Tuesday, October 07, 2008

The Most Luscious Lasagna

This is worlds away from a typical American lasagna--just a little tomato, and almost no cheese. But if you have the time and inclination, this lasagna will Knock Your Socks Off. For a fact.

The recipe comes from the Mitford Cookbook and Kitchen Reader, which is full of good things.

*Cynthia's Lasagna*

To make the tomato sauce:
Brown 6 strips of bacon, chopped.
When crisp, add 1 3/4 lb. ground round to pot and cook until browned.

Add:
1 1/2 c. chopped onion
1 c. chopped green peppers
2 finely chopped carrrots
1 c. finely chopped celery
3 cloves minced garlic
and saute for about 8 minutes.

Add:
1 c. white wine and cook until mostly evaporated.

Add:
1 14-ounce can diced tomatoes, and simmer for two hours. Sauce will dry up and become thick.

Stir in 1/2 c. cream,
2 t. salt and
1 t. pepper.

While all that is going on, cook:
1 pound lasagna noodles.

And make the bechamel sauce by:
melting 7 T. butter
then stirring in 7 T. flour, and stirring until mixture is smooth.
Slowly whisk in:
4 c. milk, and stir until bubbling and smooth. Don't burn it!
Take off heat and add:
1 t. salt
1 t. Cajun seasoning, and
1/2 t. nutmeg.

Okay, when you're ready to assemble the lasagna, Pam a 13 x 9 baking dish and preheat the oven to 350. Spoon 1 c. of the meat sauce into the dish, and top with a single layer fresh spinach leaves. Cover with a layer of noodles, then do a layer of bechamel, and sprinkle with part of 1 c. of Parmesan cheese. Keep repeating the layers of sauce, spinach, noodles, bechamel, cheese, until you've used up your ingredients--but make sure to end up with bechamel sauce and a last sprinkling of Parmesan. Cover with foil and bake for 45 minutes. Uncover and keeping baking for 15 minutes, then let stand for 10 minutes. Serves about 12.

This is one of those wonderful recipes that takes the most ordinary ingredients, and with imagination and care, makes something really unusual and delicious.

15 comments:

Amy said...

This sounds fabulous! I really like the Mitford series of books. I have always wanted to try the famous orange marmalade cake. Is that recipe in the book too? :)

Amy

Tracy said...

That sounds like a very fine lasagna. Thanks for the recipe. I'm thinking my family should become guinea pigs again for me, sometime very soon!

Anonymous said...

Tyler Florence's cooking show recently showcased a Brooklyn diner's lasagana, with bechamel, sounds very similar.

I love that Mitford cookbook. My SIL received it for Christmas one year and as soon as I could pry it out of her hands read the entire thing in one sitting!

deb meyers

Anonymous said...

love this cookbook--it sells new at amazon for only $7.99 right now. I've gotten some for family/friends at that price.

thanks for sharing anna, as always-
jodi

Joy said...

I just started reading the Mitford series (I don't know why- they are delightful!) I'll have to find the cookbook...this sounds delightfully yummy!

Chas said...

I believe I might have to try this tonight!
Thanks so much for the lovely recipe.
Love,
Chas

http://www.homesteadblogger.com/chas

Anonymous said...

Oh that sounds so good. I have never heard of the Mitford series but with all the hype everyone gave them Im going to have to locate one!

Sarah said...

I have the cookbook on my counter--none of the recipes I've tried from there so far have failed, and you're right, that's a delicious lasagna!

Happy fall to you, Anna!

Hopewell said...

I truly LOVE that cookbook! The vanilla muffins are my favorite in the world! This lasagna will be on my list to try!

Unknown said...

That is one of my favorite cookbooks. I'll have to try the lasagna this weekend. It sounds delicious.

Siân said...

Love, love, love Mitford! Great book and great recipes.

Sarah said...

Oooh, that sounds yummy! Especially with the bacon!

Sandy said...

Oh, how I LOVE Mitford.......

BankingPennies said...

I am printing it off. Thanks so much!

Anonymous said...

Dee from Tennessee

LOVE Mitford....wish my hubby and I could live in a "Mitford" with Father Tim and the all the rest..esp. Uncle Billy!

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