Savoring lasagna from the garden
Right now the sweetest carrots are available locally and while
searching for a way to enjoy them in a main dish, I decided it was
time to face the intimidating 8-step vegetable lasagna recipe my
sister Laura had recently passed on to me.
Savoring lasagna from the garden
Right now the sweetest carrots are available locally and while searching for a way to enjoy them in a main dish, I decided it was time to face the intimidating 8-step vegetable lasagna recipe my sister Laura had recently passed on to me.
I never tackled making lasagna partly because I was intimidated by the project, but also because I would be the only one eating it and I am not one to make meals and freeze the leftovers.
But with a couple of friends expected for dinner, I seized the opportunity to give it a try. I had all of the vegetables I needed. Plenty of butter lettuce was waiting to be eaten in the refrigerator – perfect for a light side salad. We could open a bottle or two of red wine and dig in!
I was crunched for time so when choosing the lasagna noodles I selected the no-boil kind. (Note for next time: Take the extra 15 minutes and cook whole wheat noodles instead. So much healthier and flavorful!)
I bought ricotta cheese, parmesan cheese, and mozzarella, all made with skim milk to keep the fat content down.
And since I ran out of the homemade marinara sauce I had made and frozen last fall, I opted for a bottle of Safeway’s organic garlic basil Sauce, which ended up being loaded with flavor.
The first step is to chop the carrots, onions and garlic and cook them together. I used green garlic, and Dad’s yellow onions from last summer. (It’s amazing that if stored in a dark, dry, cool place, onions will last for months and months.)
I saved washing and chopping the carrots for last so I could also savor one while cooking the rest in a skillet.
These carrots, grown by Heirloom Organics, are the tastiest carrots ever. They are the ‘chantenay’ variety and are so special, they have their own Web site, www.chantenay.co.uk. They originated from the Chantenay region in France in the mid-1800s. I am convinced anyone who tries one of these after normally eating the standard bagged carrots found in the grocery stores that have been washed at least 3 times will never go back.
After these vegetables were cooked, I added the marinara sauce, water and spices and let them cook a little longer. Next, I added the zucchini and mushrooms and cooked for a few more minutes. I used organic crimini mushrooms, which have more flavor than traditional white button mushrooms.
Meanwhile, I finely chopped a bunch of lacinato kale and sauteed it for just a few minutes. You can use the standard frozen spinach if you like, but fresh greens are much more flavorful. I then stirred the greens with the ricotta, parmesan, and eggs.
At this point I was amazed at how simple this process really is. I anticipated hours in the kitchen, my brow a little damp from the heat from the stove. Not the case at all.
It is already time to start layering the pan with noodles! I put one layer down of the pasta. Then I topped it with the spinach/ricotta mixture followed by the sauce and 1/3 of the mozzarella. I did this two more times and that’s all! The rest is up to the oven.
I baked it, uncovered, for 35 minutes at 375 degrees. In the meantime, I washed the butter lettuce, shredded more carrots, red radishes and kohlrabi. I tossed the salad with a vinaigrette dressing, opened the bottle of wine and before we knew it our dinner was ready.
The lasagna was just how I remembered it – a blanket of flavors in my mouth, at once sweet and cheesy. The perfect meal. And I give the carrots and kale most of the credit.
Here is the recipe in case you want to try it yourself:
Vegetable Italian Lasagna
2 medium carrots, sliced
1/3 c. onions, chopped
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 ½ tsp. olive oil
15 ½ oz. spaghetti sauce
¼ c. water
1 ½ tsp. dried oregano
¾ tsp. dried basil
1 ½ c. mushrooms, sliced
1 zucchini, cut into small strips
1 bunch greens of your choice – spinach, kale, or chard would all be great
2 eggs, beaten
2 c. ricotta cheese
¼ c. parmesan cheese, grated
12-15 lasagna noodles
1 ½ to 2/3 c. mozzarella cheese, shredded
In a medium covered skillet, cook the carrots, onion and garlic in 1 ½ tsp olive oil until onion is tender but not brown.
Stir in the pasta sauce, water, basil and oregano; simmer covered for 15 minutes or until carrots are tender.
Stir in the mushrooms and zucchini in to the skillet; cook uncovered for 5 minutes.
Meanwhile, chop the greens and saute in olive oil just until they are cooked down a little, about 3 minutes.
In a bowl, stir together the greens, eggs, ricotta and parmesan.
Arrange a single layer of cooked lasagna noodles on the bottom of a greased 12×7 1/2×2″ baking dish; top noodles with 1/3 of the spinach mixture, then 1/3 of the sauce mixture, then ½ cup mozzarella cheese. Repeat 2 more times.
Baked uncovered at 375 for 35 minutes, or until cheese is bubbly.
Let stand 10 minutes before serving.
Becky Herbert grew up in Hollister, and today is the proprietor of Eating with the Seasons (eatwiththeseasons.com).
