Vegetarian Moussaka

[Guest guest]

1½ pounds eggplant (1 medium), sliced into 1/4in rounds

several t salt

1 batch mashed potatoes

1 batch bread crumbs

½ batch bechamel sauce (1 c)

½ pound zucchini (2 small)

5 T olive oil

black pepper

2 t thyme, minced

1 c onion, finely chopped (1 medium)

2 large portobello mushrooms

½ pound seitan

4 cloves garlic, minced

1½ t cumin

1/4 t cinnamon

2 large or 8 plum tomatoes, peeled, seeded and roughly chopped

1 t lemon juice

 

Directions

 

Arrange a single layer of eggplant rounds on baking sheet. Sprinkle

each slice with salt, turn, and repeat. Let sit for 30 minutes.

(While waiting, you can prepare the mashed potatoes, bread crumbs,

and bechamel sauce.)

Meanwhile, slice the zucchini into 1/4in slices. Arrange in single

layer on another baking sheet.

 

Rinse eggplant briefly and pat dry, rinse and dry the baking sheet,

then lay out eggplant rounds again.

 

Preheat oven to 375.

 

Combine 1 T olive oil with pepper and 1 t thyme. Brush this mixture

over both sides of eggplant and zucchini, then bake both trays of

veggies until softened, about 20 minutes. On two plates, make a stack

of eggplant and another of zucchini and set aside.

 

Heat 2 T oil in frying pan, add onions, and saute over medium-low

heat until soft, about 10 minutes.

 

Meanwhile, briefly rinse the portobellos and pat dry. De-stem, cut

into pieces, place in food processor along with seitan, and grind.

Add to onions, increase heat to medium, and fry, stirring

occasionally, until pan is dry, about 10 minutes. Add 3 cloves

garlic, cumin, cinnamon, and tomatoes and continue cooking, stirring

occasionally, until fairly dry, about 15 minutes. Stir in salt and 1

t lemon and set aside.

 

Preheat oven to 350. Combine bread crumbs with remaining garlic

clove,

thyme, and 2 T olive oil.

 

Arrange half of the eggplant in the baking dish, followed by half of

the seitan-mushrooms, then half the mashed potatoes. Continue with

remaining eggplant, then zucchini, then seitan-mushrooms, then mashed

potatoes. Pour on the bechamel, then top with bread crumbs.

 

Bake until golden brown and not jiggly, about 30 minutes. Let sit 5

minutes before serving.