Butternut Squash Lasagna

I hate winter. I was born on the wrong latitude for sure. I belong somewhere along the equator. So every year around this time I try to think of things to appreciate in the coming months of cold. It's usually food. Right now I'm consoling myself by thinking about all of the hot soups I'll get to make and all of the winter squash ahead in the farmers markets. This recipe is always a hit for me, and is a pretty easy alternative to the ubiquitous butternut squash soup. I hope you enjoy it!

Ingredients:
Butternut Squash
Lasagna Noodles
Olive Oil
Milk
Butter
Mozzarella (high quality)
Ricotta Salata
Fresh Basil
Nutmeg
Sugar
Salt/Pepper

I never really measure anything for this- it's a pretty easy recipe to just eyeball, which is how most of us cook, I think. Start off by hacking your squash in half and scraping out the seeds (don't forget to save these for roasting later). Then microwave it for about 4 or 5 minutes. This will allow you to cut through the rest, and peel it much easier.


While it's in the microwave, put on a big pot of water to boil for your lasagna noodles. Then, get your squash out and peel and chop it into 1 inch cubes and then throw it into another big pot with some olive oil, and add some water to simmer until it's mushy. I used a 3lb squash, about a tablespoon of oil, and 3/4 cups of water.


While it's cooking, your water should start boiling and you can put in your pasta. I used whole wheat noodles- I think the flavor complements the nuttiness of the squash, plus it's better for you. This is also a good time to preheat your oven to 375, and make sure the middle rack is in place. Next start grating your mozzarella if necessary, and chop up your fresh basil into strips. I cannot overstress that fresh basil cannot be replaced with dried in this dish. It just isn't the same.


Once your squash is thoroughly cooked, sprinkle liberally with salt and pepper, then mash it all up with a fork or potato masher. Grate in some fresh nutmeg to taste and a pinch of sugar (optional). When I made this last time, I was out of nutmeg so I substituted allspice. It was still really good- you could also try cinnamon. Next pour in some milk until it's creamy. I poured about a half cup, but if you want to pour more and then cook it back down that's good too. Think mashed potatoes' consistency. Next, add butter- as much as you want. Let's be honest, the more butter you put, the better it will taste. I put about 2 tablespoons of butter in mine at this point.


Now it's time to fish out your lasagna noodles (Don't take my word on the timing though- set a timer for the noodles according to the box). I set out a towel on the table and laid them out to drain and cool. While they are drying, take a little more butter and coat your casserole dish all around. Now the fun part! Start by putting a thin layer of the squash on the bottom of the pan, then your first layer of noodles, then more squash. Next, put a generous handful of mozzarella, and then a handful of basil. The basil flavor mixes amazingly with the squash, so I put quite a lot, maybe 30 or so chopped leaves. Next, a lighter grating of ricotta salata- this is really a key flavor; its saltiness brings the whole thing together. Repeat this layering until you reach the top of your pan, and finish with extra ricotta salata on top.


Cover the pan with foil and bake for about 40 minutes. Then take off the foil and bake 15 more minutes uncovered to get that crispy brown top layer. Let sit for about 1o more minutes, then slice and enjoy!

Oh, and for a later-that-night snack: take all those seeds you saved at the beginning and put them in a pan over low heat with a little olive oil, a drop of sesame oil and lots of salt. Stir or shake occasionally and let them toast for about 20 minutes. Eat them hot- they are AMAZING.

Jenny

jtopolski.etsy.com

Fresh from the Garden

I know it's more the exception than the rule, but I've managed to cultivate a bit of a garden out in Brooklyn, and this time of summer is always my favorite because of all the things that come in from my summer garden.

My favorite recipe that is almost completely made from things harvested from my own garden is a type of Eggplant Pasta.

I start with either 1 large or 2 medium eggplants, peeled and sliced vertically into long slices. Lay them out on a wire rack and sprinkle liberally with kosher salt(any coarse grind salt is OK). This helps suck out the extra moisture from the eggplant, and with as much rain as we had this early summer, it's probably a necessary step! Let the eggplant sit for about 30 minutes, while the salt draws out the excess moisture, before you blot the slices with paper towels to remove whatever salt and liquid is on the surface.

Then, it's just a matter of slicing the eggplant into thin, pasta-like strips. That's right, the eggplant is your pasta in this dish!

Coat a medium saute pan with either 2-3 tbsp Extra Virgin Olive Oil, or 2 tbsp EVOO + 1tbsp butter (no margarine!)

Once it gets to medium heat, toss in the eggplant pasta and saute until it just starts to turn translucent around the edges.

