Moussaka is a traditional Mediterranean and Middle Eastern dish consisting of sautéed aubergine (or eggplant), tomatoes and minced meat. The moussaka we are most familiar with is the Greek version, which layers the meat and vegetables and is topped with a white sauce.
Although traditionally prepared with minced beef or lamb, there are many variations of vegetarian moussaka. These two recipes use lentils instead of the meat and make a scrumptious meal at supper time. Try using different varieties of lentils in these recipes for different flavours and textures.
Vegetarian moussaka is delicious served with crusty warm bread and a nice rustic red wine for an authentic Mediterranean feel.
Lentil Moussaka
Adapted from the Hamlyn All Colour Vegetarian Cookbook, this is a pretty basic and lovely tasting moussaka with red lentils and a soft (cream) cheese topping. You can try using different flavours of soft cheese such as herb or garlic for the topping.
Ingredients
(Serves 4-6)
- 100 grams/4 oz red lentils
- Can of chopped tomatoes
- 1 garlic clove, crushed
- ½ teaspoon dried oregano
- Pinch of ground nutmeg
- 150 ml/1/4 pint vegetable stock
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 225 grams/8 oz aubergine (eggplant), sliced
- 1 chopped onion
For the topping
- 50 grams/5 oz vegetarian soft (cream) cheese
- 1 egg
- Pepper
- Nutmeg
Place the lentils and vegetable stock in a large saucepan and bring to a boil. Add the tomatoes, garlic, oregano and a large pinch of nutmeg and simmer for 20 minutes.
While the lentil mixture is simmering, heat the oil in a frying pan and sauté the aubergine slices with the onion.
Layer the two mixtures, starting with the aubergine and onion and finishing with the lentils and tomatoes in a casserole dish.
Beat the soft cheese, egg and seasonings until smooth and pour over the mixture. Set the oven to 400°F/200°C/Gas Mark 6 and bake for 20-25 minutes. Let cool and enjoy.
Vegetable Moussaka
This recipe, adapted from 70 Vegetarian Every Day Low Fat Recipes, is slightly more complicated to make but is well worth the effort. The recipe calls for plain yoghurt and eggs for the topping instead of soft cheese.
Ingredients
(Serves 6)
- 450 grams/1 lb aubergine, sliced
- 115 grams/4 oz/1/2 cup green lentils
- 600 ml/1 pint/2.5 cups vegetable stock
- 1 bay leaf
- 225 grams/8 oz tomatoes chopped
- 25 ml/5 tsp olive oil
- 1 onion, chopped
- 1 garlic clove, crushed
- 225 grams/8 oz/3 cups mushrooms, sliced
- 1 can chickpeas, rinsed and drained
- 1 can chopped tomatoes
- 30 ml/2 tbsp tomato puree (paste)
- 2 tsp dried basil or mixed dried herbs
For the topping
- 300 ml/1/2 pint/1.25 cups plain low fat yoghurt
- 3 eggs
- 50g/2 oz/1/2 cup reduced fat mature cheddar cheese, grated
- Salt and ground pepper
- Parsley sprigs to garnish
Place the lentils, stock and bay leaf in a saucepan and simmer for about 20 minutes until the lentils are tender. Discard the bay leaf, drain and keep warm.
Heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil in a large, non-stick frying pan and add the onion and garlic. Cook for about 5 minutes. Stir in the lentils, mushrooms, chickpeas, fresh and canned tomatoes, tomato puree and 45 ml/3 tablespoons of water (or left over stock). Bring to a boil and simmer for 10 minutes.
Heat the remaining oil in a non-stick frying pan and sauté the aubergine slices in batches for 3-4 minutes, turning once.
Season the lentil mixture and layer it with the aubergines in a casserole dish, starting with the aubergines and finishing with the lentil mixture.
Beat the yoghurt, eggs and salt and pepper until smooth and pour over the mixture. Top with the grated cheese.
Preheat the oven to 350°F/180°C/Gas Mark 4. Place the casserole dish in the oven and cook for 45 minutes. Garnish with parsley.
Tips for Cooking with Aubergines
It is sometimes recommended that aubergine slices should be sprinkled with salt and left in a colander, covered, for around 30 minutes prior to cooking. This helps to extract any bitter juices from the aubergine. However, it is not strictly necessary to do this, given that today's aubergines are a lot less bitter than they used to be. Salting aubergines, however, also has the advantage of making them less prone to soaking up oil. Make sure you rinse your aubergine slices thoroughly before cooking if you do decide to salt them beforehand.
Sources
- Hamlyn All Colour Vegetarian Cookbook, Hamlyn, 1994.
- Sheasby, Anne, 70 Vegetarian Every Day Low Fat Recipes, Southwater Publishing, 2007.
Beth MacMillan - Beth MacMillan fulfilled her dream of living and traveling in Europe when she, her husband and their two dogs moved to Denmark in 2001 for ...
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