vg - meatless moussaka

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Meatless Moussaka

 

Recipe By :Gradual Vegetarian by Lisa Tracy

Serving Size : 8 Preparation Time :0:00

Categories : Main Dishes

 

Amount Measure Ingredient -- Preparation Method

-------- ------------ --------------------------------

8 ounces tempeh

3/4 cup tempeh Marinade (see recipe)

1 medium eggplant Butter or olive oil

1 medium onion -- chopped

1 large garlic clove -- chopped

8 large mushrooms (8-10) -- sliced

1/2 teaspoon black pepper

1/2 cup fresh chopped parsley

1 teaspoon cinnamon

Small handful broken nut meats

16 ounces canned whole plum tomatoes

drain the tomatoes and reserve liquid

Honey or molasses (optional)

1 cup bread crumbs

1 beaten egg

8 ounces ricotta

4 ounces yogurt

4 ounces grated cheese

Nutmeg

 

Marinate the tempeh for several hours.

 

Prepare the eggplant by slicing into thin rounds and quickly saut6ing all of it

until brown in small amounts of butter or oil. Remove from pan and set aside.

 

Saute the onion and garlic in the same pan in 2 tablespoons butter or oil. Add

the mushrooms and saute.

 

Drain the tempeh and crumble it into the pan, so that it has the consistency of

ground beef. saute with the onions and mushrooms over high heat for several

minutes. Add pepper, parsley, cinnamon and nut meats and stir in.

 

Add the tomatoes and break them up. saute, adding tomato liquid and some of the

marinade, to taste. If necessary, sweeten with honey or molasses slightly to

balance the tomatoes. Simmer, adding more liquid if necessary, until the

tomatoes are a sauce, 15 to 30 minutes.

 

Put a fine layer of bread crumbs in the bottom of a greased 9-by-9 pan. Add a

layer of eggplant, then a layer of the tempeh mixture. Repeat until all is used.

 

Beat the egg, ricotta and yogurt together. Pour over the moussaka. Top with

grated cheese. Sprinkle with grated nutmeg if desired. Bake at 375 degrees half

an hour or until golden brown. Makes 4 to 6 servings.

 

TIPS - Like many casseroles, moussaka improves with sitting; if possible, make

it a day in advance and refrigerate.

 

The eggplant, a real glutton for oil, will soak up all you give it and demand

more. Put in your butter or oil a little at a time and stir through the eggplant

on as high a heat as you can use without burning. The slices will even absorb

fat from each other if they are in contact, so what at first looks like a

hopeless amount of naked vegetable does soon become oily, browned and limp.

 

This dish will never be a real moussaka substitute for the dedicated lamb lover.

But it does offer the good flavors of tomato, onion, mushroom and eggplant and

the meaty texture of the tempeh against the fluffy cheese crust.

 

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