Vegetarian Moussaka

I used the recipe from Cooking Light, March 2011. The only substitution I made was basil for the oregano and I used Fire Roasted Tomatoes with salt. The link is here. They have a nice photo.

• 3 peeled eggplants, cut into 1/2-inch-thick slices (about 2 1/2 pounds)
• 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, divided
• Cooking spray
• 2 cups chopped onion
• 4 garlic cloves, minced
• 1/2 cup uncooked bulgur
• 1/4 teaspoon ground allspice
• 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/8 teaspoon ground cloves
• 2 cups organic vegetable broth
• 2 teaspoons chopped fresh oregano
• 1 (14.5-ounce) can no-salt-added diced tomatoes, undrained
• 1 tablespoon butter
• 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
• 1 cup 1% low-fat milk
• 2 tablespoons finely grated fresh Romano cheese
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1 large egg, lightly beaten

Preparation

• 1. Preheat broiler to high.
• 2. Brush eggplant slices with 1 tablespoon oil. Place half of eggplant on a foil-lined baking sheet coated with cooking spray; broil 5 inches from heat for 5 minutes on each side or until browned. Repeat procedure with remaining eggplant. Set eggplant aside.
• 3. Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add remaining 1 tablespoon oil to pan; swirl to coat. Add chopped onion to pan; sauté 8 minutes. Add garlic; sauté 1 minute. Add bulgur; cook 3 minutes or until bulgur is lightly toasted, stirring frequently. Add ground allspice, cinnamon, and cloves; cook 1 minute, stirring constantly. Stir in vegetable broth, oregano, and tomatoes. Bring to a boil; reduce heat, and simmer 20 minutes or until thickened, stirring occasionally.
• 4. Melt butter in a saucepan over medium heat. Add flour; cook 1 minute, stirring constantly with a whisk until well blended. Gradually add milk, stirring constantly with a whisk. Bring to a boil; reduce heat to medium-low, and simmer 5 minutes or until thickened, stirring frequently. Stir in cheese and salt. Remove from heat, and cool slightly. Add egg, stirring well with a whisk.
• 5. Preheat oven to 350°.
• 6. Arrange half of eggplant in an 11 x 7-inch glass or ceramic baking dish coated with cooking spray. Spread the bulgur mixture evenly over eggplant; arrange remaining eggplant over bulgur mixture. Top with milk mixture. Bake at 350° for 40 minutes, and remove from oven. Increase oven temperature to 475°. Return dish to oven for 4 minutes or until the top is browned. Let stand for 10 minutes before serving.

Jeanne Kelley, Cooking Light
MARCH 2011