Lite Lasagna, a Bake, a Skillet, and a Balsamic-Strawberry Tart

This post will have to hold you until Sally and I get back from vacation -- 3 days in Iceland and 2 weeks in Scotland.  

My next post should be September 18th, with lots of exotic foods to share!

No-Pasta Lasagna

A lighter take on the Italian classic. Using a white sauce here reminds me a lot of the Greek Pastitsio which I've shared with you in the past. This recipe is from the British version of Better Homes and Gardens magazine, and I've translated the measures and ingredients from British to American for you...

2 Zucchini, thinly sliced lengthways

1 large Eggplant, thinly sliced lengthways

1 tsp Olive Oil

1 Onion, finely chopped

2 cloves Garlic, finely chopped

3/4 lb extra lean Ground Beef, or bulk Pork Sausage

8 oz Mushrooms, roughly chopped

1 can drained Diced Tomatoes, or 3-4 fresh tomatoes, diced

1 cup “other vegetables of choice” I had half a cup each of cooked chopped spinach, and frozen peas

1 Tbsp Tomato Purée

1 Tbsp Italian Seasoning mix

1 Tbsp Worcestershire sauce

3 Tbsp Flour

3 Tbsp Butter

2 cups Whole Milk

White Pepper to taste

4 oz Mozzarella cheese, sliced

Turn your Broiler on High.

Eggplant and zucchini substitute for the lasagna noodles.  A mandolin is the perfect tool to create thin slices of zucchini and eggplant, unless your knife skills are better than mine!

Lay the thin slices in a single layer on baking trays. Add a dash of Italian seasoning, then broil (in batches if necessary) until just cooked through -- 2-3 min. Set aside on paper towels to remove excess moisture. Reserve.

Preheat the oven to 450°F.

In a large skillet over medium heat; fry the onion in a splash of oil until soft. Add garlic and ground meat and cook until mostly browned. Now add the mushrooms and cook for another 5 minutes.

Add the tomatoes, tomato purée, other veggies and Worcestershire Sauce. Bring to boil; simmer for 15-20 minutes, stirring to prevent sticking. When the mixture is fairly “dry”, remove from the heat and set aside.

While that's simmering, make the white sauce in a small pan. Melt the butter, add the flour while whisking, and cook for a couple minutes to get rid of the floury taste. Slowly whisk in the milk and season with white pepper. Bring to boil, whisking constantly until the mixture thickens.

Now it's time to “layer up”. Spoon half the meat/veg mixture into an 8x12 ovenproof dish; top with half the eggplant/zucchini slices in an even layer. Next spoon on half the white sauce and spread it around; then lay on half the mozzarella slices ripped into about 2” squares. Repeat with the remaining meat, veg slices, sauce and cheese.

Bake for 45 min or until piping hot and golden.

Eggplant Tomato Bake

From the 12 Tomatoes website, I borrowed this simple, very tasty vegetarian dish. You could add meat, but you really don't need it.

1 large Eggplant, peeled and cubed

2-3 large Tomatoes, sliced 1/4” thick

1 Sweet Onion, sliced thin

1 Green Bell Pepper, sliced thin

1 cup Milk (to make the dish richer, use Half & Half

1 cup shredded Cheddar Cheese (we like tangy White Cheddar)

4 large Eggs

2 tsp dried thyme

Salt & pepper to taste

1-2 tsp Cavender's spice blend tm

Preheat oven to 400 F and lightly spray an 8x8 baking dish.

In a skillet over medium heat, using a splash of EVOO saute the onion, bell pepper and eggplant, spicing with the Cavender's. Cook until the eggplant is tender and the onions translucent. Spread the mixture in the baking dish.

In a bowl, whisk together the eggs and milk, then add the cheese, thyme, salt & pepper and stir to combine. Pour the mixture over the eggplant in the baking dish.

Flatten the contents of the baking dish, and top with 9 slices of tomato. Bake for 45 minutes until the eggs are set and the top is nicely browned. 

 Rest for at least 10 minutes before slicing and serving.

Garbanzo-Lentil Skillet

I don't recall where I saw this originally, but it's certainly worth sharing. A simple, easy and tasty dinner or side dish. With the garbanzos adding a meaty 'tooth' to the dish, you don't miss meat in this dish either. Sally had me make a double batch to take for a couple work potlucks.

