White Lasagna with Asparagus, Spinach & Peas

This meatless lasagna was described as a showcase of spring vegetables. The filling was full of asparagus, peas, fresh herbs, greens, and leeks. It was loaded with cheese too, of course. 🙂

The recipe was adapted from The New York Times, contributed by Melissa Clark. I used no-boil noodles. I prepared it the day it was served but it could be prepared up to two days ahead. It can be assembled ahead of time and baked before serving or baked in advance and reheated before serving. Clark notes that the lasagna is easier to slice if it is baked and then reheated.

Yield: Serves 6 to 8

For the Béchamel:

• 4 T unsalted butter (plus additional butter or cooking spray for greasing the pan)
• 1/3 cup (5 T) all-purpose flour
• 4 cups whole milk, plus more if needed
• 1 teaspoon fine sea, plus more to taste
• 1/4 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
• 1 bay leaf
• 1/2 cup grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese
• 3 large garlic cloves, finely grated or minced (I used a garlic press)

For the Filling:

• 3 T extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 bunch asparagus (about 1 pound), ends trimmed, cut into 3/4-inch pieces if thin or 1/2-inch pieces if fat
• fine sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 1/2 cup frozen peas (no need to thaw)
• 1 cup combination of soft herbs (parsley, chives, basil, dill), finely chopped, plus more for garnish
• 2 leeks, white and light green parts, thinly sliced into half moons and cleaned
• 1 teaspoon fennel seeds
• 1/4 teaspoon red-pepper flakes
• 8 ounces baby spinach or baby greens, like kale or arugula (about 8 cups), chopped if large
• 1 large lemon, zested and juiced
• 32 ounces whole-milk ricotta (about 4 cups)
• 1 1/2 cups grated Parmigiano-Reggiano, divided
• 3/4 cup grated Pecorino Romano
• 12 ounces dried lasagna noodles (about 12 noodles), or substitute the same amount of no-boil, oven-ready or fresh noodles; all will work
• 8 ounces whole-milk mozzarella, thinly sliced or torn into pieces

To Prepare the Béchamel:

1. In a large saucepan, melt 4 tablespoons butter over medium heat.
2. Once melted, add flour and whisk until combined. Cook for 3 to 5 minutes, or until pale golden.
3. Slowly whisk in the milk, a little at a time, so that the sauce does not clump.
4. Add the salt, nutmeg and bay leaf. Gently bring to a simmer and let cook for 9 to 12 minutes, whisking often, until the béchamel is thick but still pourable.
5. Stir in 1/2 cup Parmesan and grated garlic, and taste, adding more salt if needed. (I used coarse salt.)

To Prepare the Filling & Complete the Dish:

1. Place a 12-inch skillet over medium to medium-high heat and add 1 tablespoon olive oil. Let it heat until it thins out, about 30 seconds, then add the asparagus and sauté, shaking the pan, until crisp-tender, 3 to 4 minutes.
2. Season asparagus with salt and pepper, then transfer to a medium bowl and stir in the frozen peas and 2 tablespoons mixed soft herbs.
3. Add remaining 2 tablespoons oil to the pan and heat until the oil thins out, about 30 seconds, then add the leeks, fennel seeds, red-pepper flakes and 3/4 teaspoon salt. Sauté leeks until tender and golden at the edges, 4 to 6 minutes.
4. Add the spinach and remaining herbs, working in batches if needed, and sauté until the greens are very tender and the pan is very dry, about 10 minutes.
5. Stir in lemon zest and juice. Taste and add more salt if needed. It should be well seasoned.
6. Add leek-spinach-herb mixture to a large bowl. Stir in ricotta and 3/4 cup each Parmesan and pecorino (save remaining Parmesan for the top). Taste and add more salt if needed.
7. Heat oven to 400 degrees. (I set my oven to true convection.) Grease a 9-by-13-inch baking pan with cooking spray or a little butter.
8. Remove bay leaf from béchamel, then ladle some of the sauce into the bottom of the baking pan until just covered.
9. Place as many noodles as will fit on top of the béchamel, breaking or cutting them to fit in one layer.
10. Ladle a little more béchamel on top of the noodles, covering the surface.
11. Add half of the ricotta-leek-spinach-herb mixture, spreading evenly, then sprinkle half of the asparagus-pea mixture on top.
12. Add another layer of noodles, then béchamel, then the remaining ricotta mixture, then the remaining asparagus-pea mixture.
13. Top with the sliced mozzarella.
14. Add a third and final layer of noodles (don’t worry if you don’t end up using all of the noodles) and cover with remaining béchamel.
15. Sprinkle with remaining 1/2 cup Parmesan.
16. Cover the pan with parchment paper and then foil; place on a parchment paper-lined rimmed baking sheet to catch any drips.
17. Bake for 30 minutes, then remove parchment and foil. Rotate the pan.
18. Bake for another 30 minutes on convection or up to 40 minutes in a standard oven, or until golden brown and bubbling on top. Rotate the pan for even browning, if necessary. (If the top is still pale, you can run the lasagna under the broiler for 1 to 3 minutes.)
19. Let sit for 20 to 30 minutes before serving.

