porcini mushroom lasagne with prosciutto

1^st November 2010 is a very special day shared by two important anniversaries: our tenth year at Broke Road Vineyard and the Food Vine’s 2^nd birthday. By co-incidence this double celebration marks the publishing of my 100^th recipe.

I wanted to write a new recipe to celebrate this triple anniversary, one that would express all the things we love about home: warmth, comfort, coziness, peace and happiness. I also wanted to write something for Alan who absolutely loves pasta and so I went home to my spiritual food heart and came up with the following.

Now there is nothing new about the concept of porcini mushroom lasagne but there is everything new about this recipe and this is the only place you will ever find it.

A few pointers first: heavy le Creuset saucepans are a big plus when making the mother sauces which are: béchamel (milk based) espagnole (brown stock based) velouté (white stock based) and allemande (egg enriched velouté). These mother sauces consist of a butter and flour roux to which their respective liquid is added. Skill is required when adding liquid to a hot roux to avoid lumps so the aid of a heavy based pan gives more control and it is a wise move to do this off the heat. The purchase of a silicone-coated whisk to avoid scratching the enameled surface is necessary if you want to preserve the quality and finish of these expense pans.

I hit upon the idea to make up the lasagne in my le Creuset terrine dish. I wanted to be able to cut short slices that would be high enough to show off the layers but delicate enough to serve as a starter. Less is more and never more so than in the case of lasagne.

Serves 4 as a starter 3 as a main

Oven: 180C

Ingredients

30gm dried porcini mushrooms

325ml boiling water to soak mushrooms, water preserved

400gm brown Swiss mushrooms, storks discarded, sliced

100gm prosciutto cut into 1 inch or 2.5cmquares

3 cloves garlic, sliced

6 sprigs of thyme, stems discarded

2 tablespoons grape-seed oil

2 tablespoons sherry

Salt to taste

Cracked black pepper to taste

6 sheets pre-cooked egg based lasagne cut to fit the terrine (4 layers in all)

110gm parmesan cheese, grated

Sauce Ingredients:

76gm unsalted butter

76gm plain flour

300ml porcini soaking liquid

300ml milk

300ml double cream

Salt to taste

White pepper to taste

Mushrooms Method:

Rehydrate the porcini by soaking them in 325ml boiling water for 30 minutes. Strain the mushrooms, squeeze our excess water, rinse under the tap and dry on kitchen paper, chop and set aside. Set aside the soaking liquid.

Sauté the prosciutto in one-tablespoon grape-seed oil, for one or two minutes until crisp. Remove, drain on kitchen paper.

Add one-tablespoon oil to the pan and fry the brown mushrooms. Do not be tempted to add more oil as they release their juices soon enough. After a minute or two add the chopped porcini and the garlic and continue to sauté until the all mushrooms are coloured. Deglaze the pan with the sherry and let it completely reduce before adding the chopped prosciutto, the thyme and finally the seasonings. Set aside.

Sauce Method:

Melt the butter in a medium sized pan, add the flour and cook out on a medium heat for five minutes. Remove the pan from the heat; add the porcini soaking liquid slowly whilst constantly stirring to avoid lumps. Return to the heat and add the milk and stir until boiling – simmer on a very low heat for ten minutes. Add the cream, stirring all the time then season well with salt and pepper and taste to make sure the seasoning is adjusted correctly. Remove from the heat. Do not rush this lengthy process; a very smooth, velvety sauce thick enough to hold its own between layers is what you are looking for.

Grease the terrine very lightly with a little grape-seed oil. Place a thin layer of sauce on the bottom of the dish, add a layer of pasta to cover, add another layer of sauce then one-third of the mushrooms, one-fourth of the parmesan and repeat with: pasta, sauce, mushrooms, parmesan and then do it again. The final top layer is pasta, sauce and remaining parmesan.

All the ingredients fit exactly into the dish with no shortages or leftovers. If you do not have a le Creuset terrine find a similar size dish, which is: Length 28cm, Width 8cm, Depth 6cm or in inches: Length 11, Width 3.5, Depth 2.5.

Place the finished terrine in a hot oven for 30 minutes until it is cooked through, brown and bubbling on top. Allow to rest for ten minutes before plating up.

This lasagne recipe is a balancing act of tastes and flavours, each one subtly enhancing but not outdoing the other. I hope you enjoy it.

