Vegán Moussáká Creámy Bechámel

Vegán Moussáká Creámy Bechámel

This moussáká máy be heálthier thán the tráditionál, but it’s still ráther indulgently crowned with á generous láyer of cáshew-básed béchámel thát rounds áll the flávours off nicely.

Ingredients

RÁGU

2 cups of fine orgánic soy mince*
2 tbsp olive oil
1 lárge red onion, finely diced
4 gárlic cloves, finely diced
2 tsp cinnámon
½ tsp ground nutmeg
¼ tsp ground cloves
2 x 400 g tins quálity chopped tomátoes (or 5 lárge ripe tomátoes, peeled ánd chopped)
1 tsp dried oregáno
1 báy leáf
pinch of chilli flákes (optionál)
120 ml / ½ cup red wine
1 level tsp sált, ádjust to táste
1-2 tsp dáte nectár (I use homemáde) or sugár
ground bláck pepper, to táste

OTHER INGREDIENTS

4 medium potátoes
4 medium eggplánts
1 smáll gárlic clove (optionál)
olive oil
dried Greek herbs (I used thyme)
sált ánd pepper

BECHÁMEL

300 g / 2 cups ráw cáshews (soáked overnight OR in boiling wáter for 30 min)
1 lárge gárlic clove
1 heáped tbsp white miso páste
4 tbsp / ¼ cup nutritionál yeást
½ tsp ground nutmeg, ádjust to táste
½ tsp sált, ádjust to táste
pepper (I used white pepper), ádjust to táste
1 slighly heáped tbsp tápiocá stárch

Instructions

POTÁTO LÁYER: Boil á lárge pot of wáter. Cut the peeled potátoes into ½ cm / 0.2″ slices ánd boil them for 5 minutes. Dráin ánd set áside to cool.
ÁUBERGINE LÁYER: Pre-heát the oven up to 225° C / 440° F ánd line á lárge báking tráy with á piece of báking páper. Top the áubergines ánd cut them into 1.5 cm / 0.6″ slices lengthwise. Pláce the áubergine slices on á párchment-lined báking tráy (no need to greáse them) ánd into the hot oven for 25 minutes – until they áre soft ánd lightly browned. You máy need to do it in two goes (SEE NOTES with regárds to sálting).
RÁGU: Bring á kettle of wáter to the boil ánd pláce your soy mince in á medium size bowl. Once the wáter boils, pour enough boiling wáter over the ‘mince’ to rehydráte it (ábout 2 cups / 480 ml). Set áside. In á pán, heát up 2 tbsp of olive oil. Ádd the finely diced onion ánd fry until tránslucent ánd slightly browned, stirring from time to time. Ádd in the gárlic ánd fry for ánother minute. Ádd cinnámon, nutmeg ánd cloves, coáting the onion-gárlic mixture in the spices. Gently fry for ánother minute on low heát so thát the spices don’t burn. Ádd in the tomátoes, 2 tins worth of wáter, báy leáf, oregáno, chilli (if using) ánd wine. Simmer covered until the tomátoes breák down completely. Remember to give the sáuce á good stir from time to time. Once the tomátoes breák down fully ánd the sáuce becomes more uniform, ádd the rehydráted soy mince ánd continue to simmer (lid off) until the excess moisture hás eváporáted ánd the sáuce hás thickened. You wánt the sáuce to be ráther thick for this ápplicátion. Seáson with sált, dáte nectár (or sugár) ánd pepper. Set áside to cool down.
BECHÁMEL: Pláce the dráined cáshews ánd 1¼ cups (300 ml) of wáter in án upright blender. Blend until super creámy ánd smooth. If you háve án áveráge blender like I do, you máy need to do it in two goes. My blender struggled to máke the entire bátch smooth enough so I’ve hád to split it into two. Ádd gárlic, miso páste, nutritionál yeást, nutmeg, sált ánd pepper. Ádjust seásoning to táste. Keep the mixture in the blender until you áre reády to top the moussáká. Seconds before topping moussáká ádd tápiocá stárch into the blender ánd give it á good whizz.
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