Roasted Cauliflower Shawarma with Tahini Sauce

This is an amazing vegetarian version of one of my favorite dishes. It was absolutely packed with flavor. I served it with Turkish bulgur and vegetable pilaf on the side- perfect.

This recipe was adapted from The New York Times, contributed by Melissa Clark. I modified the method and proportions. I roasted one large red onion but would consider using two next time.

We ate the filling served on warm mini naan. As it was completely overstuffed, we had to use utensils to eat it. The filling could also be stuffed in a pita or served on a larger flatbread.

Yield: 4 servings

For the Filling:

• 1/2 cup (8 T) extra-virgin olive oil, plus more as needed
• 2 1/2 tsp ground cumin
• 2 1/2 tsp sweet paprika
• 1 1/2 tsp fine sea salt, plus more as needed
• 2 tsp ground coriander
• 1/2 tsp ground turmeric
• 1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper
• 1/4 tsp ground cayenne pepper
• 2 large heads cauliflower (about 2 1/2 pounds each), trimmed and cut into bite-size florets
• 1 or 2 large red onions, cut into 1/4-inch wedges

For the Tahini Sauce:

• 2 T fresh lemon juice, plus more to taste (I used Meyer lemon juice)
• 1/2 tsp Aleppo pepper or 2 tsp harissa paste or other hot sauce, plus more to taste
• 2 fat garlic cloves, finely grated, passed through a press or minced
• 1/2 tsp Diamond Crystal kosher salt or fine sea salt
• 2/3 cup tahini
• 2/3 cup ice water, plus more as needed

For Serving:

• warm naan, pita, or other flatbread
• 1/4 cup coarsely chopped parsley, or more to taste
• chopped tomato, cucumber and olives (I omitted the olives)
• bulgur and vegetable pilaf, optional

1. Arrange racks in the upper and lower thirds of your oven. Heat oven to 425 degrees. (I set my oven to convection roast.)
2. Line two rimmed sheet pans with parchment paper.
3. Prepare the cauliflower: In a large bowl, whisk together olive oil, cumin, paprika, salt, coriander, turmeric, black pepper and cayenne. Add cauliflower and onion, and toss until well coated.
4. Divide the mixture and spread in a single layer on the prepared sheet pans.
5. Roast vegetables until they are golden brown, slightly crisp and tender, 30 to 40 minutes, stirring once or twice, and rotating the pans halfway through the roasting time. If the vegetables look dry as they roast, drizzle with a little more olive oil. (I roasted the vegetables for 35 minutes on convection.)
6. As the vegetables cook, prepare the tahini sauce: Whisk together lemon juice, Aleppo pepper or harissa, garlic and salt in a small bowl, and let sit for a minute or two to mellow the garlic.
7. Whisk in tahini.
8. Whisk in ice water, 1 tablespoon at a time, until the sauce is smooth and thin enough to drizzle. You may not need all of the water or you may need to add a little more: Tahini brands vary a lot.
9. Taste and adjust seasoning, adding more Aleppo pepper or harissa, lemon juice and salt if you like. The sauce should taste zippy and creamy.
10. Warm the flatbread by placing them directly on the bottom oven rack during the last 5 minutes as the vegetables roast. (Or you can warm the bread on another baking pan.)
11. Scatter parsley on top of the roasted vegetables and serve with warm naan or pita, tahini sauce, chopped tomato, cucumber and olives, as desired.

Fettuccine Alfredo with Chili Crisp & Spinach

This is another rich pasta dish incorporating chili crisp. I must confess that my family preferred this one. My husband even declared that this dish was “restaurant quality.” 🙂

I added one tablespoon of chili crisp fearing that it would be too spicy otherwise, but, as the cream offset the heat, I think it could easily have incorporated the full amount for my crowd. Every brand varies in spiciness, so it is important to taste it and adjust the amount to your spice-tolerance.