1-2 tsp Cumin

2 Tbsp each minced fresh Basil, Mint and Rosemary (or other fresh herbs)

2 cups cooked Lentils

2 cans Garbanzos, drained (or cook them from dried)

2 cans Fire Roasted Tomatoes

Simmer together everything but the lentils, while they cook (I used a rice cooker, but a pot on the stovetop works just as well). When cooked, add the lentils to the other ingredients and stir to combine. Continue cooking until the mixture is almost dry. 

 Serve over rice or by itself.

Strawberry-Balsamic Tart

We got a box of strawberries in last week's Co-op box, and I found this on a blog called She Wears Many Hats. Really, really simple – and oh so good! The balsamic-honey is the perfect balance to the sweet berries.

1 sheet of Puff Pastry, rolled out approximately 12x12"

16 oz Strawberries, sliced

2 Tbsp Balsamic Vinegar

3 Tbsp Honey

Preheat oven to 375°F.

Roll the puff pastry out about 12x12” on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Turn up the edges all the way around, pinch the corners to make them stand up and fold the edges over about 1/2”.

Spread sliced strawberries evenly across the puff pastry. 

 Whisk together the balsamic vinegar and honey. Brush the tops of strawberries with mixture. Bake for about 25 minutes or until pastry is slightly browned.

See you in September!

Rice Timbale, Salmon Wellington, Fried Squash, Banana Pudding

Sausage & Rice Timbale

This is a sort of simplified version of the Sartu di Riso recipe by Gina de Laurentis that I replicated and wrote about last year. 

I made this Timbale for our friend Doris who just returned home from several weeks of rehab after a bad fall; and a second one for another foodie friend recovering from surgery. This version uses a springform pan rather than a bundt cake pan, making it a lot easier to un-mold!

This is actually pretty simple and straightforward – make some rice. Make a meat & veg filling. Line the pan with a 1/2” layer of rice miture. Put the filling in the pan and cover with more rice. Bake, unmold and serve.

3 cups Arborio or Jasmine Rice (do not use long grain rice, you want short grain sticky rice here)

1 Onion, chopped

1 cup frozen Green Peas, thawed

1 lb bulk Italian sausage, Hot or Mild, your choice

1 Tbsp Italian Seasoning

2 cloves Garlic, minced

3-4 large Beefsteak tomatoes, diced

1/4 cup Breadcrumbs (if using Panko, crush it a bit finer)

4 large Eggs

1 cup grated Romano or Parmesan cheese (the stuff in the green can is just right)

Cook the rice in your usual manner (I use a rice cooker). Spread the cooked rice on a baking sheet to cool.

Preheat the oven to 450 degrees F and place a baking sheet on the middle rack.

To a large skillet over medium-high heat add a splash of EVOO, and the onion and cook until soft. Add the sausage and cook, breaking it up with a wooden spoon, until browned. Add the seasoning, garlic and tomatoes. Simmer, stirring occasionally, until it starts to thicken, 15 to 20 minutes. In the last 5 minutes, add the peas. Add a couple tablespoons of Panko, if needed, to soak up excess liquid.

Meanwhile, grease the bottom and sides of an 8-inch springform pan with butter. Coat the pan with the breadcrumbs, tapping to remove any excess. Put the eggs and cheese in a small bowl and beat with a fork. Put the cooled rice in a large bowl; add the egg mixture and stir to combine.

Transfer about two-thirds of the rice mixture to the prepared springform pan. Using moist fingers and a rice paddle or spatula, pat the rice onto the bottom and up the sides of the pan, forming a 1/2-inch-thick layer.

Spoon the sausage filling into the packed rice shell, filling it to 1/2 inch from the top of the pan, and smooth it out. Spread and pack the remaining rice mixture on top to totally enclose the filling.

Put the pan on the hot baking sheet and bake until golden, about 45 minutes. Transfer to a rack and let cool, 5 minutes.

Run a small knife around the edge of the pan to loosen the timbale, then remove the side of the pan. Slide a spatula under the timbale and transfer it to a platter, to serve. Slice into wedges and serve. 

 Can be eaten at room temperature, but it's better warmed up. Some people serve this with a side of a good marinara sauce.

