Did I Ask For Fries?

I’m cheating slightly, because I didn’t make this recipe last night. I did make it on Friday night though. I scrounged this recipe somewhere off the internet in a search for the perfect eggplant moussaka recipe.

The café at the college I used to go to made the most awesome eggplant moussaka (and the best peppermint and caramel slices I have ever eaten). Since I haven’t been there for over a year and a half now, I really was getting cravings! I have considered hiking all the way to St Leonards for it, but I think that’d be a tad extreme, don’t you?

Anyway, the recipe…..

EGGPLANT MOUSSAKA

Serves: 6 to 8

Moussaka, a hearty, layered Greek casserole, is often quite rich and complicated. This version is neither. The usual eggy custard topping is replaced with a deceivingly rich-tasting topping of silken tofu.

• 2 medium eggplants, about 1 pound each
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 cup finely chopped onion
• 14-ounce can pureed or crushed tomatoes
• 1/4 teaspoon each dried oregano and dried thyme
• Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste

“Custard” topping:

• 16-ounce tub silken tofu
• 1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese, preferably organic, or Parmesan-style soy cheese
• 1 cup fine whole-grain bread crumbs
• 1 cup grated mozzarella cheese, preferably organic, or mozzarella-style soy cheese.

Preheat the oven to 425 degrees.

Wash the eggplants, trim the stems, and slice crosswise into l/4-inch-thick slices. Line a baking sheet or two, as needed with foil. Oil lightly and sprinkle with water. Arrange the eggplant slices on the sheets so that they’re slightly overlapping, and cover with foil. Bake until easily pierced with a fork but not mushy, 10 to 15 minutes. Remove from the oven and uncover.

Turn the oven down to 350 degrees.

Heat the oil in a heavy saucepan. Add the onion and sauté over moderate heat until golden. Remove from the heat. Stir in the tomato puree and herbs, and season with a bit of salt and pepper.

Combine the tofu and Parmesan cheese in the container of a food processor. Process until completely smooth.

Oil a wide, round or square 2-quart casserole dish. Layer the casserole as follows: first, half of the bread crumbs, then half of the tomato mixture, then the eggplant slices in one or two overlapping layers, then the remaining tomato mixture, then the remaining crumbs. Finally, spread the “custard” over the top, evenly and gently, using a cake spatula, and finish with the grated cheese. Bake for 30 to 35 minutes, or until the top is touched with light-brown spots. Let stand 10 minutes, then cut into wedges or squares to serve.

Dante won’t *knowingly* (insert evil grin) eat eggplant or tofu, so I made this on a night where he was out. My verdict on this recipe is thumbs up, but could do with some lentils or something. Yes I am on a lentil kick at the moment. Peace, love and mungbeans baby!!

Now its 4pm and I need to go decide what to cook for dinner tonight. Gosh I could get used to this holidays thing!!!

Despite popular opinion I haven’t spent the last week passed out in an alcohol-induced coma. I’ve tried several times though, but not successfully.

So for the coming 2 weeks I am either on holidays, or undergoing a “period of study uninterrupted by classes” (according to one of our lecturers) depending on which school of thought you subscribe to.

Aside from studying, there are several things I intend to do over the next fortnight, namely:

• Get a haircut
• Go to the dentist
• Buy a new pair of glasses
• Buy a pair of fingerless gloves – done on Sunday. Found an awesome red and white striped pair in Cabramatta for only $1.50 – BARAGIN! Don’t hold your breath, but pictures may be forthcoming.
• Attempt to jog the Bay Run at least twice, in preparation for the actual event on 30th July. This is the extent of my city to surf training as well.
• See Romeo and Juliet
• Spend some time with the fam in the gong.
• Finally unpack the four remaining boxes of books and CD I have that are STLL UNPACKED 18 months after moving in here (Is that right: are they still unpacked, or are they still packed??? hmmm)
• Tidy up the verandah and throw out all the dead and neglected plants left languishing there.
• Go to Daydream island for 4 days and be warm
• Cook something other than tinned soup.
• Try not to posion myself every night with alcohol. So far 1 day without!

Tonight’s dinner was lentil soup, a recipe recently given to me by a uni friend that I made for the first time tonight. I present to you…

The easiest Lentil Soup in the WORLD

Fetch a pot
Sautee a chopped onion with some oil
along with 2 tsp of ground cumin
and 2 tsp of ground coriander

Add 8 cups of fluid (about half water and half stock (use salt-reduced ready-made stock if you don’t have 4 hours to make your own)) Add 1.5 cups of red lentils Rind of one lemon (make sure its finely grated) Bring to the boil then let it simmer for 15-20 mins

If you want, just prior to serving, stir through a bunch of chopped English spinich

Serve with a dollop of natural yoghurt and S&P to taste. A good handful of fresh sourdough also doesn’t go astray.

I give it the thumbs up! Although I added a bit of paprika too, and possibly would add some curry powder next time as well. I also tossed in some fresh parsley on top of the yoghurt, because for some reason I thought the recipe needed parsley so I had bought a fresh bunch this afternoon.

Stay tuned for my next culinary experiment, as well as holiday list item updates. Scintillating stuff, I know!