Thursday, August 13, 2009

Recipe: Seafood Lasagna...

I got an e-mail request to post up my recipe for "Seafood Lasagna", so I figured I would take this opportunity to do so (since there just plain ISN'T a whole lot to post about today). Stayed tuned later on too, because I have a couple cool things to share with you (if I can find them :-).

I took the original recipe for "Seafood Lasagna" out of "1000 Best Recipes" (Bay Books, Millers Point, Australia. 2006.) I then took the recipe and messed with it a bit. So, here's the skinny...

You'll need 1 8X8 baking pan and one oven preheated to 350 degrees

1 package no-boil lasagna sheets
(you won't use the entire box...probably only about half, but since you can't BUY a half a box of lasagna noodles...you get the idea)
1 lb (about) 51-60 ct. shrimp, cooked in a solution of salt and sugar (I usually use plenty of water and about 1/2 cup sugar and salt) for about 3 minutes or until pink and then de-shell (if you have tail on shrimp like I had)

If you have them you can also use scallops and fish fillets or a mixture of all three (I put a little bit of fish in that I had left over in the fridge with the shrimp I had left over)
4 0z of butter
1 sm. onion, minced (I used a couple handfulls of frozen minced onions...I have VERY small hands)
2/3 cup plain flour
2 cups milk
2 cups dry white wine (I used Vermouth because I didn't have any white cooking wine left...I usually use the cheap 3.00 a bottle wine that you get at the liquor store...I've never had cheap wine not taste good in cooking)
1 container Ricotta Cheese
1/2 cup cooked drained and squeezed spinach to get it super dry
1 cup grated cheddar
1 to 2 cups grated Mozarella Cheese
3/4 Grated Parmesan Cheese
2 teaspoons "Old Bay" seasoning
1 tablespoon chicken grill seasoning (I used "Montreal Chicken by McCormick" :-)
2 tabelspoons fresh parsley, chopped

Directions:

Melt butter in large pan and cook the onion until transparent (about 1 to 2 minutes). Add flour and cook,stirring for 1 minute. Remove from heat and SLOWLY add in the milk and wine with whisk until smooth. Return to medium heat, add Old Bay and grill seasoning, and stir constantly until the sauce boils and thickens. Reduce heat and simmer 3 to 5 minutes or until sauce reaches "thick sauce" consistancy. Stir in cheddar cheese, about 1/4 cup of the parmesan cheese and seafood. Taste and season to taste and simmer for 1 additional minute (to blend flavors).

And now to the layers.

1st layer
1. Spoon a little bit of sauce onto bottom of the pan. You want this layer sort of thin...it is just to keep the noodles from sticking later
2. Put down a layer of lasagna noodles. Remember to not pack tightly so that the sauce can work around the noodles
3. Spread a thin layer of Ricotta Cheese on top of the noodles with a spoon.
4. Spread a thin layer of spinach on top of the cheese (don't overdo it or you'll end up with a lasagna that tastes like spinach. I do this just to sneak some added nutrition into the dish)
5. Sprinkle parmesan cheese over spinach and Ricotta Cheese
6. Put down a layer of sauce over everything. And then put down LOADS of mozzarella cheese over everything (I use tons of this because I LOVE cheesy lasagna). I even mixed some cheddar cheese in with the mozzarella for a little added "bite".

2nd layer
1. Put down a layer of lasagna noodles. Remember to not pack tightly so that the sauce can work around the noodles
2. Spread a thin layer of Ricotta Cheese on top of the noodles with a spoon.
3. Spread a thin layer of spinach on top of the cheese (don't overdo it or you'll end up with a lasagna that tastes like spinach. I do this just to sneak some added nutrition into the dish)
4. Sprinkle parmesan cheese over spinach and Ricotta Cheese
5. Put down a layer of sauce over everything. And then put down LOADS of mozzarella cheese over everything.

3rd Layer

1. Put down a layer of noodles (you're probably getting darn close to the top of the pan by this point).
2. At this point I usually just take some sauce, mix some Ricotta Cheese and Parmesan Cheese in with the sauce and put it on top of the noodles to save time and space
3. Put a layer of mozzarella cheese over everything


Put the baking dish onto a sheet pan lined with alluminum foil to protect from spills/boil overs in the oven. Cover with alluminum foil LOOSELY (you don't want the foil sticking to the cheese) and put in 350 degree oven for an hour or until everthing is bubbly. Take off foil and bake an additional 10 to 15 minutes to brown the top a bit.

Take out of oven, sprinkle Parsley on top for garnish, let sit at LEAST 10 minutes before cutting to allow to set a bit. And enjoy!

This turned out pretty good I have to say, although BOY is it rich! So, use moderation in your piece size :-).

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