Photo by Annaliese Bischoff
Provenance of Dish
When I was a graduate student in upstate New York, it was a special treat to eat out at the Moosewood Restaurant in Ithaca and order the eggplant moussaka. I enjoyed learning how to make their version which I have adapted over the years. This version introduces mushrooms and meat without any eggplant.
Recipe
Ingredients
• @24 ounces of cleaned, sliced mixed mushrooms (cremini, button, oyster)
• 5 tablespoons olive oil, divided
• 1 large yellow onion, chopped
• 1 clove garlic, chopped
• 4 oz. ground lean lamb or beef
• 1/2 cup crushed stewed tomatoes
• 1 tablespoon tomato paste
• 1⁄4 cup flat leaf parsley, finely chopped
• 1⁄2 teaspoon fresh oregano leaves, chopped
• ½ -1 tsp. kosher salt, to taste
• ½ tsp. freshly grated black pepper, or to taste
• 1⁄4 cup cilantro, chopped
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1⁄4 cup dry white wine
• 1⁄2 cup breadcrumbs (Panko suggested)
• 1⁄3 cup grated Parmesan cheese
• 1 whole egg, beaten (and sometimes an additional egg white*)
• 1⁄2 cup butter
• 1⁄2 cup flour
• 1 1⁄2 cups milk
• 2 egg yolks
• 1⁄8 tsp. grated nutmeg
Instructions
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Cut the stems off the mushrooms. Heat 2 tablespoons of the oil over medium high heat in a Dutch oven. Add the garlic, shallot, and herbs and cook until browned. Remove the garlic, shallot, and herbs. Return the pan to heat and lower the temperature. Add the mushrooms to the pan and cook on low until they squeak, about 10-15 minutes. Season with salt and pepper. Take off heat. Pour in 3 tablespoons of oil and 2 tablespoons of vinegar and toss with the parsley. Place in a glass jar with a lid. Let cool. Then refrigerate for 2-3 hours before serving. Turn the jar over to distribute the marinade. Best after refrigerating overnight. Serve at room temperature. Store any leftovers in the fridge for a week or so.
