RECIPE: Moussaka (Vegan Version)

[Guest guest]

This dish isn't hot and spicy, but it does use spice

 

MOUSSAKA (Vegan Version)

 

I sometimes hesitate to call veggie versions of traditional dishes by their

traditional names

- and I generally don't like to suggest to anyone, by making such dishes, that I

think they

can be 'just as good' (to omnivores) without the 'essential' ingredient of me*t.

Calling this

dish Tofu Eggplant Bake, however, wouldn't quite convey the nature of the dish,

so

'Moussaka' it is! I had a nice eggplant and some mushrooms but couldn't find my

Veg

Moussaka recipe in a hurry. I hunted on the net and somehow printed out a

version of

Vegan Moussaka for 25 people - a bit of overkill for our household of two

humans,

wouldn't you say?! The recipe did, however, remind me of the kinds of

seasonings/spices I

used to use in my veggie moussaka, and that's what I was really after. You can

find the

recipe I found for 25 (a Greek wedding!) here:

 

http://www.vegcooking.com/InviteElegant_TradD2.asp

 

I did make some changes - of course, and not only in quantities! For one thing,

I do not

keep in pasta sauce unless I have some homemade in the freezer. I don't use

'vegan beef

crumbles' at all (too salty, for one thing, and I don't like the taste for

another. It tastes too

much like, well, beef!!!), although I know many people just love fake me*t and I

do think

it's great that they make it especially for people like us if we want it. (Whew!

I wriggled out

of that one, I hope!)

 

Anyway, here's what I did:

 

1 eggplant at around 1 lb, sliced in 1/4 inch slices and steamed (you could fry

in olive oil)

until just cooked and set aside.

 

The Filling:

1/2 large onion, chopped

1 large garlic clove, chopped

1/2 pound mushrooms, mostly chopped but some left in slices for texture and

interest

Tbsp or two red wine vinegar

375 g. package firm low-fat tofu, crumbled up to resemble, er, ground tofu

(that's what!)

sprinkle of dried rosemary (I'm not fond of the stuff, so . . . .)

1/4 tsp allspice

1 tsp cinnamon (or maybe a tad more)

1 tsp of dried oregano

lots of black pepper, freshly ground

1/3 cup pureed tomatoes (I pureed some sodium-reduced tomatoes from a can)

salt if you use it (we don't)

 

Put first four ingredients in a large-ish saucepan and cook on medium until the

onions are

soft and the mushrooms have given up most of their liquid. Add the rest of the

ingredients

and cook for another five minutes or so. You don't want this to be too wet. Set

aside.

 

The Topping:

1 pkg soft silken tofu

1 tsp chopped garlic (I used some from a jar)

1 Tbsp white miso (this was the only salty item we used) - it adds a great

flavour

1 Tbsp nutritional yeast flakes (for a cheezy flavour)

3/4 Tbsp egg replacement powder (from the original recipe - so I used it too)

LOTS of grated nutmeg to taste (we can't get enough of it, but you'll want to

exercise your

own judgement)

salt to taste, if you use it

 

Blend until smooth.

 

Assembly:

1/2 cup pureed tomatoes (I used tomatoes from a can - pasta sauce was called for

and

would work even better)

Seasoned bread crumbs (I used a crumby topping I make myself)

 

Now, Put it Together:

 

Preheat oven to 375.

In a square or oblong pan, put in enough tomato puree to keep the eggplant from

sticking

to the bottom. Add half the eggplant, half of the filling, and a spoonfull or

two of the

tomato puree. Repeat. I like to top with some of the eggplant too, but it's up

to you.

Spread the creamy topping over the whole thing and shove in the oven for about

25

minutes to half an hour. Sprinkle with crumbs and bake for another 10 or 15

minutes.

 

We preceded ours with a nice green salad with apple and raisins, accompanied it

with

some steamed chard (gotta get yer greens, right?), and followed with some fresh

plums,

pears, etc., from our never-empty fruit basket.

 

Yummy!

 

NOTE: Some may prefer to use veggie crumbles for the greater depth of flavour.

Others

may like to marinate the tofu in a little brags or whatever to make it look

darker. We liked

it as is.

 

Love, Pat

[Guest guest]

Here is my recipe for vegan moussaka. I am still playing with the amount of

the spices, but this is OKAY. It is meant to be more like real moussaka,

not with the white custard on top. That seems to be an invention for the

vegetarian versions.

 

 

 

Moussaka

Moussaka is traditionally made with a white béchamel sauce and with eggplant

slices. I tried to recreate a stuffed eggplant dish with tomato sauce.

 

1 onion, chopped

3 cloves of garlic minced

about 1 Tbs olive oil for sautéing

1 large eggplant halved, the insides scooped out and chopped – save skins!

1 pound veggie burger crumbles or about a cup of presoaked TVP

spices: cinnamon, cumin, allspice, oregano

1/ 4 cup tomato paste

water

oil spray

 

1 small can tomato sauce

Pinch of nutmeg

 

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

 

Saute onion and garlic in oil until soft, add the chopped eggplant and cook

until softened. Add burger crumbles, spices, tomato paste and some water

and cook a few minutes to combine.

 

Spray an ovenproof bowl with oil spray. Cut the eggplant skins into strips

and line the bowl with them (outer side down against the bowl.) Fill with

the sautéed mixture.

 

Bake about a half hour. In the meantime heat the tomato sauce and add a

little nutmeg.

 

Turn the baked eggplants onto a plate upside down (skin on top) and pour

tomato sauce over.

 

Serves 4.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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from Maida

 

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[Guest guest]

Thanks, Maida - this looks great - I shall put it in the Files as Moussaka

II, okay? and note that it is also vegan, of course.

 

Nice to hear from you here again! Your recipes are always excellent too!

 

Huge hugs and love,

 

Pat

 

> Here is my recipe for vegan moussaka. I am still playing with the

> amount of

> the spices, but this is OKAY. It is meant to be more like real

> moussaka,

> not with the white custard on top. That seems to be an invention for

> the

> vegetarian versions. . . . .

 

----

Dr Patricia Sant

Bean Vegan: http://beanvegan.blogspot.com

Vegan World Cuisine: http://www.care2.com/c2cvegworld

" The question is not, 'Can they reason?' nor, 'Can they talk?' but rather, 'Can

they suffer?' " (Jeremy Bentham, 1749-1832)

 

 

 

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