This recipe was adapted from The New York Times, contributed by Genevieve Ko. I used unsalted butter and added salt. I also included more spinach. Quick and delicious.

Yield: 6 servings

• salt
• 4 T unsalted butter
• 1 to 2 T chili crisp, plus more to taste and for serving (I used Lao Gan Ma Spicy Chili Crisp)(see Tip)
• 1 cup heavy cream
• 1 pound dried fettuccine
• 1 (6-ounce) package baby spinach
• 3/4 cup finely grated Parmesan (2 1/4 ounces), plus more for serving (I used Parmigiano-Reggiano)

1. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil.
2. While the water heats, melt the butter with the chili crisp and a pinch or two of coarse salt in a very large skillet or Dutch oven over low heat. (Add chili crisp 1 tablespoon at a time.) (I used a large and wide enameled cast iron pan.)
3. Whisk in the cream; taste and adjust heat, if desired, by adding more chili crisp. Keep warm over low. (It should steam, not bubble.)
4. Cook the fettuccine until al dente according to the package directions. Use tongs to transfer the noodles to the cream mixture, reserving the pasta water.
5. Add the spinach and turn with tongs until the noodles are well coated.
6. Add the Parmesan and toss, still over low heat, until the noodles are slicked with a creamy sauce, adding a spoonful or two of pasta water if needed to loosen the sauce.
7. Place in a serving bowl or divide among serving dishes; top with Parmesan.
8. Serve immediately. Additional chili crisp can be provided at the table, if desired.

Tip: For this dish, try to add more of the solids than the oil to the sauce for the most flavorful dish.

Creamy Roasted Tomato-Garlic Soup

I usually need grilled cheese as a bribe for my family to enjoy tomato soup for dinner. My daughter loved this soup even more than the grilled cheese! 🙂

This recipe was adapted from Food 52.com, contributed by Carolina Gelen. I modified the method and proportions. It was a quick dinner packed with flavor. Perfect with our grilled cheese sandwiches and giant green salad.

We swirled pesto into the soup just before serving. Additional cream or crème fraîche could also be added.

Yield: Serves 4 to 5

• extra-virgin olive oil
• 1300 grams grape or cherry tomatoes (about 4 cups)
• 2 yellow onions, roughly chopped
• 2 heads of garlic, halved crosswise
• 2 to 4 sprigs of basil
• 2 large sprigs of thyme
• 1 or 2 red chiles, optional (I omitted it)
• coarse salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 1 cup full-fat coconut milk or heavy cream (I used one 13.5 oz can of coconut milk), plus more for serving, as desired
• 1 cup vegetable or chicken stock, plus more as needed
• homemade or store-bought pesto, for serving, optional
• grilled cheese sandwiches or fresh bread, for serving, optional

1. Heat the oven to 450°F (230°C). (I set my oven to convection roast.)
2. Drizzle some oil into a deep baking dish. (I used a large enameled cast iron baking dish.)
3. Add in the tomatoes, onion, basil and thyme, and chile (if using). Drizzle more olive oil on top, plus a big sprinkle of salt and pepper. Mix to coat. Add the garlic cloves, cut side down, nestled into the other ingredients.
4. Roast for 25 to 40 minutes, until the tomatoes are slightly charred. (I roasted mine for 38 minutes.)
5. Remove from oven and let cool for 5 to 7 minutes. Remove and discard the thyme. Remove garlic cloves from the papery skin.
6. Add the rest of the ingredients to a blender, along with the coconut milk and stock. (I used a Vitamix on the hot soup setting.) Remove the little plug from the blender lid, then cover the lid with a kitchen towel and blend until smooth.
7. Taste and adjust the salt and pepper if needed. Adjust consistency with additional stock, as needed.
8. Serve drizzled with pesto and/or cream with a grilled cheese sandwich and green salad, as desired.

Shortcut Creamed Spinach

Oh my… this silky side can be prepared dangerously easily. We loved it too.

The recipe was adapted from Bon Appétit, contributed by Julia Langbein. I modified the proportions. Although it was fabulously creamy, I would incorporate less crème fraîche next time.

The original recipe notes that heavy cream and fresh lemon juice could be substituted for the crème fraîche for a similar flavor profile. I personally loved the tanginess from the crème fraîche.

