A Long and Joyous Lasagna Recipe

Modified from a Cook's Illustrated Recipe, and unless we publish on a wide scale, We are safe from the long arm of the copyright laws of this and other counties..

 

This recipe uses some basic French technique that when mastered will enhance any recipe, The first beingDuxelles, pronounced dook-SEHL, is a finely chopped mixture of mushrooms or mushroom stems, shallot, garlic, cooked in butter, and reduced to a paste. The second Sauce Bechemel, or white sauce, a basic Mother sauce is the foundation of a bunch of other sauces, including the one you use for home-made Mac-n-cheese Sauce Morney. Eat American style, frenchie!

For basic duxelles, mince 1/2 pound fresh mushrooms (or mushroom stems) and 4 minced garlic cloves or 1 to 2 shallots. In a frying pan, sauté the garlic or shallot in 1 to 2 tablespoons butter until soft but not brown (3 to 5 minutes). Stir in minced mushrooms, salt and pepper, chopped parsley to taste, and a pinch of tarragon or thyme if you wish. Cook the mixture over medium high heat until the mushrooms give off a lot of liquid; that liquid will evaporate completely (5 to 10 minutes). The duxelles will look like a coarse mash. Cool the mixture slightly and taste for seasoning. This will make about 1-1/2 cups. Duxelles may be frozen for 1 to 2 months.

Duxelles is said to have been created by the 17th-century French chef Francois Pierre La Varenne (1615-1678 {heart failure from butter}) and to have been named after his employer, Nicolas Chalon du Ble', marquis d'Uxelles.

Béchamel sauce (pronounced BESH-e-mel) also known as white sauce, is a basicsauce that is used as the base for other sauces, such as Sauce Morney, which is Béchamel and cheese. This basic sauce is usually made today by whisking scalded milk gradually into a white roux( equal part butter and flour), though it can also be made by whisking a kneaded flour-butter beurre manie'into scalded milk. The thickness of the final sauce depends on the proportions of milk and flour.

Sauce Bechemel has many inventors, as many as countries in Europe. It is simple food chemistry and wasproably created in many countries.

Wild Mushroom Lasagna
 
1/2 ounce dried porcini mushrooms
1 cup warm water
2 lbs portobello mushrooms, sliced
4 teaspoons olive oil
2 large red onions, chopped medium
8 ounces button mushrooms
4 medium garlic cloves, minced
1/2 cup dry vermouth
3 tablespoons butter
3 tablespoons flour
3 1/2 cups milk
1/4 teaspoons ground nutmeg
1/4 cup minced parsley
1/4 cup minced fresh basil
8 ounces fontina cheese, shredded
1 1/2 ounces grated parmesan cheese
12 no-boil lasagna noodles
lemon zest 
 
1) Cover porcini with with water in microwave-safe bowl and cover with Saran wrap, cut a few slits and zap on high for 30 seconds. Let stand until softened about 5 minutes. Lift mushrooms out of water with a fork and chop. Strain water really well, through and strainer with paper towels in it. Reserve. 
2) Pre-heat oven to 425f. Spread portobellos on a sheet pan and drizzle with olive oil, salt and pepper, toss. Roast until mushrooms shrivel, about 30 minutes, toss half way though. Throw some unpealed garlic in there too. It's good for what ails you. Reserve.
3) While portobellos roast, caramelize onions in saute' pan until browned at edges. 10 minutes. Reserve.
4) Process button mushrooms with some garlic, salt and pepper. Saute' until brown and all liquid is evaporated, 6-8minutes. (See above, Duxelles)
5) Reduce heat and add porcini mushrooms, more garlic and heat though, add vermouth, saute 2-3 minutes.
6) Add butter and cook until melted. Add flour and cook about 1 minute. Add milk, scape up all little brown bits on the bottom of the pan. Add strained porcini water and nutmeg. Bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer until saucey and thick, 10-15 minutes. Add herbs, but save some for garnish. 
7) Mix cheeses together in a bowl. Mix onions and portobellos in another bowl. Place noodles in a 13 by 9 baking dish, cover with hot tap water to soften, 5 minutes, stir to prevent sticking. Remove noodles from pan and place on dry kitchen towel. Dry baking dish and butter until coated. 
8) Coat the bottom of the baking dish with some mushroom-milk sauce. Add 3 noddles, cover with sauce, add 2 cups mushroom mixture and some of the cheese. Repeat. Finish top with cheese. Coat aluminium foil with cooking spray and cover laz. Bake at 425f 20-25 minutes until bubbling. Turn oven up to 500f. Remove foil and brown cheese on top, 6-8 minutes. Add some reserved herbs and cheese to top. Let cool for at least 20 minutes.