It's been a tiring week. Marc and I only have 3 shifts at the restaurant, but it's hours of non stop treadmill. We don't really want more then that. Lately we have taken shifts that have been dropped, so it often turns to four days.
On the day that I don't work and Marc does, or the day I work and Marc's off, we try to have dinner ready for when the other gets home close to midnight.
While Marc was at work I made one of our favorite comfort foods, inspired by a popular Greek dish called moussaka. I have made it a few times.
This time I changed it a bit. It was already non traditional with it being plantbased, so I changed the potatoes a bit for this one. An experiment.
Moussaka
Eggplant 600g
I would say that the eggplant for this would most likely be sliced in rounds, and baked or pan fried first.
I decided to grill mine on an electric grill. I cut them in long slices and I didn't use oil for the grill. I actually just forgot but it's non stick.
After grilling all of the eggplant, I put them aside to make the other parts.
The vegan meat sauce
Vegan mince 340
Tomatoes 600 ml
Onion 150g
Garlic 30g
Celery 25g
Carrot 100g
Oregano 1tsp
Pepper 1 tsp
Cinnamon 1tsp
Cayenne pepper 1tsp
Salt to taste
Oil for frying
I chose one of my favourite product which is soy based. For people that don't want to use this, they can cook brown lentils, until they are tender but not too soft and grind up walnuts or other nuts to mix together.
This product when cooked with the other ingredients, is very close to the real thing in texture.
I like tomatoes so I used quite a bit to add to the sauce. They were from a can.
Saute the onions, carrots, celery. Add garlic, and seasonings to cook until tender and golden.
Add the vegan meat, break it up stirring in the other items.
Add tomatoes and stir together.
Simmer until it thickens and there is less moisture.
The potatoes
Potatoes 500 g
Vegan yogurt 1 cup
1 cup veggie broth
Salt and pepper to taste
I have usually sliced and baked the potatoes, but this time I tried mashed potatoes. Mashed potatoes would most likely be the least traditional for Moussaka. I can't say which I liked more. The more traditional way to cook the potatoes may be to slice and fry. Using mashed potatoes made it more similar to Shepard's pie.
The reason I used vegan yogurt was to replace butter which I would have used if I had it.
The sauce
Flour 20g
Plant milk 400 ml
Butter or oil 25g
Nutritional yeast 1/4 cup
Salt 1tsp
Pepper 1tsp
Nutmeg 1/4 teaspoon
This is a non traditional bechamel sauce. A basic bechamel would use milk, butter and flour. I used soy milk, olive oil, and flour with additional nutritional yeast.
I like to use soy milk for these things because of the neutral flavor and it's thickness.
I have used a little nutmeg along with salt and pepper. I am not a huge fan of nutmeg in savoury dishes but for this I feel it's necessary.
On medium low I add the oil to a saucepan then sprinkle in the flour.
It needs to be stirred constantly so the flour doesn't lump.
When the flour and oil is mixed together, add the milk bit by bit whisking constantly until smooth.
I did not use a whisk and I also walked away for a bit, so it did lump.
To fix this I put it in a strainer and it comes out smooth.
Adding nutritional yeast was something that was not necessary but I did it for a bit of a cheesy flavor. This turned a sauce that should be white, into a yellow sauce. It won't win over a Greek moussaka maker, but it tasted good.
Assembly
Let me just clear up the fact that I started with the eggplant layer first, which should not be. This was due to being distracted by the bad shows that I was watching while cooking.
The potatoes would usually go first then layers of eggplant, meat sauce topped with bechamel sauce. You can put some eggplant on top.
Well I totally changed it from the last time I made it but this still worked and was a dish that goes fast in this two person household.
I added the eggplant on the bottom then spread the potatoes. I added all of the vegan meat sauce after that.
This was not the way I usually do it but I did it anyway. Please don't tell a Greek chef on me. I assure you it was well enjoyed even this way.
At the end I poured over the sauce. I was nervous that my pan wasn't deep enough but I had faith that it would all fit and it did. One more drop and I would have been doomed.
This pan was 9 by 13 inches.
I baked it in the oven on 350 F for around 30 minutes. All of the ingredients were already precooked so this was long enough.
After taking it out of the oven, it needs to rest for 20 minutes or so before cutting it and serving.
A slice of this with some salad is perfect for me. Marc had no salad and three slices instead.
Reminder: this is not the usual way to layer and it usually is done with sliced potatoes. I personally did not think it was less good this way, but it was different. It depends on my mood weather to mash the potatoes or keep them sliced.
Thanks for dropping by and have a great day
Photos taken with a Nikon D7500 and are of my ownership