Cooking with Rena Lee

Prep Time: 5 min, plus 20 min standing
Cook Time: about 50 min

Yield:4

INGREDIENTS:

1	eggplant, sliced
	salt
3 tbsp	olive oil
2	garlic cloves, crushed
1	red onion, halved and sliced
3	mixed bell peppers, seeded and diced
8 oz	mixed mushrooms, sliced
2	celery stalks, sliced
1	zucchini, diced
1/2 tsp	chili powder
1/2 tsp	ground cumin
2	tomatoes, chopped
1 1/4 cups	strained tomatoes
2 tbsp	chopped fresh basil
	salt and pepper
8	pre-cooked lasagna verde sheets
	FOR THE CHEESE SAUCE
2 tbsp	butter or margarine
1 tbsp	all-purpose flour
2/3 cup	vegetable stock
1 1/4 cups	milk
2 3/4 oz	Cheddar cheese, grated
1 tsp	Dijon mustard
1 tbsp	chopped fresh basil
1	egg, beaten

DIRECTIONS:

Preheat the oven to 350`F. Put the eggplant slices into a colander, sprinkle them with salt, and leave for 20 minutes. Rinse under cold running water, drain, and reserve.
Heat the oil in a skillet and saute the garlic and onion for 1-2 minutes. Add the bell peppers, mushrooms, celery, and zucchini and cook, stirring constantly, for 3-4 minutes.
Stir in the spices and cook for 1 minute. Mix in the chopped tomatoes, strained tomatoes, and basil and season to taste with salt and pepper.
For the sauce, melt the butter or margarine in a pan, stir in the flour, and cook for 1 minute. Remove from the heat and stir in the stock and milk.
Return to the heat and boil, stirring for 3 minutes, or until thickened. Stir in half the cheese, mustard, and basil. Remove from the heat, let cool slightly, and stir in egg.
Put half the lasagna sheets into an ovenproof dish. Top with half the vegetable mixture, then half the eggplant. Repeat the layers and spoon the cheese sauce on top.
Sprinkle the lasagna with the remaining cheese and cook in the preheated oven for 40 minutes, or until the top is golden brown.