Spring Lasagna With Carrots Peas And Asparagus Recipes

3-CHEESE ASPARAGUS LASAGNA

Steps:

• Bend asparagus spears gently to snap off tough end.
• Cut tender parts into 1" pieces.
• Wash under cold running water.
• Shake off excess water and place in microwaveable container.
• Microwave on HI for 3 minutes (alternately, cook in boiling water for 3 minutes).
• Drain and rinse under cold water, drain again.
• Set aside 1 1/2 cups asparagus tips.
• In saucepan, melt butter over medium heat.
• Gradually whisk in flour and cook, stirring constantly, for 1 minute.
• Whisk in milk and stirring constantly, cook for 10 minutes or until thickened.
• Remove from heat.
• Stir in cream cheese, lemon rind, lemon juice, salt, pepper and nutmeg until cheese is melted.
• Meanwhile, cook noodles in boiling water until tender (about 10 minutes).
• Place 3 noodles in a 13x9 baking dish.
• Spread with one cup sauce, then 1/4 of the asparagus (not including reserved tips), then 1/4 of the mozzarella.
• Repeat layers 3 more times then top with final layer of noodles and sauce.
• Sprinkle with Parmesan cheese.
• Bake in preheated 375 degree oven for 35-40 minutes or until bubbling and golden.
• Sprinkle reserved asparagus tips over top.
• Bake for an additional 5 minutes.
• Let sit for 10 minutes before serving.

ASPARAGUS LASAGNA

Steps:

• Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil over high heat. Add 1 teaspoon olive oil. Add the pasta and cook until tender but still firm to the bite, stirring occasionally, about 8 to 10 minutes for dried pasta or 2 to 3 minutes for fresh pasta. Drain pasta.
• In a food processor combine the sun-dried tomatoes and basil. Pulse until the mixture is combined. Transfer to a small bowl. Stir in 1/2 cup Parmesan. Set aside.
• In a large skillet brown the pancetta until crisp. Remove from the pan using a slotted spoon. Add 1 tablespoon olive oil, onion, and garlic and cook until tender, about 4 minutes. Add asparagus and cook until tender, about 4 minutes. Transfer the mixture to a large bowl. Add the ricotta, salt, and pepper and stir to combine.
• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. In a 9 by 13-inch baking dish sprinkle some of the sun-dried tomato mixture on the bottom of the casserole dish. Place some lasagna sheets, then half asparagus mixture. Next sprinkle some mozzarella cheese and some of the remaining 3/4 cup Parmesan. Continue for 1 more layer. Top with lasagna sheets, some sun-dried tomato mixture, mozzarella, and Parmesan. Dot the top with butter. Bake until the ingredients are warm and the cheese is melted, about 25 minutes.