Yield: about 6 servings

• 3 T extra-virgin olive oil
• 10 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
• 1 pound (16 oz) spinach (mature or baby spinach)
• kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
• freshly grated nutmeg, optional
• 1/2 to 3/4 cup crème fraîche (I used 3/4 cup but would start with 1/2 cup next time)

1. Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium. (I used a stainless steel sauté pan.)
2. Cook the garlic cloves, stirring occasionally, until golden around edges and very fragrant, about 3 minutes.
3. Increase heat to medium-high and add spinach, by the handful, stirring and letting it wilt slightly after each addition. Season with kosher salt and freshly ground pepper. Add freshly grated nutmeg, to taste, if desired.
4. Cook spinach, stirring often, until mostly wilted, about 1 minute. Remove from heat.
5. Add 1/2 cup crème fraîche; stir until spinach is saucy and coated. Add more, as desired.
6. Taste and season with more salt and pepper, if needed.

Warm Seven-Layer Skillet Dip

I planned our Super Bowl menu around this dip. Thankfully, it was very well received! I served it in the skillet and we scooped it out onto individual plates to gobble up with tortilla chips. Some chips may have also been dipped directly into the pan. 😉

The recipe was adapted from a Bon Appétit “healthyish” recipe, contributed by Shilpa Uskokovic. The original recipe convinced me to use American cheese slices in the queso layer to help it emulsify and to keep the cheese layer from solidifying.

We ate it as our Super Bowl appetizer followed by Poblano, Black Bean & Cheese Enchiladas with rice and refried beans, Trader Joe’s Elote chopped salad, followed by Churro Cupcakes with Cinnamon Cream Cheese Frosting for dessert. Great.

Yield: 8 Servings

For the Beans:

• 4 T unsalted butter, cut into pieces
• 1 large yellow onion, finely chopped (I used a food processor)
• 6 garlic cloves, finely chopped (I used a food processor)
• 1 1/2 tsp ground cumin
• 3 canned chipotle chiles in adobo, finely chopped (I used a food processor)
• 2 (15 oz) cans pinto beans, rinsed and drained
• 1 T Diamond Crystal or 1 3/4 tsp Morton kosher salt
• 1 T apple cider vinegar

For the Queso & Assembly:

• 2 tsp adobo from a can of chipotle chiles in adobo
• 1/2 tsp ground cumin
• 1/4 tsp Diamond Crystal or Morton kosher salt, plus more
• 4 oz yellow American cheese, coarsely grated or chopped or torn if using singles (about 1 cup) (I used 6 Trader Joe’s singles)
• 3 oz Monterey Jack or pepper Jack cheese, coarsely grated (about 3/4 cup)
• 2 ripe avocados, cut into 1/4-inch pieces
• freshly squeezed juice from half a lime
• 1/4 cup (4 T) sour cream
• 1/2 cup good-quality salsa, drained if watery (I used Trader Joe’s Garlic Chipotle salsa)
• 1 (4 oz) can fire-roasted, diced green chilies or 1/4 cup sliced pickled jalapeños
• 4 scallions, green parts only, thinly sliced
• 1/4 cup (packed) coarsely chopped cilantro
• tortilla chips, for serving

To Make the Beans:

1. Melt the butter, cut into pieces, in a medium deep skillet over medium heat. (I used a 10-inch cast iron skillet.)
2. Add the chopped onion, stirring often, until tender and translucent, about 8 minutes. Monitor the heaat, and continue to cook, stirring often, until onion is pale golden brown, 3 to 4 minutes more.
3. With the pan over medium heat, and add the chopped garlic cloves and cumin. Cook, stirring, until garlic is fragrant, about 1 minute.
4. Add chopped chipotle chiles, pinto beans, rinsed, and salt. Pour in 1 cup water and bring to a simmer, mashing beans with a potato masher until mostly smooth.
5. Cook, stirring often, until most of liquid is absorbed, about 2 minutes. (Beans should be risotto-like in consistency, loose enough to fall off a spoon.)
6. Remove from heat and stir in apple cider vinegar. Cover and keep warm.

To Make the Queso & To Assemble the Dip:

1. Whisk adobo, cumin, salt, and 1/2 cup water in a small saucepan and bring to a simmer over medium heat.
2. Add chopped/grated American cheese and cook, whisking vigorously, just until cheese is melted and mixture is smooth, about 1 minute.
3. Remove from heat and add grated Monterey Jack; whisk until cheese is melted and queso is smooth (return to low heat briefly if needed). (I cooked it over low for about 2 minutes to melt the additional cheese.)
4. Using your hands to avoid bruising, toss the avocados pieces with lime juice and a large pinch of salt in a medium bowl.
5. Uncover beans and pour queso over.
6. Top with dollops of sour cream, followed by salsa, diced chilies, and then avocados.
7. Scatter sliced scallions and chopped cilantro over the top.
8. Serve dip warm in skillet with tortilla chips.

