Grilled Vegetable Lasagna

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* Exported from MasterCook *

 

Grilled Vegetable Lasagna

 

Recipe By :

Serving Size : 4 Preparation Time :0:00

Categories :

 

Amount Measure Ingredient -- Preparation Method

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4 cups Hearty Tomato Sauce

1 pound dried lasagna noodles

2 medium eggplants

2 zucchini

1/4 teaspoon salt

4 cups packed Swiss chard leaves

12 ounces tree oyster mushrooms or button mushrooms

3 tablespoons olive oil

1/2 cup shredded basil leaves

2 cups low-fat ricotta cheese OR

Tofu " Cottage Cheese "

6 ounces mild goat cheese -- crumbled

2 cups grated mozzarella or soy Monterey Jack

 

Yield: 4 servings * Prep Time: 30 minutes * Cooking Time: 30 minutes

 

This elegant grilled-vegetable lasagna is served free-form, so assemble and bake

it just before serving. For a nondairy version, omit the goat cheese, then use

tofu " cottage cheese " (page 172) and soy Monterey Jack cheese.

1. Prepare the tomato sauce according to directions on page 174. In the final

step, cook the sauce for 2 1/2 hours so that it is quite thick. The sauce may be

prepared up to 5 days in advance if refrigerated in an airtight container. It

can be frozen for up to 3 months.

 

2. Bring 4 quarts of water to a rolling boil. Add the pasta quickly, but very

carefully, so that the pieces do not stick to the bottom or sides of the pan.

Cook stirring very gently once or twice, until the pasta is just beginning to

get tender (it finishes cooking in the oven). Immediately drain the noodles,

transferring them carefully into the strainer to avoid breaking them.

Immediately plunge the noodles into a bowl of cold water and allow them to rest

until you are ready to assemble the lasagna.

 

3. Peel and discard the stem ends and skin from the eggplants. Slice the

eggplant into 1-inch rounds, then place these on a clean kitchen towel. Slice

the zucchini into 1/2-inch rounds and place them on another, towel. Sprinkle

these vegetables with salt and allow them to " sweat " for 20 minutes. Meanwhile,

place the chard in the top of a steamer over rapidly boiling water and cook

until soft, about 5 minutes. Transfer immediately to a strainer and run cold

water over the chard to stop its cooking. When it is cool enough to handle,

squeeze as much excess water out of it as you can, then chop it roughly.

 

4. Cut the tree oyster mushrooms into 1-inch pieces. (If using button mushrooms,

slice them into 1/2-inch-thick pieces.) Preheat the broiler to high. Brush the

eggplant, zucchini, and mushrooms with oil and place them in a single layer on a

lightly oiled baking sheet about 3 inches from the heat. Cook, turning once and

brushing again with oil, until lightly browned and softened, about 5 minutes.

You will probably need to cook the vegetables in several batches, unless you

have an exceptionally large broiler. As each vegetable is cooked, remove it to

the work surface.

 

5. To assemble the lasagna, lift the noodles from their soaking water and place

them on a clean kitchen towel, then pat dry. Place a thin layer of sauce in four

3- by 5-inch areas on a shallow baking sheet. Cut each noodle in half so that it

is a short rectangle. Lay two pieces of lasagna, slightly overlapping, to form a

square on each pool of sauce. Spoon about 3 tablespoons of sauce onto each set

of noodles then divide the zucchini and mushrooms among the 4 pieces of pasta,

arranging them in an even layer on each. Top this with another 2 tablespoons of

sauce and

divide the ricotta among the stacks. Place a second piece of pasta over this and

repeat the layers, using the eggplant and chard instead of the zucchini and

mushrooms. In this layer replace the ricotta with the goat cheese and 1/2 cup of

the mozzarella. Top each lasagna with a third piece of pasta, spoon 1/4 cup of

sauce over each, and top with the remaining mozzarella.

 

6. Preheat the oven to 450F. Place the lasagna on the center rack and bake until

the edges of the pasta are just beginning to crisp and the cheese is fully

melted, about 12 minutes. Meanwhile, heat the remaining sauce until piping hot.

Ladle about 1/3 cup of sauce on 4 individual serving plates. Using 2 metal

spatulas or palette knives, transfer the cooked lasagna squares to the plates.

Sprinkle with basil and serve immediately.

 

Variation

 

1. Replace the zucchini with 1/4 pound fresh morel mushrooms (broil them with

the button mushrooms). Sprinkle 1/4 cup toasted pine nuts over the mushrooms

when layering them into the lasagna.

 

 

 

Source:

" ISBN 0-89594-738-2 "

 

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Per Serving (excluding unknown items): 564 Calories; 26g Fat (38.6% calories

from fat); 25g Protein; 68g Carbohydrate; 18g Dietary Fiber; 0mg Cholesterol;

1953mg Sodium. Exchanges: 1/2 Grain(Starch); 3 Lean Meat; 11 Vegetable; 0

Fruit; 4 Fat; 1/2 Other Carbohydrates.

