Receta Wild Mushroom and Eggplant Vegan Oil-Free “Meatballs”

by Marilyn

Click here for additional photos. This recipe was adapted from a pareve Passover recipe for Vegetarian �Meatballs� from Tali Simon from More Quiche, Please! We made them for our seder this year with many changes, but we liked them even more than the lentil �meatballs� we enjoyed in my previous recipe. I served them with tomato sauce atop chickpea pasta that was purely made from chickpea flour. The texture was better and they held together for serving much better, not to mention how flavor-packed they are. Besides inspiration from the original recipe, I was inspired by a huge container of dried wild mushrooms that I snagged at Costco back in February, before the pandemic began. This recipe is definitely a keeper! I am sure I will be making vast quantities and freezing these for future use atop pasta and zoodles.  Wild Mushroom and Eggplant Vegan Oil-Free �Meatballs� (makes 36 1-1/2 inch diameter balls) 1 cup dried wild mushroom assortment or dried shiitake mushrooms 1/2 Tbsp. Osem consommé mix 1 onion, finely chopped 1 medium eggplant, peeled and finely chopped 1/2 tsp. kosher salt 1/2 tsp. smoked salt freshly ground black pepper to taste 3 Tbsp. finely chopped mixed fresh herbs (for instance, basil, tarragon, and parsley) 1 cup whole wheat matzoh meal 1 cup aquafaba (liquid drained from cans of chickpeas) Place mushrooms in a 2-cup heat-proof glass measuring cup. Cover with boiling water to equal two cups. Put aside for half an hour. Reserve soaking liquid. Chop onion finely in the bowl of a food processor. (Do not wash the bowl.) Sauté in a large frying pan with 1/4 cup of the mushroom soaking liquid that has been strained through a very fine strainer to remove any grit. (I poured it through a mesh tea strainer into the pan.)  Add consommé mix. Continue sautéing for about 10 minutes, stirring frequently until onion just begins to stick and liquid has mostly evaporated. Rinse soaked mushrooms under cold running water to make sure all grit has been removed. Place in food processor bowl and chop finely. (Do not wash the bowl.) Add to onions in the pan and continue to sauté for another 10 minutes, adding small quantities of strained mushroom liquid as necessary to deglaze the pan. Remove onion/mushroom mixture to a separate bowl. (Do not wash the frying pan.) Chop eggplant finely in same bowl of food processor. Transfer to frying pan with another 1/4 cup of strained mushroom soaking liquid and sauté for about 20 minutes, stirring frequently to make sure it does not stick to the pan. If it begins sticking, add a small, additional amount of liquid and deglaze the pan. Remove from heat and allow to cool. Stir in the salts, pepper, and finely chopped fresh herbs. Add the onion/mushroom mixture to the eggplant. Mix in the matzoh meal and aquafaba until well incorporated. Let stand for 15 minutes. Using an inch-and-a-half-diameter ice cream scoop, place the leveled mixture into a slightly wet hand and roll gently into a ball. Place each one on a silicone baking mat (silpat), or parchment paper-lined rimmed baking sheet, spacing evenly. Bake at 350°F. for 15-20 minutes. Remove from oven, flip the balls over, and bake for another 15-20 minutes on the other side. Once cooled, these can be frozen on the baking sheet and, once frozen, stored in plastic freezer bags until needed. Rewarm in the oven, uncovered until heated through. They can be placed atop pasta and tomato sauce in a baking dish for presentation.