She's Back, and She Needs Work

I was going to start this post with a long and involved story of what has been happening for the last few months. How busy it has been, how much has changed, how much has stayed the same. 

But all you really need to know is that I have been cooking up a storm.  

What got me back here was Kinnon asking for a recipe for the lasagna I made on the weekend when she came over to bring us some art.  The recipe is from Rachael Ray's magazine (the December/January 2008 issue).

It is a little bit labour intensive, but the results are well worth it.  Plus it lasted us for 3 meals and it is vegetarian so it is a winner all around.  Great for dinner parties, just get it in the oven before guests get there and you have a solid 45 min to entertain and have the first course before you need to go back in the kitchen.

Portobello Lasagna with Basil Cream

6 Servings

Prep Time: 30 min

Bake Time:  45 min (plus cooling)

5 Tablespoons butter

1/4 cup flour

3 cups skim milk, heated

4 cloves of garlic - 1 smashed, 3 finely chopped

Salt

1/2 pound whole wheat lasagna noodles (really 9 noodles total)

2 large onions, chopped

Three 6-ounce packages of portobello mushroom slices (or 2 pounds whole stemmed and sliced)

1 bunch basil, stems discarded (or 2 tables spoons of the basil puree they sell in the herb section)

1 cup heavy cream

1 1/4 cup grated parmesan cheese

Pepper

1. In a medium saucepan, melt 3 tablespoons butter over low heat. Stir in the flour and cook for 2 minutes.  Slowly whisk in the hot milk, then the smashed garlic clove and 3/4 teaspoon salt. Bring the garlic sauce to a boil and cook, whisking, until thickened, about 5 minutes.  Set aside. It doesn't get real thick but that is ok.

2. In a large pot of boiling salted water, cook the lasagna noodles for 10 minutes. Drain and transfer to a bowl of cold water.

3.  Position a rack in the center of the oven and preheat to 375.  In a large skillet, melt the remaining 2 tablespoons butter over low heat.  Add the onions and chopped garlic and cook until softened, about 5 minutes.  Stir in the mushrooms and cook until softened, about 7 minutes.  It looks like a lot but it reduces quite a bit.

4.  Using a food processor puree the basil leaves and cream (if you use the puree just combine the two).  Set aside 1/2 cup of basil cream.  Stir the remaining basil cream and 1/2 cup parmesan into the mushroom mixture; season with salt and pepper.

5. Grease a 9x13-inch baking dish and spread 1 cup reserved garlic sauce on the bottom.  Drain the lasagna noodles and lay 3 in the baking dish.  Top with half of the mushroom mixture, a layer of noodles, then the remaining mushroom mixture and noodles.  Combine the remaining garlic sauce and basil cream; spoon on top.  Sprinkle with the remaining 3/4 cup parmesan.

6. Bake until golden, 40 to 45 minutes.

Let stand for 15 minutes.