Fried Yellow Squash

Boy! Talk about a trip down memory lane... I don't think I've had this dish in 50 years or more. That first taste brought back a real rush of childhood memories. My Mom always made these with the big, warty crook-neck yellow squash, but you don't see them any more – or at least no place I've lived in the last 50 years.

What we used to see

What we see today

 Simple recipe, the essence of summer cooking for me. A batch of fried squash, a couple ears of corn, and a pork chop – Good Eats in 1960s Northern Ohio!

Squash cut into 1/4” thick rounds

Flour – seasoned with blak pepper and a bit of paprika – divided in two dredging bowls

Oil for frying

1-2 Eggs, beaten, for dredging

Dredge squash rounds in flour, then egg, then flour again, and lay them out in the hot oil to fry! Fry and turn until both sides are GB&D! Sprinkle with a bit of Kosher salt and serve piping hot!

Salmon Wellingtons

Instead of one large Wellington, I made three individual ones for yesterday's Sunday Brunch.

3-4 pieces Wild Caught Salmon, 5oz each

2 sheets Puff Pastry

1 box frozen chopped, cooked Spinach

4 oz sliced Mushrooms

1 Egg, beaten, for egg wash

Pre-heat oven to 400 F.

Saute the mushrooms in a bit of butter. Skin the salmon pieces. Thaw the spinach, rinse and drain. Squeeze every drop of water out of the spinach that you possibly can. Thaw the puff pastry sheet and roll out the seams. Cut each sheet in half.

Lay down a bit of bench flour and roll out a half sheet of puff pastry so it's large enough to cover one of the salmon pieces. Top the salmon with a handful of spinach and some mushrooms.

Egg wash the edges, and fold the pastry over to totally enclose the salmon and toppings. Lay the packet seam side down on a baking sheet. Prick the top with a knife to allow steam to escape uring baking. Repeat with the other pieces of fish and toppings. 

 Since I was serving 3 dinners, I used the 4^th piece of pastry, a handful of raspberries and some diced mango, to make a quick-and-dirty fruit pie for later!

Bake for 30-35 minutes until the pastry is golden brown and delicious.

Banana Pudding

This simple version of a southern classic dessert is basically a kind of trifle. We've been getting a LOT of bananas from the SWFL Produce Co-Op, so it seemed like a good thing to make. You could do this with any of the vanilla flavored pudding mixes, but we like the taste of Bird's brand Custard which is an English product that can be found in your mega-mart's Ethnic section. A little goes a looooonnnggg way – 2 tablespoons of custard powder to a pint of milk!

4-6 large Bananas – ripe, but no over-ripe are best, IMHO

1 Box Nabisco brand Nilla Wafers tm (reserve 6-10 cookies for topping)

2 pints of Custard (4 Tbsp Bird's powder, 4 cups milk, follow package directions)

Real or fake Whipped Cream if desired

Sally wants you to know that she made the custard while I sliced bananas and arranged the layers in the bowl!

Spread a couple tablespoons of pudding around the bottom of your dish; then lay down a layer of the cookies. Top that with a layer of banana coins, and then a layer of pudding. Rinse and repeat with the available ingredients, finishing with pudding on the top.

Crumble the reserved cookies into powder and sprinkle it across the top pudding. 

Chill for 3 hours or so before serving. Top with whipped cream if desired, although I think that that is overkill!

Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner, Dessert all in one post

Breakfast

Omelette de Tartine

In French, “tartine” is a piece of toast with butter. This breakfast dish combines the omelette with the toast. Serves 2 or more with a side of fresh fruit.

2 or more slices of large bread

1/4 cup each, diced Bell Pepper, Green Onions, Ham, Mushrooms (your favorite omelette fillings)

2 or more Eggs beaten individually (one per slice of bread)

Shredded Cheese of your choice

Either leave the bread slices out over night to get “stale” and stiff, or toast them very lightly (not quite brown). Using the point of a knife, cut the center out of each slice, leaving a 1/2” rim and a complete center slab. Reserve the center slabs.

Melt a bit of butter in a skillet and start to fry the fillings. Slide the fillings off to the side, lay down the bread rings and start to fry them. Fill each ring flush with the cooked filling mixture.

Pour beaten egg into each ring, slowly, so it spreads throughout the filling. Wait a minute, then top with shredded cheese and the center slabs. Press lightly for a minute or so until the cheese melts a bit. Carefully flip the Omelettes de Tartine over and fry for a minute or two on the second side before plating and serving.

