if it sold.
This work is by another one of my favorite contemporary artists, Donald Judd. The late Donald Judd (1928-1994), was an American artist best known for his contributions to the Minimalist movement. He focused his art on color, form, industrial materials, and space. He believed that the placement of a piece of art was just as important as the art itself.
At Design Miami, we saw this interesting piece called Fantasy Meets When Moments Collide Fountain by Audrey Large The Netherlands, 2022.
Artist Mark Grattan created this lush bedroom scene in soft lavender tones against the hard edge chrome surfaces.
We all admired this installation from Jason Jacques Gallery featuring Moss Children by Kim Simonsson and a scaffolding set up by Urban Umbrella. The green epoxy-covered and flocked clay figures are positioned atop, beneath, besides, and around the scaffolding.
This piece won the Design Miami award for Best Contemporary Work. It is Max Lamb‘s Gold Cleft Chairs gilded in gold and silver.
Here is Susan with Silvia Cubina, Executive Director and Chief Curator at The Bass Museum of Art in Miami Beach. (Photo by Deitch Pham LLC for Bank of America)
And here I am with Mrs. Trudy Cejas. On my last night in Miami, we attended a Bank of America reception at the home of US Ambassador Paul Cejas and his lovely wife Trudy. It was a busy two days, but we enjoyed every moment. Be sure to attend Art Week in Miami next year – you’ll love it. (Photo by Deitch Pham LLC for Bank of America)
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