SPRING VEGETABLE LASAGNA WITH HERBED CREAM

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 400°; coat a 13 x 9 inch baking dish with cooking spray.
• In a big pot of salted, boiling water, cook the lasagna noodles-10 minutes for dried or 2-3 minutes for fresh.
• Remove from water, rinse under cold water, drain, and set aside on paper towels to dry.
• Vegetable filling: melt 1 tablespoon butter and 1 tablespoon olive oil in a big skillet over medium-high heat.
• Saute zucchini, asparagus, fennel, onion, carrot, and garlic until tender and just beginning to color, about 15 minutes.
• Add in mushrooms and radicchio; combine and cook until wilted, about 3 minutes.
• Season with salt and pepper; remove from heat and transfer to a platter.
• In the same skillet, heat the remaining butter and oil; add in the baby spinach, stirring to heat and wilt, about 2 minutes.
• Remove from heat and transfer to platter.
• Risotto: Melt butter and olive oil in a medium skillet over med-high heat.
• Add in the rice, coating it with butter and oil, stirring constantly to lightly brown, about 5 minutes.
• Add in the wine and incorporate; cook until all the wine has evaporated, about 5 minutes.
• Begin adding chicken stock to pan ½ cup at a time; between additions of stock, cook until it has evaporated, stirring periodically to combine.
• The rice will begin to plump up and become tender.
• Continue this process of adding stock and cooking until all the stock has been used up.
• At this time, the risotto should have almost tripled in volume and be very fluffy and tender with a creamy consistency, if not, continue to add water or stock until a creamy consistency is reached.
• Remove from heat and transfer it to a bowl; add in the parsley, Parmigiano-Reggiano, and goat cheese; stir to combine and melt cheeses.
• Add in salt and pepper to taste; set aside to cool.
• Herbed Cream: melt butter in a medium-size saucepan over med-high heat.
• Add in flour; whisk to combine; whisk continuously, cooking flour to a golden brown color.
• Combine the wine and stock together in a bowl; add the liquid slowly to prevent lumps; be careful of the steam that will rise from the pan at the initial addition of the liquid.
• After the addition of the wine/stock mixture, add the basil, tarragon, chives, fennel tops, and orange zest; stir to combine.
• Decrease heat to medium and continue cooking for about 2 minutes.
• Add in the cream and simmer for 5 minutes; season with salt and pepper; remove from the heat.
• Assemble lasagna: begin with about 1 cup of herbed cream on the bottom of the baking dish; top with three sheets of noodles, then layer with half of the spinach, then half of the vegetable mixture.
• Top the vegetables with 1 cup herbed cream, and add one third of the mozzarella cheese; repeat with three more pasta noodles.
• Add all of the risotto mixture in an even layer (if the risotto appears too dry after cooling, add about ¼ cup heavy cream or milk to it to moisten it).
• Top the risotto with another layer of three noodles.
• Layer with all the remaining spinach, remaining vegetable mixture, about 1 cup herbed cream, and one third of fresh mozzarella.
• Top with the last three noodles, then add the remaining herbed cream, finishing with the remaining mozzarella.
• Bake uncovered for 30 minutes or until the top is bubbling and golden brown (you will probably need to pour yourself a drink at this point. to celebrate the conclusion of this labor-intensive dish).
• Remove from oven and let rest for 10 minutes before cutting to serve.

SPRING LASAGNA WITH CARROTS, PEAS, AND ASPARAGUS

Steps:

• Position oven rack in center of oven; preheat oven to 350°.
• Make the sauce: heat a large pan over medium heat, add in butter and olive oil; when butter has almost melted, add the onion; cook, stirring often, until translucent, about 3 minutes.
• Add in garlic; cook, stirring constantly, until aromatic, about 15 seconds.
• Pour in the tomatoes and their juice along with the peas and carrots; stir well and bring mixture to a simmer.
• Stir in the thyme, salt, pepper, and nutmeg; simmer just to blend the flavors and boil off a lot of the liquid, about 10 minutes.
• You don't want sauce as thick as ragu-more like a loose tomato sauce but beware of a watery sauce.
• Remove pan from heat and set aside.
• Cheese filling: whisk the ricotta, eggs, and lemon zest in a big bowl; do not beat-the ricotta should not turn watery.
• Prepare asparagus: trim off any beige or woody ends; shave off the outer skin to ensure that the spears will be tender after they are baked.
• If you asparagus is not pencil thin, shave down the spears with a vegetable peeler.
• Assemble the lasagna in a 13 x 9 inch baking pan as follows: 1 cup tomato sauce spread across the bottom of the pan; 3 no-boil noodles; 1 ½ cups tomato sauce; half the cheese filling (use a rubber spatula to spread it evenly); half the asparagus spears (lay them tip to root in alternating directions); 3 more no-boil noodles; 1 ½ cups tomato sauce, the remaining cheese filling, the remaining asparagus spears, the remaining noodles, and finally the remaining tomato sauce.
• Cover pan with a layer of parchment paper, then a layer of foil.
• Bake for 35 minutes, then uncover the pan and continue baking until bubbling and gooey, about 10 minutes.
• Let rest for 5-10 minutes before serving.