  Add a sauce or salsa if desired.  I used a bit of Costa Rican Lizano sauce which is similar to English Brown Sauce but a lot more available here in the States.

Lunch

Garbanzo – Lentil – Tomato Skillet

Make this simple dish for Meatless Monday dinner; serve leftovers for Tuesday or Wednesday lunch as well!

1-2 tsp Cumin

2 Tbsp each julienned Basil, Mint and Rosemary

2 cups cooked Lentils

2 cups cooked Garbanzos

2 cups diced fire roasted (broiled) Tomatoes (or use canned F-R tomatoes)

Chop fresh tomatoes (I used 5 large Beefsteaks), lay on a baking sheet and broil until you get significant blackening of the skins. Drain away the juices and reserve.

In a splash of EVOO, put the garbanzos, herbs and cumin, saute a few minutes to warm through. Now add the tomatoes and cook another couple minutes. Lastly, fold in the cooked lentils and simmer until the mixture is almost dry. Serves 4 or more with white rice.

Dinner

Seafood Newberg

I had half a pound of Stone Crab meat from the second dozen claws we were gifted, which isn't really enough to do much. So I added shrimp and firm white fish, and came up with this mixed seafood Caribbean version of the 1876 recipe for Lobster Newberg, created at Delmonico's in New York.

For the Sauce:

4 Tbsp Butter

3 Tbsp Flour

4-5 cups Half & Half

1/2cup Sherry

1/2tsp Hot Paprika

Pinch of Nutmeg

Make a blond roux with the butter and flour. Whisk in half the dairy, add the paprika and nutmeg. Keep whisking, and add the sherry and the rest of the dairy. Bring to a boil then reduce to a simmer. If sauce is too thick add more dairy as needed. Reserve.

In a skillet, heat the following seafood in butter until just heated through:

1/2 lb Stone Crab Meat

1/2 lb Corvina (Grouper or Snapper would also work) cut into 1” pieces

1/2 lb Gulf Pink Shrimp

1/4 Cup Melted Butter

1/2 tsp Hot Paprika

Gently fold the cooked seafood into the sauce, and serve over pasta with a vegetable side.

Dessert

Rhubarb-Mango Tart

I had some “leftover” rhubarb from a sausage skillet I made last week, and of course we still have mangoes I never thought of rhubarb and mango together until I came across this recipe. It's a darn tasty combination and a nice change from the usual strawberry-rhubarb pairing!

2 cups sliced Rhubarb

1 cup diced Mango

1/2 cup Sugar or Splenda tm

1-1/2 tsp Corn Starch

1-2 Tbsp minced fresh Ginger

Pre-made Pie Shell or make your own tart crust recipe

Preheat oven to 350F. Toss other ingredients together in a bowl; pour into the pie shell, and bake for 45 minutes or until crust is crisp and golden. 

 Top with julienned mint, whipped cream or vanilla ice cream.

Bison en Croute, Victoria Sponge Sandwich, Stuffed Acorn Squash,

Bison en Croute

I invented this dish about 4 years ago; time to revive it again! This time I made it for Sally's Mum's 82nd birthday dinner. Bison is naturally 97% fat free and a wonderful protein to work with – just don't over-cook it!

"En Croute, of course means "in pastry". The most famous meaty example is Beef Wellington, where a steak or roast is coated with pate and a duxelle of mushrooms, then wrapped in puff pastry and baked until GBD --- Golden, Brown and Delicious.

Normally you don't want to cook bison more than medium-rare; otherwise it turns into a “hockey puck”. But because I added onion, mushrooms and other moist ingredients; and cooked it "en croute", I was able to cook it a bit more and still keep the meat moist.

20 oz pkg Ground Bison

½ cup diced Crimini mushrooms

¼ cup Panko

1/3 cup diced Onion

1 Shallot, minced

½ tsp Liquid Smoke (hickory)

½ tsp Worcheshire Sauce

1 Egg, beaten, for the meat mixture

1 sheet Puff Pastry

1 Egg, beaten, for egg wash

Preheat oven to 400F. Set puff pastry aside to thaw.

In a large bowl, bring together the ground meat and other ingredients except the puff pastry and egg wash. Mix well (hands are always best for this). Form the mixture into a log.

