We’ve decided to stay up in Vermont for the winter. I know! I know! Most people fly south for the winter. After spending 29 of my 30 years in Texas, however, I decided an actual winter was in order. So I wake up to this every morning:
Of course, the dude can work any where he likes. I on the other hand am continuing my unemployment trend in pursuit of another life long goal. This gives me ample time to cook and blog. Hopefully this will end the 6 month or so long blog dry spell. I’ve been cooking all this time, but also teaching 8th grade, so there’s been very little time to actually write about it.
The weather seems to make me want nothing but soft, warm comfort food. When I was recently asked to bring some sort of hearty vegetable dish to a family gathering, the only thought that would come into my head was Moussaka. I love all things Greek. I love eggplant. I love feta cheese. I certainly love béchamel. The only thing I don’t love is the current lack of Zoe-friendly meat in my freezer. We’re pretty much on vegetarian rations right now. That’s fine, actually. I do love the challenge of filling us up without the ease of using meat.
The following is what I came up with after pursuing recipes for moussaka. It’s a combination of different points from the many that I read. Over all, I loved it. It was a rather time-consuming recipe, but I was in the mood to chop and fuss and prep.
Filling:
1/2 cup of green lentils
4-6 cups water
2 small yellow onions, chopped
3 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 cup beer
2 (14 oz) cans tomatoes, diced
1 cup cherry tomato, halved
2 tbs fresh thyme leaves, chopped
2 tbs fresh rosemary leaves, chopped
2 tbs fresh oregano leaves, chopped
kosher salt, fresh cracked pepper
Casserole:
2 eggplants, peeled and sliced
2 zucchini, sliced
2 baking potato, sliced
1/2 cup feta cheese
1/2 cup Parmesan cheese
1/2 cup whole grain bread crumbs
Bechamel:
5 tbs unsalted butter
4 tbs unbleached flour
3 cups 2% milk
1 cup half and half
1 tsp salt
pinch of nutmeg
pinch of white pepper (which I didn’t have, so I used black)
Peel eggplant, and slice it about 1/8 inch thick. Place the slices in a large colander and apply a very liberal amount of salt. Set this aside for at least 30 minutes while you prep the filling and slice the other vegetables. The goal here is to pull some of the moisture from the eggplant. After 30 minutes, rinse thoroughly with water and then dry with paper towels.
To prepare the filling: Boil the lentils in the water (salted) until almost done. Leave them with just a little bite to them. Drain and set aside. In a large pot, sauté the onions in a small amount of olive oil. Add garlic, and cook just to soften. Deglaze the pan with the beer, then add the canned tomato. Add back the lentils, fresh tomato, and seasonings. Simmer the filling for a bout 30 minutes. The filling should be quite, thick and most of the liquid will reduce. (I had extra filling which I used on top of some whole wheat spaghetti for lunch.)
In a large skillet, heat a little bit of olive oil. Brown the eggplant, one side at a time. Set aside. Brown the zucchini in the same pan and set aside. Add a small amount more oil, then cook the potatoes until they are a bit softened, but not fully cooked. Set aside.
In a 13X9 inch pan, lay down a layer with each of the vegetables. You will have more eggplant than anything else, so try to work it so that each of the 3 layers will have some of each vegetable. I placed eggplant, zucchini, and potato in bands. For the bottom layer I placed: eggplant, zucchini, eggplant, potato. In the next layer I placed the vegetables so that they were directly above a different vegetable. The idea was that each piece cut from the casserole would contain all three vegetables.
On top of the first layer of vegetable spread about 1 cup of the lentil filling, then top that with a little feta and a little Parmesan. Top with another layer of vegetables, then filling, then cheese. Make sure to end the layering with vegetables on top. Bake the casserole at 350°F for about 25 minutes, then remove from the oven and allow it to stand for about 15 minutes. The casserole may be a little watery when taken from the oven, but should reabsorb most of the liquid.
While it cools, make the white sauce. In a straight sided skillet, melt the butter over medium heat. Sprinkle the flour on top of the butter and whisk together to form a roux. Cook the roux until it is a dark sandy color, just starting to brown. Add the milk and half and half, whisking to incorporate. Continue to stir until the mixture thickens. Add salt, pepper, and nutmeg. Taste for flavor, and re-season if necessary. (You will have extra white sauce. Use it on pasta, or any recipe that calls for a cream sauce. Mine will probably go into Tuna Noodle Casserole to be frozen for later.)
