Vegetarian Pretend Moussaka

In desperation when I had no idea what to make for the vegetarian in the family who was descending upon us along with another non-carnivorous friend, I made this one up on the spot. Since then it’s become something of a family favourite, and it’s so quick and easy.

I’ve started using TVP (Textured vegetable Protein, or soya mince) quite a bit recently; it’s very inexpensive and makes a very good mincemeat substitute for bolognaise or other mince based sauces.

 TVP is readily available at health food shops and in many supermarkets.

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Ingredients (to feed 6 ish)

For a “quick-n-easy” approximation of Béchamel sauce:

500ml milk, I use either skimmed or semi-skimmed – whatever’s to hand.

100g butter, sliced or chopped into several pieces

4 or 5 teaspoons cornflour

a small amount of water to dissolve the cornflour.

What to do:

Pour the milk into a saucepan, plop the butter into the milk and heat until the butter has melted. Keep stirring to help prevent burning the bottom of the pan.

Mix the cornflour and water and ad to the heated milk/butter, stir and keep heating gently until thickened.

For the filling and vegetable layer(s):

2 tbsp olive oil

a small knob of butter

2 medium onions, chopped

4 cloves garlic, chopped

a 400g tin of chopped tomatoes

a beef or lamb stock cube

200ml red wine

150g button mushrooms, quartered or roughly chopped

1 tsp dried oregano

half tsp dried basil

1 tbsp tomato ketchup

plenty of freshly ground black pepper

200/250g dried TVP (Textured Vegetable Protein)

a couple of large courgettes or a large aubergine (or both!), sliced.

What to do:

In a large heavy bottomed pan, heat the oil and butter until the butter has metled and is just starting to sizzle.

Add the onion, stir and keep stirring on the heat for a couple of minutes. Then lower the heat to as low as possible, cover and allow the onions to “sweat” for another four or five minutes.

Add the chopped garlic, stir over the heat for a minute or so.

Stir in the tomatoes, button mushrooms, stock cube, ketchup, herbs, pepper and wine.

Continue heating until the mix starts to boil and then add the TVP stirring all the time.

TVP soaks up liquid like there’s no tomorrow and cooks very quickly; add water in small amounts as necessary to achieve a thick porridge like consistency.

Pour the TVP mix into a ceramic casserole dish and pour a thin layer of the ersatz Béchamel sauce over the top.

Add a layer of sliced courgette and/or aubergine followed by another layer of ersatz Béchamel sauce and then another layer of sliced courgette/aubergine and then another layer of ersatz Béchamel sauce and so on until you’ve run out of courgette/aubergine and sauce.

Pop the whole lot into the oven at 200˚C / Gas 6 for about 30-40 minutes and serve immediately with mashed or boiled potatoes and a small salad garnish.

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To drink? It’s a pretend Greek dish, perhaps some Retsina? More likely a robust red, perhaps a nice big Rioja.