Vegetarian Moussaka

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

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.

http://www.myrecipes.com/recipe/vegetarian-moussaka

Pork and Bell Pepper Moussaka

1/4 cup olive oil
2 medium-size green bell peppers, seeded and cut into think strips
2 medium-size red bell peppers, seeded and cut into think strips
2 medium-size onions, thinly sliced
Salt and black pepper to taste
2 pounds ground pork
1 garlic clove, minced
1 tablespoon tomato paste
1/2 teaspoon dried sage, crumbled
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano, crumbled
1 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
1/4 cup (1 stick) butter
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
3 cups milk
2 large eggs, beaten
2 cups cooked long grain rice

1. In a large heavy skillet, heat 2 tablespoons of the oil over moderate heat, add all the bell peppers and the onions, season with salt and pepper, stir till the vegetables are quite soft, about 8 minutes, and transfer to a medium-size mixing bowl. Heat the remaining 2 tablespoons oil in the skillet, add the pork and garlic, and stir till the pork loses its pink color, about 10 minutes. Add the tomato paste, herbs, 1/2 cup of the cheese, and salt and pepper, stir till well blended, and remove from the heat.

2. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Grease a 2- 2 1/2-quart casserole and set aside.

3. In a large saucepan, melt the butter over moderate heat, then add the flour and whisk for 3 minutes. Gradually add the milk, whisking steadily till the sauce is thickened and smooth, about 5 minutes, and remove from the heat. Whisk a few tablespoons of the sauce into the beaten eggs, then add the eggs to the sauce, whisking to combine well, and set aside.

4. Spoon the rice evenly over the bottom of the prepared casserole, then spoon a few tablespoons of sauce over the rice. Layer the bell pepper and onion mixture over the rice, layer the pork mixture over that, and spoon the remaining sauce evenly over the top. Sprinkle the remaining 1/2 cup cheese over the top and bake till puffy and golden brown. 45 minutes to 1 hour.

Makes 6 servings.