Pour just enough of the béchamel over the vegetable casserole to cover it lightly. Top with the bread crumbs and more cheese if desired. Bake uncovered until the potatoes are fully cooked, about 30 minutes. Let stand for 15 minutes before cutting.
Tags: Food, lentil, Moussaka, recipe, vegetarian, Vermont, winter
January 19, 2010 at 9:33 pm |
Like your blog – what an amazing view you have from your window.
If you like easy vegetarian recipes please take a look at my yummy roasted winter root vegetables at http://edinburghselfcatering.wordpress.com
Its easy to make and always tastes great!
January 19, 2010 at 9:50 pm |
Wow, the lentil moussaka sounds fabulous! I actually have a bag of green lentils sitting on my counter and was looking around for recipes today, then I stumbled over yours by accident and it looks better than anything I’ve found. I will definitely be making it, soon as I get my hands on a decent eggplant. Thanks for sharing it!
January 19, 2010 at 11:05 pm |
What a fun writeup and interesting recipe! I’m also a vegetarian that loves to write and blog. I eventually hope to post some of my favorite healthful recipes on my site. My main subject is Joy!
The best to you as you enjoy “different” weather. Doing that makes us grow, and that’s always good.
January 19, 2010 at 11:55 pm |
Lucky you!!! I love your scan picture of your little one, I am gping to be a Great Granny for second time in June! My Grand-daughter keeps me happy by giving me scan photos now and then !!! The moussaka sounds terrific and I will definitely cook it. My favourite place is Crete I’ve not been to Greece sadly, I would liked to botanize Mount Olympus. What is that reddish object in the snow in your view? God bless you Helen
January 20, 2010 at 1:07 am |
Amazing view 🙂
January 20, 2010 at 3:48 am |
These recipes sound so delicious!!! Yum yum!!!!! I made lentil soup the other night, but the lentil mousakka sounds wonderful!
January 20, 2010 at 4:09 am |
How pretty. Such a gorgeous view to wake up to each morning.
January 20, 2010 at 5:57 am |
i’m love it
January 20, 2010 at 7:31 am |
Never in my life did I have the luxury of spending so much time with a recipe. And now, I don’t have the energy. But I loved the read and the mental trip. And I thank you.
Mavis
January 20, 2010 at 12:03 pm |
Great view. Being from the Southwest as well, winters in the NE have been a difficult adjustment for me too.
January 20, 2010 at 12:48 pm |
Hi, Zoe.
This sounds like a wonderful recipe.
I’m going to have to get my good knife sharpened for the 1/8″ slices of eggplant!
Lavanna
January 20, 2010 at 1:08 pm |
Love moussaka, especially veggie mousakka. I cooked veggie mossakka a couple of times from a Medditerranean cookbook and it was great. Haven’t been able to cook for almost 3 years now. Might try your recipe.
I love the view. This is the kind of view that sustains creative juices and I don’t think that anyone having this kind of view can ever face writers’ block…
January 20, 2010 at 5:05 pm |
That is a hearty recipe for a cold winters day. The picture through the window looks like paradise!
Will give this recipe a whirl tonight and let you know how i get on!
January 20, 2010 at 8:37 pm |
Lovely view!
It’s as great as the posts of your blog.
Thanks for the recipe.
January 21, 2010 at 2:50 pm |
I’ve been looking for a recipe like this! Thank you.
January 21, 2010 at 4:02 pm |
oh! i have been wanting to do something with lentils and eggplant, not nec together but this just sounds wonderful! i will try it and let you know how it goes, thanks for the recipe share! i agree, lovely view.
January 21, 2010 at 5:29 pm |
Hello,
yummy receipts,
I love the photo view, timeless, precious, and unforgettable
cheers ;).
January 21, 2010 at 5:40 pm |
Yum!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Great view!
I’m in Texas and am really curious what it would be like to have a real winter season. It’s going to reach 70 something here today. Doh!
January 22, 2010 at 2:40 am |
The view is just beautiful. However, I would prefer to just look out at it instead of going out into it. I hope that you continue to enjoy the beautiful view.
Gloria
January 22, 2010 at 6:13 am |
nice computer
January 22, 2010 at 2:10 pm |
What are the first ideas that your brain storms as you sit there seeing the view and preparing yourself to write on your ready and open laptop?
To me, this view is perfect as a motive for thinking, writing, praying and thanking Allah all the time…