Do ahead: Beans can be made 3 days ahead. Let cool; cover and chill. Reheat over medium-low, thinning with water and seasoning with salt as needed.

Ottolenghi’s Butternut Squash Lasagna Pie

This special pie was the perfect way to use my CSA butternut squash and the very last leaves of my homegrown basil. The incorporation of cumin and coriander seeds gave it a unique flavor profile. Fancy comfort food. 🙂

The recipe was adapted from The New York Times, contributed by Yotam Ottolenghi. Lovely.

Yield: 6 to 8 servings

For the Pie:

• 4 T olive oil, plus more for greasing the pan (I used cooking oil spray on the pan)
• 10 garlic cloves, roughly chopped
• 2 T tomato paste
• 1 T cumin seeds, roughly crushed in a mortar and pestle
• 1 T coriander seeds, roughly crushed in a mortar and pestle
• 2 tsp Aleppo chile flakes
• 1 (9 to 12-ounce) jar red peppers, drained
• 1 tsp light brown sugar
• fine sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 1 small butternut squash (about 1 3/4 pounds), peeled, halved, deseeded and cut into 1/8-inch-thick slices (I used a mandoline to slice the squash)
• 8 ounces dried lasagna noodles, each roughly broken into 3 or 4 pieces (I used oven-ready no-boil lasagna)
• 7 ounces baby spinach (10 lightly packed cups)
• 1 packed cup basil leaves, torn in halves
• 1 cup crumbled Greek feta
• heaping 1/2 cup finely grated Parmigiano-Reggiano

For the Béchamel:

• 3 T unsalted butter
• 5 T all-purpose flour
• 1 1/2 cups whole milk, plus more if needed
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• fine sea salt
• 1/4 cup finely grated Parmigiano-Reggiano

1. Heat the oven to 400 degrees, preferably on convection.
2. Grease a 9-inch springform cake pan then line it with a piece of parchment paper large enough to cover the base and hang over the sides by a couple inches. (I used cooking oil spray.) Place pan on a parchment paper-lined rimmed baking sheet and set aside.
3. Add the oil to a small frying pan and heat over medium. Once it’s hot, add the garlic and cook for about 30 seconds to 1 minute, stirring until fragrant but not browned.
4. Add the tomato paste, cumin, coriander and chile flakes and cook for 1 minute more, stirring often, until deeply red. Set aside to cool slightly.
5. Add tomato paste mixture to a small food processor with the red peppers, sugar, 1/2 teaspoon salt and a good grind of pepper; blitz until smooth. (I did this in 2 batches.)
6. Empty the mixture into a very large bowl and add the squash slices, lasagna pieces, spinach, basil, feta, Parmesan, 1 1/4 teaspoons salt and a good grind of pepper. Use your hands to make sure everything is nicely coated.
7. Transfer this mixture to your lined cake pan, adding a third at a time and pressing lightly to ensure everything is even and compact.
8. Using heavy-duty aluminum foil, wrap the cake pan all around until tightly sealed, place on the prepared baking sheet and bake for 1 hour.
9. Toward the last 15 minutes of baking time, make the béchamel: Melt the butter in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Whisk in the flour and cook, whisking steadily, for 2 to 3 minutes, or until it starts to smell like popcorn.
10. Slowly pour in the milk 1/2 cup at a time, whisking with each addition until fully incorporated.
11. Add the garlic and 1/4 teaspoon salt. Use a spatula to stir and cook for 2 minutes, stirring to ensure the bottom doesn’t scorch, until nice and smooth.
12. Off the heat, stir in the Parmesan. *If the pie isn’t done, cover the top with a piece of parchment paper to prevent a skin from forming. The béchamel is easier to handle when warm; if needed, reheat gently with a splash of milk to loosen.*
13. After the pie has cooked for 1 hour, remove it from the oven and carefully unwrap the top foil and paper, crinkling it down and around the sides of the pan to expose the top.
14. Spoon the béchamel on top, using a spatula to distribute it evenly over the surface. (Take care not to mix it with the base; you want the béchamel to remain white.)
15. Turn the oven temperature up to 450 degrees, preferably on convection, and place the cake pan back on its baking sheet and bake for another 10 to 20 minutes, rotating halfway through, until nicely browned on top.
16. Set aside to cool for at least 15 minutes.
17. Carefully release the pie from the springform pan, loosening the outer ring then using the parchment to help lift it onto a serving plate or board. Serve warm or at room temperature.