Note: I used, Barilla La Collezione Lasagne all’Uovo

porcini mushroom lasagne printable recipe, click here:

https://sites.google.com/site/foodvineprintablerecipes/home/porcini-mushroom-lasagne

Lasagne

I just love lasagne but it is something I do not often make and I do not know why, perhaps it is the thought of having to make so much béchamel sauce in one go that puts me off. Just recently, my cousin, Jennifer reminded me of a great lasagne recipe I used to make years ago – one of those foolproof recipes that everyone has the right size pan for. Not only is it extremely tasty, just like lasagne should be, but also the yield is accurate and any leftovers freeze well.

Freezing leftovers is a pleasure knowing one day soon we will enjoy a delicious lunch or supper and the only work involved will be the opening of the microwave door after the ding. With days turning cooler lasagne is warming, soothing, and good for the soul.

This recipe fits exactly into a pan 34cm x 24cm x 7cm deep

Ingredients for the meat sauce:

2 tablespoons olive oil

2 kilos best mince

2 large onions, diced

750gm tinned tomatoes

2 bay leaves

2 garlic cloves, crushed

Salt and cracked black pepper to taste

dash paprika

3 beef stock cubes

1 green pepper, diced

dash red wine

2 tablespoons tomato puree

400ml water

Oregano to taste

Basil to taste

750g mozzarella, grated

1.5 x 500g boxes pre-cooked lasagne

Method for the meat sauce:

Heat the olive oil in a large saucepan on gently heat and brown the onion, add the mince and brown this too then add the diced pepper and all the rest of the ingredients except the herbs the mozzarella and the lasagne sheets. Simmer for one hour. Add the fresh herbs, stir them in well then remove the saucepan from the heat. Remove all traces of fat when the dish is cold. Refrigerate and remove from the fridge one hour before making up the lasagne.

Ingredients for the béchamel sauce:

1 onion, peeled and studded with 6 cloves

5 cups milk

8 tablespoons butter

¾-cup plain flour

Salt and white pepper to taste

pinch nutmeg

pinch thyme

1 bay leaf

Method for the béchamel sauce:

Pour the milk into a medium size saucepan with the studded onion and the bay leaf and gently bring to the boil. Remove the saucepan from the heat and leave to cool – allowing the sauce to infuse the flavourings. Do this at least ¾ hour before making up the lasagne. In another medium size saucepan melt the butter and stir in the flour. Cook over a low heat without letting it colour for 1 minute. Remove the onion from the milk and discard the bay leaf. Gradually add the milk to the roux, stirring continuously.  Place the onion back in the sauce and simmer for 5 minutes on a very low heat. Remove and discard the onion, add the seasonings, nutmeg and thyme.

To make up: Lightly grease the dish. Make alternating layers of béchamel sauce, lasagne, meat sauce, cheese, lasagne and repeat. End with cheese. Cook for 40 minutes at 180C until golden brown and bubbling.

Serves: 6-8 

  

Spaghettini with Courgette & Tuna

This is one of those throw together meals where I do not bother too much with measurements. If we are hungry then I will just add another courgette or two or a few extra tomatoes to bulk it up – guessing as I go. Once dished up it is important to offer everyone a black pepper grinder, a pot of (Maldon) sea salt and some freshly grated parmesan which some may say is sacrilegious with fish. These are essential extras to draw out the flavour. You will be surprised just how much they enhance this dish.

Please note, too, that this is not a wet sauce so do not panic. An extra drizzle of olive oil on the served dish will not hurt a bit if called for. The ‘dryness’ leaves a satisfying aftertaste.

Serves: 4

Ingredients:

2 tablespoons olive oil

250g baby plum tomatoes

4 medium sized courgettes/zucchini, grated

4 spring onions, white part only, finely sliced lengthways

2 garlic cloves cut in slivers

12 mange tout/snow peas, finely sliced lengthways

2 tablespoons salted capers, rinsed of salt and dried on kitchen paper

3 lemons, grated rind of 3 to garnish, juice of 2

500g fresh tuna

500g spaghettini (1 packet)

Oregano, to garnish

Parmesan to garnish, optional

Method:

Try to be as organized as possible by having all the vegetables chopped and ready to go and it does wonders for the stress levels if someone lends a hand to either cook the pasta and/or the tuna freeing you up to deal with the vegetables. It is important all three things come together at the same time. Do not forget to heat your plates in advance so put them in a low oven, now.

Place the water on to boil in readiness for the pasta to be cooked.

Heat the oil in a large pan on medium heat and gently cook the onions and garlic for a few minutes. The texture result you are looking for is for everything to be crunchy, not over cooked and not too soft. Add the tomatoes and cook a further two or three minutes - they must remain firm but be hot. Add the mange tout, courgettes and capers. Stir for a few minutes, season and add the lemon juice. Rev up the heat to reduce any excess liquid, remove from the heat and keep warm.

