Eggplant, Potato And Mushroom Bake
 

Method:

Boil or microwave the potatoes until cooked. Set aside until cool enough to handle. Then cut into 1 cm (1/2") slices.

Pre heat oven to 150 degrees Celsius.

Meanwhile cut the eggplant vertically into quarters.  Cut each quarter into 1 cm (1/2") thick slices. Cook eggplant pieces in minimal oil in the frying pan oil until golden brown, turn and repeat on the other side. You will have to do this in at least two batches.  Add a little extra oil where necessary. Remove from pan and keep warm.

Toss the mushroom slices into the frying pan and cook briefly for a couple of minutes. You shouldn't need any more oil to cook them in.

Grease a large lasagne dish (about 34 cm x 25 cm). Spray oil can be used if you prefer. Roughly place the potatoes in the bottom of the dish.  Sprinkle 1 tablespoon parmesan cheese over the potatoes and a shake or two of salt and pepper.  Dollop half the tin of soup over the potato layer. This is best done using a teaspoon and dropping little blobs all over.  You don't need to spread the soup around. This is a rustic dish so it needs to look a bit casual and haphazard.

Repeat the above step, this time using the eggplant in lieu of the potato slices. As before, sprinkle on the cheese, seasonings and the second half of the soup.  Scatter the cooked mushrooms over the top.

In a bowl beat together the cream, eggs, flour, salt, nutmeg and extra parmesan. Pour over the vegetables.

Bake for 45 minutes by which time the egg layer will have set and turned golden brown. 

Serves 5 - 6 as a vegetarian main meal or can serve 10 - 12 as a side dish.
 

Notes:

I try to be health conscious and use as little oil as possible in which to fry the eggplant.

In a dish such as this I would purposely not use whole circles of eggplant.  Cutting the eggplant into smaller pieces will enable the dish to be served more easily.

I always buy Rosella soup in their 500 gm tins as they are bigger than the other brands.

If necessary cook the potatoes earlier in the day to save time.

The recipe is meant to have a rustic appearance so you can slap this recipe together very quickly especially if the potatoes are pre cooked.

Food Facts:

There are literally thousands of potato varieties.  Potatoes include both protein and fibre and are high in complex carbohydrates.  They contain vitamins B, C iron and potassium.

There are more than 2,000 varieties of edible mushrooms but only a few of these are readily available.  Mushrooms have no cholesterol and are are virtually free of fat and sodium.  They contain vitamin B1, B2. potassium, selenium, iron and niacin.  The Pharaohs of Egypt delighted in mushrooms so much that they decreed that mushrooms could not be eaten or even touched by common folk.  They considered mushrooms the food of royalty and by stopping commoners eating them they then assured a larger supply for themselves.