Lasagna Florentine

Ok, I should preface this post by saying that my wife, Anna, usually makes the lasagna, and she makes it really well. However due to her current class schedule it is hard for her to find time to cook. Also, I have never really made lasagna but really enjoy eating it.
I have had lots of lasagna over my lifetime and know that the purist method is made with bolognese and bechamel sauce. I enjoy it to be a little bit more cheesy so I have chosen to add ricotta and mozzarella.



The Sauce
1 can (28 oz.) good Italian tomatoes
1 large onion
1 carrot (or a handful of baby carrots)
1 big celery stick
3 cloves garlic
1 handful mushrooms (I used crimini but a package of white mushrooms would work fine)
Olive oil
Crushed red pepper
Fresh Basil
Red Wine
Salt
Pepper

I decided to make the sauce chunky like a bolognese, but without the meat. I started by dicing the onion, garlic, celery, and carrots together for a few pulses in the food processor. Next I threw them in a saute pan which I had drizzled a fair amount of olive oil in and cooked them over medium heat. Next I washed the mushrooms and threw them in the food processor for a few pulses until they were chopped up. When the onions had cooked until they were clear I threw in the mushrooms and a splash of red wine. I salted and cooked this down until the mushrooms were tender. While the mushrooms and veggies were cooking I threw the tomatoes into the food processor for a couple of pulses, hmmm I think I am detecting a pattern here, which was great because I did not have to wash it between ingredients which makes me happy. I then added the tomatoes and a handful of fresh basil and the red pepper and fresh black peper to the sauce. The amount of red pepper totally depends on how spicy you like your sauce. I then cooked the sauce down until it was thick. This can be made in advance and stored in the fridge to cut down on prep time. In fact I think it is actually better this way.

Bechamel Sauce

I used this recipe for Bechamel Sauce and it turned out really well. I highly recommend the freshly grated nutmeg, it makes a big difference.

Ricotta and Mozzarella
1 16oz Ricotta
2 Cups Shredded Mozzarella
2 Eggs
6 cloves Roasted Garlic
Salt
Pepper

I mixed the first 3 ingredients together in a bowl and then added 6 cloves of freshly roasted and pressed garlic. Like always I added salt and pepper.

Assembly
I drizzled olive oil on the bottom of the baking dish. Next I spread half of the tomato sauce on the bottom of the pan covering it. Next I laid down a layer of noodles making sure to overlap and not leave any gaps. Next I spread half of the cheese on top of the noodles. I then tore (why bother with the knife) enough fresh spinach and basil to cover the cheese. Then I poured half of the bechamel sauce on top of the spinach and basil. Then I added another layer of noodles and repeated this step. Finally I added more noodles and spread the rest of the tomato sauce on top, drizzled the last little bit of bechamel on top and then covered with mozzarella.


Baking

I baked it at 350 for 40 minutes. I would recommend checking on it after 30 minutes or so, when the sides are bubbling and the cheese on top is golden brown it is ready.


Results


I think I succeeded in getting the texture of the tomato sauce right with the chopped veggies. Also I am really happy with the firmness of the lasagna, it stands firm and is not runny. All in all, I am proud of my first lasagna and look forward to making it again.

p.s. You could also skip the tomatoes in the sauce and double the bechamel recipe, then add the cooked down veggies to the bechamel for a white veggie lasagna.

Stir fried Broccoli

Tonight I am making a bit of a staple around our house, stir fried broccoli with white rice. My wife Anna really enjoys the simplicity of this dish. It is an easy and fast to meal to whip up that is filling without weighing you down.
Ingredients :

Broccoli ( I tend to use one bunch for two people)
Rice
Sesame Oil (is so yummy!)
Garlic (I use 3 or so cloves because we really like the garlic!)
Grated ginger (about an inch or so)
Lemongrass (I used jarred when I can't find it fresh, at my store it is with the thai ingredients)
Soy sauce
Corn Starch
Water

Prep:
Cut the broccoli into bite sized portions, I find it better for this dish to discard the stems because the stir frying never really cooks them. A good way of discarding is to use them in a vegetable stock.
Slice or chop the garlic, usually I slice it.
If you are using fresh lemongrass slice it in thin sections.
Peel and grate the ginger.
Start cooking the rice according to directions, or be lazy like me and make it in the rice cooker

Cooking:
Preheat enough oil in a wok, or the closest pan you have to a wok, to cover the bottom of the wok over medium high heat.
Add the garlic, lemongrass and ginger
Saute for a minute or so.
Then add the broccoli and toss with other ingredients.
Add 3/4 to 1 cup of soy sauce.
Continue stirring the broccoli until it is cooked enough for your tastes.
Before serving the broccoli add 8 oz water (or half a pint glass) to 1.5 tablespoons of corn starch and stir well.
Add this to the broccoli and stir until the sauce is no longer white and has thickened.
Serve over rice.

Next time I will add photos.

Welcome!

Hi there! This is going to be my blog where I discuss what I am cooking. I am an avid cook and really enjoying exploring new culinary avenues. I am a recovering carnivore and have recently shifted from a largely meat based diet to mostly vegetarian with seafood mixed in. I have been really enjoying the challenge of moving out of my comfort zone of cooking, and discovering new vegetables and dishes.