Moussaka and Avocado Fries

On the weekend I made Moussaka. It turned out really good but I did make some changes:

The recipe was from ethnicvegan.com:

Moussaka

Moussaka is a layered eggplant casserole that traditionally contains lamb or beef and a rich dairy-based sauce. Although Greece seems to be the birthplace of moussaka, many other regions of the world claim their own versions, including the Middle East, Ethiopia, and Eastern Europe. Our version uses broiled eggplant instead of fried and includes a creamy vegan sauce.

1 large eggplant (I used three chinese eggplants)
2 Tbs. olive oil plus additional for brushing eggplant
1 onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced or pressed
1/2 cup red wine
1 Tbs. tomato paste
1 15-oz. can crushed tomatoes
2 bay leaves
1 tsp. cinnamon
1/8 tsp. ground allspice
1/2 tsp. salt
Freshly ground black pepper
8 oz. vegan cream cheese (used Tofutti's Better Than Cream Cheese)1/2 cup soy milk (This is the only part of the dish that really needed tweaking. The sauce was way too runny and didn’t thicken up under the broiler. I would start with about three tablespoons of flour and 1 tbsp. marg. Make a roux with the milk then add the cream cheese.)

1. Oil an 8 x 8 baking pan; set aside. Heat the broiler. Trim both ends of the eggplant and cut 1/4" lengthwise slices (peeling the eggplant is optional, I didn’t.). Place slices on a baking sheet and brush with olive oil. Slide baking sheet under the broiler and bake until slices are nicely browned. Turn slices over, brush with olive oil, and brown the other sides. Remove from oven and set aside. (I cooked them under high and they browned really fast so I set the broiler to low and let them cook while I made the sauce. It turned out well)

2. While browning eggplant, heat 2 Tbs. olive oil in a large saucepan. Cook onion and garlic until onion is translucent. Add next 8 ingredients (red wine through black pepper); stir to combine. Reduce heat to low; cover and simmer 10 minutes.

3. In a small saucepan over low heat, combine vegan cream cheese with soy milk. Stir occasionally until cream cheese is melted. (Strongly suggest using something to thicken the sauce. This is the imitation béchamel sauce.)

4. Place half the eggplant in the baking dish. Spoon half the tomato sauce over the slices. Repeat with remaining slices and sauce. Spoon the cream cheese sauce over the casserole. Place baking dish in oven under broiler until top is nicely browned. Remove from oven and let sit for a few minutes. Serve with a green salad. (I didn’t really read the recipe to well. I ended up cutting the eggplant into round slices for browning. I also threw it into the sauce before putting it in the baking dish. Both ‘mistakes’ didn’t affect the dish. Tip: the ‘béchamel’ sauce will burn. Lower the rack so it’s not too close and don’t walk away. I had to keep popping bubbles that were getting to close to the element)

Variation: If you like to cook with meat substitutes, add a vegan beef or sausage to the tomato sauce mixture.   (I added in a whole brick of crumbled firm tofu. I would suggest just half a brick for next time.)

Also

A friend sent me a recipe today for Baked Avocado Fries. Haven’t tried them yet, but just bought another batch of avocados yesterday, but once they ripen… oh baby, I can’t wait.

Baked Avocado Fries

http://morethanmary.com/2011/01/heavenly-and-healthy-delicious-dish-baked-avocado-fries/

You’ll need:

• 1/4 cup flour
• 1 tsp. kosher salt
• 2 large eggs, beaten (vegan replacement is 2 tbsp. ground flax with 6 tbsp. water. Let sit half an hour)
• 1 1/4 cups panko (Japanese bread crumbs)
• 2 firm-ripe medium avocados, pitted, peeled, and sliced into 1/2-in. wedges
• Grated parmesan for serving (optional) Mary Note: Not optional in my opinion.

Vegan parmesan is available at Superstore:

Simply:

Preheat oven to 450.

Coat avocado slices in the four, then egg, then panko. Spread on a cooling rack that has been sprayed with non-stick spray, then place on a cookie sheet.  Spray the top of the wedges with olive oil and sprinkle with salt, then bake for about 20 minutes at 450, or until they are golden brown (I turned my oven up to 500 for the last 5 minutes).

OMG
I want these so bad.