 

 

Nutr. Assoc. : 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0

 

 

* Exported from MasterCook *

 

Hearty Tomato Sauce

 

Recipe By :

Serving Size : 0 Preparation Time :0:00

Categories :

 

Amount Measure Ingredient -- Preparation Method

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2 tablespoons olive oil

1 1/2 cups diced red onion

3/4 cup diced carrot

1/2 cup diced celery

3/4 cup diced green peppers

8 ounces mushrooms -- chopped

3 tablespoons dry red wine

1 cup Porcini Stock -- or water

2 cans plum tomatoes -- (20-ounce each)

2 tablespoons tomato paste

4 cloves garlic -- sliced

1/4 ounce dried porcini -- softened in hot water

1/2 teaspoon dried thyme

1 1/4 teaspoons dried oregano

6 sprigs fresh parsley

1/4 teaspoon dried marjoram

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon black pepper

1 tablespoon honey

1/2 cup fresh basil -- (packed)

 

Yield: 3 quarts 9 Prep Time: 20 minutes * Cooking Time: 3 to 4 hours

 

This thick and rich tomato sauce is ideal for lasagna (page 118). It also makes

an excellent all-purpose sauce for simple pasta and cheese dishes. In addition,

this sauce can be used as an accompaniment to broiled tofu or tempeh that has

been marinated in a light marinade. As with many longcooking tomato-based

sauces, this one matures in flavor if it is simmered slowly, then left

refrigerated for a day or so before being used.

 

1. In a large Dutch oven or stockpot, heat the oil over high heat until hot, but

not smoking. Add the onion and cook, stirring constantly, until all pieces of

onion glisten with a coating of oil. Reduce the heat to medium low and continue

to cook, stirring often, until the onion is translucent, about 10 minutes. Add

the carrot and celery and continue to cook, stirring frequently until the celery

just begins to soften, about 20 minutes. Stir in the green pepper and continue

to cook, stirring often, until it has released its fragrance and it too has

begun to soften, about 8 minutes. Now add the mushrooms and cook, stirring very

frequently, until the mushrooms are soft, about 8 minutes.

 

2. Increase the heat to high and, while stirring, add the wine. It will sizzle

and release the aroma of alcohol, then the sizzling will subside. At this point,

add the stock, tomatoes, tomato paste, garlic, thyme, oregano, parsley,

marjoram, salt, pepper, honey, and 6 basil leaves. Break the tomatoes into small

chunks as you stir and allow the sauce to come to a boil. Cook the sauce for 10

minutes on high, stirring often, then reduce to a simmer and cook, partially

covered and stirring occasionally, for 3 to 4 hours.

 

3. Once the sauce has thickened to the desired consistency, remove it from the

heat. Chop the remaining basil and stir it into the sauce. Allow it to cool,

then refrigerate, in an airtight container, for at least 24 hours. The sauce can

also be used immediately, though it improves in flavor when cooked ahead. It can

be frozen, in an airtight container, for up to 3 months.

 

Variations

 

1. Omit the basil and add 1 tablespoon dried rosemary along with the thyme.

 

2. Additional spices such as red pepper flakes, minced garlic (stirred at the

end of cooking), lemon zest, or 1 teaspoon of cinnamon add interesting twists to

the sauce.

 

3. Stir tofu " feta " (page 173) or tofu " sausage " (page 166) into the sauce for

the last 30 minutes of simmering.

 

 

 

Source:

" ISBN 0-89594-738-2 "

 

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

 

Per Serving (excluding unknown items): 1088 Calories; 34g Fat (26.0% calories

from fat); 36g Protein; 182g Carbohydrate; 42g Dietary Fiber; 0mg Cholesterol;

5054mg Sodium. Exchanges: 0 Grain(Starch); 31 Vegetable; 5 1/2 Fat; 1 Other

Carbohydrates.

 

 

Nutr. Assoc. : 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0

 

 

* Exported from MasterCook *

 

Tofu " Cottage Cheese "

 

Recipe By :

Serving Size : 0 Preparation Time :0:00

Categories :

 

Amount Measure Ingredient -- Preparation Method

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1 pound firm tofu

10 ounces soft silken tofu

1 tablespoon lemon juice

1 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon brewer's yeast -- (optional)

 

Yield: 2 3/4 cups * Prep Time: 5 minutes * Cooking Time: 7 minutes

 

This cheese alternative is remarkably similar to true cottage cheese, especially

after it has been left to mature overnight. It works well in lasagna and other

baked dishes in which ricotta or cottage cheese is often used and is also quite

nice as is.

 

1. Drain the firm tofu and place it in a mixing bowl. With the back of a fork,

mash the tofu into small pearl-shaped pieces. Line the steaming rack of a

steamer with cheesecloth or a loosely woven dish towel and place the tofu in the

rack. Place it over, not touching, rapidly boiling water and steam for 7

minutes. Transfer the tofu to a clean kitchen towel, fold the towel over and

press the tofu to extract as much liquid as possible, then return it to the

mixing bowl.

 

2. Drain the silken tofu and place it in a blender or food processor fitted with

the metal chopping blade. Puree this until absolutely smooth, scraping down the

sides of the beaker as necessary. Pour the pureed silken tofu over the cooked

tofu. Add the lemon juice, salt, and brewer's yeast. Mix well, then cover with

plastic wrap and leave at room temperature overnight to ripen. The tofu mixture

should sour slightly. Transfer to a storage container, cover tightly, and

refrigerate for up to 5 days.

 

Source:

" ISBN 0-89594-738-2 "

Yield:

" 2 3/4 cups "

 

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Per Serving (excluding unknown items): 518 Calories; 28g Fat (45.5% calories

from fat); 51g Protein; 24g Carbohydrate; 3g Dietary Fiber; 0mg Cholesterol;

2185mg Sodium. Exchanges: 1 Grain(Starch); 11 1/2 Lean Meat; 0 Fruit; 2 1/2

Fat; 1/2 Other Carbohydrates.

 

 

Nutr. Assoc. : 0 0 0 0 0