Ah, February. In Portland, it's sort of a non-month, in my opinion. Not really winter — at least, I stop pining for snow about now. Not spring, though the daffodils show up at the grocery store. Gray as gray ever gets, and brown on the ground, to boot. It's cold, often windy, frequently drizzling. Dark in the morning, dark in the afternoon. I have absolutely no motivation to leave the house in February. I surrender. My little flowers are all indoors. I watch HGTV like crazy. Andy said, from the kitchen, "The brothers are so funny!" Me [very excitedly]: "The Property Brothers??? I know!" Him: "No, the brothers from Oceans Twelve." Har.
Guess what? We're COOKING SOMETHING this week. Actual food that comes out of an actual pot on the actual stove. WOW. Lasagnas for Valentine's Day. Our longstanding tradition.
Lasagnas Rozale
Our version of these, from Martha Stewart
Serves 2
For the sauce:
8 oz. mushrooms, chopped
2 t. olive oil
2 t. butter
1 carrot, finely chopped
1 celery stalk, finely chopped
1 small onion, peeled and finely chopped
1 clove garlic, peeled and finely chopped
3 oz. lean ground beef
3 oz. ground pork
3 oz. Italian sausage
Salt and pepper
1/2 c. red wine
12 oz. chopped tomatoes (boxed or canned)
2 c. chicken stock
1/4 t. nutmeg
For the bechamel sauce:
2 T. butter
2 T. flour
1 c. plus 3 tablespoons milk
1/4 t. salt
1/4 t. nutmeg
Other ingredients:
6 lasagna noodles
10 oz. frozen spinach, thawed and drained
3/4 c. freshly grated Parmesan
To make the sauce:
1.
In large skillet, heat olive oil and butter over medium-low heat. Add
mushrooms and cook, stirring occasionally, until they are soft and have
let off their liquid, about 5 minutes. Add carrot, celery, onion, and
garlic; cook, stirring occasionally, until onions are translucent, 3 to 4
more minutes.
2. Meanwhile, in separate skillet, break up and brown
all meats over high heat, stirring occasionally, about 4 minutes. Add
1/2 t. salt and 1/8 t. pepper. Drain off fat and add meats to skillet
containing vegetables; mix everything together. Add wine and cook until
liquid has evaporated, about 2 minutes. Stir in tomatoes, stock, and
nutmeg. Lower heat to medium low and slowly simmer, stirring
occasionally, about 35 minutes. Much of the liquid will evaporate but
sauce will remain very moist. It can be made 2 days in advance and
stored in refrigerator. You will have extra sauce after lasagnas are
assembled to use over pasta, etc., for lunch the next day, too.
To make the bechamel:
1. In a saucepan, melt 2 T. butter over medium-low heat. Add flour and cook, stirring frequently, 5 to 6 minutes.
2.
Meanwhile, in a small saucepan, bring milk and salt to a boil. Slowly
whisk the milk into the flour mixture until completely incorporated and
smooth. Add the nutmeg and reduce heat to low; simmer, stirring
occasionally, until thickened, about 2 to 3 minutes. Remove from heat.
To assemble the lasagna:
1.
Boil lasagna noodles in large pot of salted water until about a minute
before you normally like them to come out. Drain and rinse with cold
water, then cut (shorten) to fit two 12-ounce individual ovenproof
casserole dishes.
2. Heat a medium skillet over medium-high heat; add
spinach and a pinch of salt and pepper. Cook, stirring, until wilted
and tender. Remove from heat and drain in a colander. Set aside.
3.
Heat oven to 375 degrees. Spread 5 T. meat sauce into each of the
casserole dishes. Cover with 1 lasagna noodle and spread 5 T. meat sauce
evenly over. Spread 2 T. bechamel over the meat sauce and evenly
distribute 2 T. chopped spinach over the bechamel. Sprinkle with
Parmesan and cover with 1 lasagna noodle. Repeat layering process.
Spread 1 heaping tablespoon of Parmesan and dot with butter.
4. Bake
until tops of lasagnas are golden and juices are bubbling, about 20 to
25 minutes. If the tops are not yet brown, increase heat to broil and
place lasagnas under broiler until tops are speckled brown. Let stand 10
minutes; serve with red wine, simple salad, crusty bread, fancy
deserts, and lots of love. Xoxoxoxoxoxoxo
