Vegetize It: Mushroom Moussaka

Tuna noodle casserole was the blackest mark in the culinary dark period of my youth. Its cacophony of unrelated ingredients – boxed macaroni and cheese, oily tuna and mushy, ashen canned peas – left me with an irrefutable aversion to casseroles. That is until I was struck by the ultimate attitude adjuster: desperation. Needing to make a meal on Sunday with enough leftovers to feed my overscheduled family until Wednesday, I threw in the towel, picked up my Pyrex and dove into moussaka. Moussaka is a hearty Greek casserole that’s traditionally made with three layers: eggplant, minced lamb and rich white sauce that is the proverbial and literal glue holding the whole caboodle together. For my vegetarian version, I wanted to use potatoes to create a sturdy base. A layer of tender roasted eggplant kept the texture from becoming too dense and absorbed the sweet cinnamon and nutmeg flavors at the same time. When selecting your eggplants, choose two small fruits over one big one. Smaller eggplants tend to have fewer seeds, and their skins are less bitter. (If your produce selection is limited and you have to use a whopper, just peel it and move on.) If you’re an eggplant-shunner, feel free to substitute an equal amount of zucchini. Instead of lamb, I used whole cremini mushrooms that I minced in my food processor. The two became visually indistinguishable, except that the mushrooms disintegrated into an ugly paste when I sauteed them. Using raw mushrooms in the moussaka was no better – the liquids released when baking, turning a juicy meal into a sloppy mess. I solved the problem by chopping the mushrooms into bigger pieces and adding firm prepared lentils to the saute to mimic the savory flavor and texture of meat. Moussaka’s final layer of Greek-style white sauce is surprisingly easy to make. The trick is to warm the milk, bay leaf and nutmeg in a separate pot, then add it to your roux (flour and butter) one ladleful at a time. Whisking each addition before adding the next keeps your sauce lump-free. The addition of egg and salty feta adds contrasting notes to the sweet nutmeg, while putting a decidedly Greek spin on a classic bechamel. You can tweak the recipe by omitting the cheese entirely, or by substituting goat cheese, Gruyere or Parmesan. The best ingredient you can add to this recipe, though, is time. This casserole tastes even better the second day, when the flavors have blended together harmoniously. The worst ingredient you can add, obviously, is a can of peas. Mushroom Moussaka 8 to 10 servings 1½ lbs. russet potatoes, peeled and cut into ¼-inch thick slices 4 Tbsp. olive oil, divided 1½ tsp. kosher salt, divided 1½ lbs. small eggplants, skin on and cut into ¼-inch thick slices 1 medium yellow onion, diced 2 tsp. minced garlic 1¼ lb. whole cremini mushrooms, coarsely chopped 1 cup prepared green or black lentils ¼ cup tomato paste 1 tsp. ground cinnamon ¾ tsp. ground nutmeg, divided 1 Tbsp. sugar ½ tsp. freshly ground black pepper 1 28-oz. can diced tomatoes 4½ cups whole milk 1 fresh bay leaf 8 Tbsp. (1 stick) unsalted butter 1 cup flour 4 eggs, beaten 6 oz. crumbled feta or goat cheese • Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. In a medium bowl, toss the potatoes with 1 tablespoon olive oil and ¼ teaspoon kosher salt. Arrange the potatoes in a single layer on a rimmed baking sheet. Repeat the process with the eggplants, arranging the oiled slices on a second baking sheet. Roast 15 minutes, switching the pans on the oven racks halfway through. Set aside. • In a heavy skillet over medium-high heat, warm the remaining 2 tablespoons olive oil. Add the onion and cook until soft, about 5 minutes. Add the garlic and cook an additional 30 seconds. Add the chopped mushrooms and cook until the liquids release and evaporate, about 10 minutes. • Stir in the lentils, tomato paste, cinnamon, ½ teaspoon nutmeg, sugar, remaining 1 teaspoon salt and pepper until well combined. Add the tomatoes with the liquid and reduce heat to medium. Cook 5 minutes until the flavors are well blended. Taste, adjust the seasonings, remove from heat and set aside. • In a medium saucepan over medium heat, combine the milk, the remaining ¼ teaspoon nutmeg and the bay leaf. Cook until hot, but not boiling. • In a large saucepan over medium heat, make a roux by melting the butter. Whisk in the flour and cook 2 minutes. Remove the bay leaf from the milk mixture, then add the milk to the roux 1 ladleful at a time, incorporating each addition before adding the next. The sauce will be very thick. Remove the saucepan from the heat and allow to cool slightly. In a small bowl, combine the eggs and feta, then whisk into the white sauce. • Spray a 10-by-16-inch baking dish with cooking spray. Spread 1 cup white sauce on the bottom. Add the potatoes in a single layer followed by eggplant in a single layer. Spread the mushroom-lentil sauce over the eggplant, then cover with the remaining white sauce. Bake, uncovered, 1 hour or until golden brown. Let cool 15 minutes before serving.