Now here is where you start the sauce. I grow cherry or grape tomatoes in my own garden, because they tend to do better -- both in producing and flavor -- in my tiny backyard with only partial sunlight. Gather however many tomatoes from the vines that you can, cut them in half, and toss them into the pan with the eggplant. Keep stirring for about 5 minutes.

I also like to get fresh basil from the garden, cut it into a chiffonade (you can do this by stacking the leaves on top of each other and then rolling them up really tight, then just slicing the roll really thin.) and toss it with the eggplant and tomato as well.

In the end, just add salt, fresh cracked black pepper, and Parmesan cheese to taste. Serve hot and scarf down! From the garden, to your belly, in roughly 30 minutes or less!



-Izile

Izile's Oddities

Slow Cooking for Comfort

I am a big fan of slow cookers. Most people refer to them as crock pots, but that is actually the brand name of the slow cookers made by Rival. Slow cookers are great because most recipes are fool-proof, it is almost impossible to ruin a meal. Most have just two settings….high and low.

You can cook just about anything in a slow cooker. Soups, roasts, chicken, casseroles, and I have even tried a chocolate cake made by a co-worker. Many traditional recipes can be altered to work in a slow cooker, just by reducing the liquid amounts. But, with the internet a part of daily life, it is so easy to find the perfect recipe for dinner.


What??? You don’t own a slow cooker?? Not to worry….you can pick one up for about $25, and they last forever. I purchased my first one in 1997, and it is still going strong. I currently own about five…all different sizes. Most of them I use for making my handmade soap, but the 3 ½ quart is the one I usually use for preparing food.

One of my favorite slow cooker recipes are cabbage rolls…basically a mixture of ground beef and rice, rolled up in a cabbage leaf and cooked in tomato sauce. The perfect comfort food for the cold days of January.

This recipe is from “The Slow Cooker Ready & Waiting Cookbook” by Rick Rodgers. I have tweaked the recipe a bit to make it my own (and because I like extra sauce!)

Ingredients:
1 large head of cabbage
½ cup of rice
1 tbsp of butter
1 medium onion (finely chopped)
1 garlic clove (minced)
1lb lean ground beef
1 egg
1 tsp dried Italian seasonings
2-15oz cans of whole peeled tomatoes
4 tbsp of light brown sugar
4 tbsp lemon juice
Salt/pepper to taste

1. In a mixing bowl, add the ground meat, egg, Italian seasonings, salt/pepper.

2. Bring a pot of salted water to a boil over high heat & cook the rice for 5 minutes. Rinse the rice w/cold water, drain & add to the mixing bowl.

3. Melt the butter in a skillet, add the onion and garlic and cook over medium heat until they are softened (about 5 mins) then add to the mixing bowl. Mix all of the ingredients together really well (I find it easier to use my hands instead of a spoon) and set the bowl to the side.

4. In a blender, puree the tomatoes (w/juice,) brown sugar, lemon juice and pour the mixture into a 3 ½ quart slow cooker.

5. Now the tricky part…..using a large stockpot, bring some salted water to a boil. Carefully place the whole head of cabbage into the pot and let it cook for about 5 minutes.

6. Take the whole head of cabbage out of the water, and place on a cutting board (keep the water boiling.) Let the cabbage cool a bit, then carefully peel off the outer leaves…taking care not to split the leaf. Take as many leaves off as you can easily, then put the head of cabbage back into the water for another 5 minutes and repeat. Continue to do this until you have btwn 10-15 leaves of cabbage.

7. Take each leaf and cut out the tough center rib, and place a spoonful of the meat mixture in the middle of the leaf, wrap well, and carefully place into the slow cooker. Repeat until you run out of meat, leaves, or your slow cooker is full. I like to make my rolls on the small side, so I just keep rolling and layering in the cooker till I can’t fit anymore inside.

8. Put the lid on the cooker, set on the low setting for 6-7hrs...then walk away. No peeking! Every time you take the lid off a slow cooker, you are releasing the steam and increasing your cooking time!

The rolls will be ready in 6hrs, but they won’t burn if they stay in the cooker a bit longer. Serve the rolls on a heated platter, topped w/the sauce.

Feel free to make substitutions….ground lamb instead of beef, different seasonings for the meat mixture, etc.….have fun & make this recipe your own!

It usually takes me no more than 30 minutes or so to get everything ready for the cooker. I have even prepared everything the night before (stick the slow cooker in the fridge overnight,) and then plugged it in the next morning. The last thing I feel like doing after trudging through the sleet, snow, and bitter cold is preparing dinner. When I get home, a wonderful dinner is ready and waiting!

If you have lots of extras…they freeze well too. Enjoy!


-Nordea
Nordea's Soaperie

Nordea's Soaperie (on etsy)