Hi everyone

My computer was on the blink again…..oh so frustrating.  So I haven’t posted since last month.  As much as I love the versatility of an iPhone and iPad, it’s just not the same without a “proper” keyboard.  So we bought a smaller iMac, which I love as I’m able to cart it around the house (I’m not sure if I’m meant to be doing that – but here I am using it on the coffee table in the lounge room, with the heater on and music blaring out).

Back to the latest recipe.  I made this vegetable lasagne for our great friends Jen and Rich last Sunday arvo.  The girls also had some and loved it so much I made it again on Wednesday.  Unlike most people I’m not a fan of tomato based sauces, so this recipe suits me just fine!  This recipe is amongst the many I’ve torn out of magazines, usually Delicious.

Ingredients

• 10g dried porcini mushrooms
• ½ (125ml) cup olive oil
• 1 onion, carrot and celery, finely chopped
• 1 cup frozen peas
• 2 bunches asparagus, trimmed, finely chopped
• 8 button mushrooms (or equivalent) finely chopped
• ½ cup white wine
• 1 packet fresh lasagne sheets (I didn’t use the whole packet – freeze remainder)
• 1 ½ cups parmesan, grated

Bechamel Sauce

• 110g unsalted butter
• ¾ cup (110g) plain flour
• 3 cups (750ml) milk
• ¼ tsp grated nutmeg

Method

Pre-heat oven to 180ºC and grease a shallow 2L baking dish.

Soak porcini mushrooms in ½ cup (125ml) boiling water for 15 minutes.  Drain, reserving liquid and finely chop mushrooms.  Set aside.

Heat the oil in a large pan over medium heat.  Add onion, carrot and celery and cook, stirring for 3-4 minutes until slightly softened. Add the peas, asparagus, mushrooms, porcini mushrooms and the reserved liquid.  Cook, stirring for 3-4 minutes until vegetables soften.  Add wine and cook stirring for 1-2 minutes until reduced.  Add 1 cup water to pan, season then cook, partially covered and topping up with extra water if necessary, for 30 minutes or until reduced and creamy.

For the béchamel sauce, melt butter in a large saucepan over low heat.  Add flour and cook, whisking constantly for     1-2 minutes until smooth.  Gradually add the milk, whisking constantly until thick and smooth.  Remove from heat, add nutmeg and season with salt.  Cover surface with baking paper, then set aside.

Spoon one-third of the vegetables into baking dish.  Cover with lasagne sheets, one-third of the béchamel sauce and one-third of the parmesan.  Repeat layers 2 more times.  Cover with baking paper and foil, and bake for 30 minutes.  Remove foil and paper, and bake for a final 15 minutes or until golden.  Rest the lasagne for 5 minutes then serve.

Bon Appetit!

It’s worth the time in your kitchen to make this dish.  It really is very tasty and has moved into our favourites list (which means Geoff will be having it anytime we have someone over for lunch or dinner haha).  Let me know if you make it and what you think.  Do you have a favourite lasagne recipe?

Winter starts tomorrow – enjoy your week, rugging up and embracing the chilly season!!

Love Chris ♥

Chris

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