Roll the thawed puff pastry out thin enough to cover the meat. Carefully place the mixture on the pastry, and pull the pastry up around and over the meat. Trim away excess pastry, and seal the overlapping edges with a brush of egg wash. Carefully place the wrapped meat, seam side down, on a lined baking sheet, and pierce the top of the pastry with a knife 3 times. Egg wash the top of the pastry to help get that golden hue.

Bake at 400F for 30 minutes and check for done-ness with a meat thermometer. When the interior temperature is 130-135F, remove the roll from the oven and allow it to rest 15 minutes to re-absorb the juices. 

Slice the roll into 1” rounds and serve with a dollop of mushroom gravy made from some Bistotm and leftover sauteed minced mushrooms.

Strawberry Victoria Sandwich

This is a classic English cake, named after Queen Victoria. Traditionally there are two layers with a jam and whipped cream filling between them, leaving the top unfrosted except for a dusting of confectioner's sugar. This version, from family friend Carmel, adds even more whipped cream on top and appropriate berries for garnish. 

 I got the basic ingredients and instructions from The Great British Bake Off cookbook and translated their measures and ingredients into American for you:

8oz (2 sticks) softened Unsalted Butter

8oz plain white Sugar

4 large Free-Range Eggs at room temp

1/2tsp Vanilla

1 cup sifted Self-Rising Flour

1 Tbsp Milk at room temp

Strawberry or Raspberry jam (not jelly)

Appropriate fresh berries, washed and hulled, perhaps halved

1 pint Heavy Whipping Cream

Preheat the oven to 350F. Break the eggs into a bowl, add the vanilla and beat lightly.

In a large mixing bowl, beat the softened butter for a minute until very smooth and creamy. Gradually beat in the sugar, and continue beating for another 3-4 minutes until the mixture turns almost white and is very fluffy, scraping down the bowl as needed.

Slowly add the beaten eggs, beating the mixture well between additions.

Sift the flour a second time, gently folding it into the mixture with a large metal spoon. Stop when there are no streaks of flour in the mix or bottom of the bowl.

Spoon the mixture equally between two 8-inch baking pans (bottoms covered with parchment paper), by eye or by weight. Spread the mixture evenly, right to the edges. Bake for 20-25 minutes until golden and the sponges are springy when gently pressed.

Rest the cakes for a minute, then run a knife around the edges to loosen the sponges. Turn out onto a wire rack to cool.

Set one sponge upside down on a plate, then spread the jam all over the top. Beat the cream into very stiff peaks then spread half of it on top of the jam.

Carefully place the second sponge, right side up, on top of the fillings, and top with the remaining whipped cream. Press the berries into the whipped topping and parade the cake for your guests.

Store air-tight, and eat within five days. Betcha can't make it last that long...

Turkey Sausage Stuffed Acorn Squash

Here's a recipe that would go well on the Blood Sugar Diet. Very filling, yet each serving is only 376 calories, 17 g fat, 4 g saturated fat, 47 g carbohydrate, 7 g fiber, 17 g protein! Serves 2.

1 Acorn Squash, halved and seeded

4oz bulk Italian Turkey Sausage, hot or mild

1/4 tsp Kosher Salt

1/8 tsp Black Pepper

1 Leek, white part only, halved and sliced

1 clove Garlic, minced

2 cups packed Baby Kale

1/4 cup reduced-or-no sodium Chicken Broth

1/4 cup chopped Walnuts

2 Tbsp Parmesan cheese

2 Tbsp Panko

Preheat oven to 375°.

Cut a thin slice off of the round side of each squash half to create a stable base. Sprinkle with salt and pepper; coat with cooking spray. Place squash flesh side down on a baking sheet lined with aluminum foil; bake until golden and tender, 30 minutes. Remove from oven; flip over squash and set aside.

While the squash is baking... Heat a glug of EVOO in a skillet and cook the sausage, breaking it apart as it browns. Transfer to a bowl.

To same skillet, add another splash of oil cook the leek until it is soft. Add the garlic and cook 30 seconds more. Now add the and toss; add broth. Cover and cook until the kale is wilted. Stir in the sausage. Divide kale-sausage filling between the squash halves.

In a bowl, combine walnuts, Parmesan and panko; sprinkle evenly over the stuffed squash, and given them a shot of cooking spray. Broil until the panko is golden, 2 minutes or so.