My Lentil Mushroom Moussaka is a crowd pleaser any time of the year but is a perfect casserole to add to your Christmas dinner.
With so many fleshy and edible, ‘meaty’ types of mushrooms available; this is a very robust, multi-textured casserole. Use one variety or a combination of any of the mushrooms listed in the sidebar. It may seem like a lot of mushrooms, but you add them to the wok in batches and the key is to cook them until they are soft and reduced before adding the next batch.
2 rimmed baking sheets, lightly oiled or lined with parchment paper
9×13 inch casserole dish, lightly oiled
Preheat oven to 350° F
Makes 6 servings
Ingredients:
2 medium eggplants, crosswise sliced ½-inch thick and peeled
1 cup lentils, rinsed
3 cups vegetable stock or water
2 Tbsp olive oil
4 medium cloves garlic, minced
2 medium onions, thinly sliced
12 cups sliced mushrooms (see sidebar)
½ cup dry red wine or apple juice
1 can (5½oz) tomato paste
1 Tbsp tamari or soy sauce
½ cup bread crumbs
¼ cup chopped fresh basil
¼ cup butter
¼ cup unbleached white flour
1-¼ cups milk or plain soymilk
½ cup grated Parmesan cheese
½ tsp salt
¼ tsp freshly ground pepper
pinch nutmeg
Method:
- Place eggplant slices on prepared baking sheets. Bake in preheated oven for 15 minutes or until browned. Let cool on a wire rack.
- Combine lentils and stock in a saucepan. Bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce heat to medium and simmer for 15 minutes or until tender. Drain in a colander and set aside.
- Heat oil in a large wok or saucepan over medium heat. Add garlic and onions and sauté for 5 minutes or until soft. Stir in mushrooms, 2 cups at a time. Cook, stirring constantly for 3 to 5 minutes or until soft before adding the next batch of mushrooms. Keep adding mushrooms, cooking and stirring until all of the mushrooms are in the wok. Reduce heat to medium-low and stir in wine, tomato paste, soy sauce, breadcrumbs and basil. Simmer, stirring occasionally for 5 minutes or until sauce thickens.
- Meanwhile, melt butter in a saucepan over medium heat. Whisk in flour and cook, whisking constantly for 2 minutes or until thickened. Gradually whisk in the milk. Cook, whisking constantly for 5 minutes or until thickened. Stir in cheese, salt, pepper and nutmeg. Cook, stirring constantly for 1 or 2 minutes or until cheese is melted. Set sauce aside.
- Place eggplant over the bottom of the prepared casserole dish, layering the slices as necessary. Cover with mushroom sauce. Spread lentils evenly over mushrooms. Spread cheese sauce smoothly over all. Cover with foil and bake in preheated oven for 15 minutes. Remove the foil and bake for 15 minutes or until bubbling and golden. Add salmon to the oven when foil is removed from the vegetarian Moussaka.
