Tom Saaristo Vegetable Lasagna with Fontina Parmesan Sauce

http://tomsaaristo.com

Vegetable Lasagna with Fontina Cheese-Parmesan Sauce

Make this lasagna with the vegetables you like and have on hand.

Combinations I've tried and liked: asparagus and mushrooms; zucchini and spinach; broccoli and carrot; eggplant and bell pepper.

4 cups cooked vegetables [choose two vegetable options, below]
4 1/2 Tablespoons unsalted butter
1 medium-large onion, chopped
1 1/2 Tablespoon plus 1/4 teaspoon coarse salt
15 oven-ready lasagna noodles
2 1/2 cups milk
1 cup canned chicken broth
6 garlic cloves, smashed with the side of a knife
5 Tablespoons flour
Freshly ground pepper, to taste
1 1/4 cups grated Parmesan cheese
1/2 pound Fontina cheese, grated [2 1/2 cups]

Heat 2 Tablespoons butter over medium-high heat in a large skillet. Add onion; cook until soft and golden brown, about 5 minutes. Set aside.

Mix 1 1/2 Tablespoons salt and 2 quarts very hot tap water in a 13-by-9-inch lasagna pan. Add noodles and soak until soft and pliable, 10 minutes. Drain and stack loosely. [Noodles tend to stick together as they dry, but pull apart easily].

Make Creamy Parmesan Sauce
Slowly heat milk, broth and garlic in a medium saucepan over medium-low heat until steaming hot, about 8 minutes. Fish out garlic; discard.

Melt 2 1/2 Tablespoons butter over medium heat in a large saucepan; when foaming subsides, whisk in flour and continue to cook, whisking constantly, until well blended. Pour in milk mixture all at once and whisk vigorously until sauce is smooth and starts to bubble and thicken. Stir in 1/2
cup Parmesan, 1/4 teaspoon salt and pepper to taste. Remove from heat; place plastic wrap directly on the sauce's surface.

Adjust rack to upper-middle position and heat oven to 425 degrees. Smear 1/4 cup of the sauce over bottom of baking dish. Assemble the next 4 layers in the following order: 3 noodles, 2/3 cup sauce, 1/4 of the onions, 1/2 of one of the cooked vegetables [alternating each layer], 1/2 cup Fontina and 2 Tbs. Parmesan. Assemble final layer with remaining noodles, sauce and cheeses.

Seal with foil and bake until bubbly, about 35 minutes. Remove foil, then broil until cheese is spotty brown, 5-7 minutes longer. Let stand 10-15 minutes before serving.

Vegetable Options

Steam-Sautéed Veggies
1 pound of one of the following:
thin asparagus cut into 1-inch pieces,
OR cauliflower, cut into medium florets,
OR broccoli, cut into florets, stalks peeled and cut into 1/4-inch-thick coins,
OR carrots, peeled and sliced into 1/4-inch-thick coins,
OR spinach, rinsed and tough stems removed
2 garlic cloves, peeled and minced
2 teaspoons unsalted butter
1/2 teaspoon coarse salt

If only thick asparagus are available, halve them lengthwise before cutting into pieces. To perk up cauliflower, add 1/4 teaspoon dried basil to the pan.

Place selected vegetable, 1/3 cup water [leave out water if cooking spinach], garlic, butter and salt in a large deep skillet or Dutch oven.

Set pan lid ajar and cook over high heat until steam starts to vent. Cover pan and steam until vegetables are brightly colored and just tender, 3-4 minutes. Remove lid and continue to cook until water evaporates. Turn vegetables onto a plate; set aside. So that broccoli and cauliflower lie flat, cut the florets into thick slices before assembling the lasagna. Makes about 2 cups.

Sautéed Veggies
1 Tablespoon olive oil
1 pound domestic white or cremini mushrooms, rinsed and sliced,
OR yellow or red peppers, seeded and cut into 1/4-inch strips
Salt, to taste
2 garlic cloves, peeled and minced

Heat oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. When oil starts to shimmer, add vegetables
and a sprinkling of salt; cook, stirring often, until soft and liquid evaporates, 5-7 minutes.
Stir in garlic and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Turn onto a plate and set aside.
Makes about 2 cups.

Broiled Veggies
1 pound eggplant,
OR zucchini,
OR yellow squash, trimmed
and sliced into 1/3-inch-thick rounds
1 to 2 Tablespoon olive oil
coarse salt
2 minced garlic cloves
1/4 teaspoon dried basil

Adjust oven rack to highest position and preheat broiler. Lightly brush both sides of vegetables with oil and sprinkle with salt. Broil, turning once until spotty brown on each side, 7-10 minutes. Toss with garlic and basil, and set aside.

Makes about 2 cups