Add the pasta, two teaspoons salt and a few drops of olive oil to the boiling water and cook the pasta until al dente. Strain, add a little more oil, stir through and keep hot.

Sear the tuna on both sides in a lightly greased frying pan for 2-3 minutes of both sides on high] heat. It must be rare in the middle and seared well on the outside. Remove from the heat, rest a minute or two and cut into bite size pieces.

To serve:

Place some pasta in each bowl, add the vegetables, the tuna and garnish with oregano and lemon rind and offer everyone those necessary condiments.

Pea & Mint Risotto

I served this risotto with butterflied shoulder of lamb and pan-fried cherry tomatoes. The pea and mint complimented the lamb under a new guise and the red tomatoes contrasted beautifully beside the green rice. My over exaggerated piece of garnish was purely artistic licence.

Risotto comes from the Veneto region of Italy. Arborio (long grain) is the most common risotto rice as the period in which it remains al dente (offering resistance when bitten into and not soft or overcooked) is longer than other varieties. Carnaroli, a rarer and more expensive rice but more difficult to work with, is delicious once mastered. Vialone Nano, used for more soupy risottos –is rounder and each grain can absorb twice its weight in liquid. I use Arborio, as it is readily available and easy to use.

Ingredients:

1 large red onion, finely chopped

1 clove garlic, finely chopped

100g unsalted butter

300g Arborio rice

75ml dry white wine

900ml vegetable or chicken stock

500g packet frozen peas

1 handful fresh mint, leaves only

1 handful fresh thyme. leaves only

10g sea salt

pinch white pepper

handful basil, torn into small pieces

2 tablespoons parmesan, grated

Method:

Place the frozen peas in a sieve and pour boiling water through them, drain well then whiz the peas and mint in a food processor for a minute - to a very rough purée. Set aside.

Put the stock in a saucepan and gently heat to simmering point. Melt half the butter in a heavy-based pan and fry the onion until soft. Add the garlic and thyme and stir until the rice becomes translucent. Add the wine and stir until absorbed. Add the stock, ladle-by-ladle, stirring all the time and allowing each ladle to be totally absorbed before adding the next. The process should take about 20 minutes to get to the al dente stage. Stir in the pea and mint mixture, the torn basil, the parmesan and season with salt and pepper.

Purple Pesto

perfect for pasta!

Nothing new about making pesto with green basil but it can be a little overpowering. Try using purple basil instead, sometimes known as black or opal basil. Purple basil is milder, slightly sweeter and surprisingly the finished sauce has a greenish hue!

Do not worry too much about measuring the ingredients and make pesto in a blender, it is quick and gives a good result.

Place in the blender:

½ bunch purple basil, leaves only; washed and dried
2-3 garlic cloves, peeled and roughly chopped
½-teaspoon sea salt
30g (1 packet) pine nuts
60g parmesan, grated
Extra-virgin olive oil to emulsify

Method:

Pour in a few good ‘slugs’ of oil, pulse the blender, add more oil and continue until you have a reasonably thick but well emulsified sauce.

Pour the sauce over freshly cooked pasta, garnish with basil leaves and grated parmesan.

Summer on a Plate - Risoni with Pancetta, Tomatoes and Fresh Herbs

Risoni came to my attention about a year ago after we had driven the 160km journey home from our weekly shopping trip! Packing my groceries away I discovered I had bought the wrong box of pasta. I shall be eternally grateful for my mistake however otherwise the following recipe would not have been born.

Mint stars here giving the dish a particularly fresh taste and an overwhelming feeling that summer has well and truly arrived!


Serves: 4
Preparation time: 15 minutes
Cooking time: 10 minutes

Ingredients:

4L chicken stock or water
400g Risoni
1-tablespoon grape seed oil
20g butter
1 small onion (about half cup)
2 cloves garlic, chopped
100g pancetta, chopped
250g cherry or baby roma tomatoes, whole
375g peas, fresh or frozen
1 lemon, zested and juiced
Basil, purple or green, leaves only
Mint, leaves only,
Italian parsley, leaves only
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
Parmesan, grated

Method:

Wash fresh herbs and spin dry. Put water or stock on to boil and cook risoni 7 minutes to al dente - strain and set aside. Cook fresh peas until tender in boiling salted water, strain and set aside.

Heat a large frying pan on medium heat, add butter and oil and cook onion and garlic until translucent. Add pancetta to the pan and heat through. Add cooked peas, cooked risoni, the lemon zest and juice. Mix gently making sure everything is well coated with oil. Add salt and pepper and turn off the heat.

Just before serving add all the herbs to the pan and thoroughly mix them through. Sprinkle with parmesan and serve.