Eggplant Lasagna

I have to admit, this is one of my more-involved recipes - but the flavors are fantastic and complex and totally worth every minute you spend making it.  It's got some surprising spice choices and is a great way to get your purple veggie quota.  The original recipe is from Cavemen Gourmet, who is lactose-tolerant Paleo (i.e. the recipe has lots of cheese - 14 ounces of it).  My body does not respond well to dairy, so I only add about 2 ounces of cheese for the 'faux bechamel' and omit the rest.  I have also made a version without any cheese at all and it is equally delicious.

The special piece of equipment you will need is a mandoline slicer.  I used a cheap one for this recipe since eggplant is fairly soft and easy to slice.  I made a recipe last night that required sliced sweet potatoes and the mandoline I have did not stand a chance against the mighty starch of the sweet potato.  I am currently perusing Amazon to upgrade my mandoline slicer - although I am now realizing that if I want a serious mandoline, I'm going to need a protective glove to keep myself from getting seriously injured (Did I mention that I'm a klutz and prone to injury?  Cuz I am.)

Anyways...

Equipment needed:
mandoline slicer
large, deep skillet
small skillet
13x9 baking dish
lots of paper towels

Ingredients:
3 eggplants, peeled and cut lengthwise into 1/4 inch thick slices
8 oz. sliced mushrooms
1 1/2 lbs. grass-fed ground beef
2 onions, chopped
1 tbsp. minced garlic
1/4 tsp. ground cinnamon
1/4 tsp. ground nutmeg
1/2 tsp. dried thyme
1/2 tsp. dried rosemary
1/2 tbsp. dried parsley
(1) 8 oz. can tomato sauce
1/2 cup red wine
1 egg, beaten
your favorite cooking oil (olive oil, coconut oil, clarified butter, beef tallow, etc.)
salt and pepper

Faux Bechamel (optional):
2 ounces grated parmesan cheese
1 egg, beaten
4 tbsp. clarified butter
1/4 tsp. ground nutmeg

Instructions:
1. Preheat oven to 350.
2. Slice your eggplant lengthwise into 1/4 inch slices using a sharp knife and a steady hand or a mandoline.  Lay the eggplant slices on paper towels and lightly salt them to help draw out the moisture.  This is called "sweating" and is a key step in any eggplant recipe.  Let sit for 20 minutes.
3. In a large skillet over medium high heat, add a tablespoon of olive oil and cook the eggplant for 3-5 minutes per side, until lightly browned.  Do this in batches so as not to crowd the pan and remember to add more olive oil to the pan as needed.  Set the cooked slices on clean paper towels to drain them of excess oil.
4. Give the skillet a quick rinse to remove bits of eggplant and return to the stove.  Heat skillet over high heat, add a tablespoon of olive oil, then the ground beef, onions, garlic and a pinch of salt and pepper.  Brown the beef, then add cinnamon, nutmeg and dried herbs.  Mix in the wine and tomato sauce.  Simmer on low heat for 20 minutes.
5. While the beef is simmering, in a small skillet over medium heat, saute the mushrooms in a little bit of cooking oil for about 10 minutes, stirring often.  Set aside.
6. Once the beef is done, set aside to cool for about 10 minutes.  Mix in a beaten egg.
7. Grease your 13x9 baking dish and place a layer of eggplant slices on the bottom of the pan.
8.  Spoon a layer of the beef mixture over the eggplant, spreading evenly.  Add some of the sautéed mushrooms.  Do one more layer of each, with mushrooms being the top layer.  It is very possible that you will have some eggplant slices left over, depending on the size of your eggplants.
9.  If you are making the faux bechamel, melt 4 tablespoons of clarified butter in the microwave, then add the cheese, nutmeg and beaten egg.  Spoon the mixture over the top of the lasagna, spreading as evenly as possible (the bechamel wasn't easily spreadable because of the coarseness of the cheese but that same characteristic resulted in a deliciously crunchy crust once the lasagna was cooked).
10.  Bake for 60-70 minutes.  Allow to cool for 15 minutes so that the lasagna has time to set.

Happy nomming!