Leek Mushroom Lasagne Food

MARY BERRY'S RED PEPPER, MUSHROOM & LEEK LASAGNE

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 220°C/200°C fan/Gas 7. You will need a 3-litre (5-pint), ovenproof dish. To make the tomato and vegetable sauce, heat the oil in a frying pan. Add the leeks and fry for 3 minutes, then add the peppers and fry for 5 minutes until the vegetables are soft. Add the garlic and season with salt and pepper. Measure the flour into a bowl. Mix with half a tin of chopped tomatoes and stir until smooth. Add the remaining tomatoes to the vegetables in the pan, followed by the purée and sugar and then the flour mixture. Bring to the boil, stirring until thickened, then add the mushrooms and boil for a couple of minutes, stirring. Add the basil and vinegar and check the seasoning. To make the cheese sauce, melt the butter in a saucepan, add the flour and whisk over the heat for a minute. Gradually blend in the milk and whisk until bubbling and smooth. Add the mustard, three-quarters of the cheese and season with salt and pepper. Spoon a third of the vegetable sauce into the base of the dish. Spoon over a third of the cheese sauce and sprinkle with a third of the remaining cheese. Lay three sheets of lasagne on top (break the lasagne so they fit neatly without overlapping). Continue with the remaining layers to give 2 layers of pasta and three layers of sauce and finish with the remaining cheese on top. Bake in the preheated oven for 40 minutes until bubbling and golden brown. The lasagne can be made completely up to 24 hours ahead. If using an Aga, bake on the second set of runners in the roasting oven for 35 minutes. Please note: if you would like this recipe to be vegetarian, use a rennet-free Cheddar substitute.

PORTOBELLO MUSHROOM LASAGNA

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.
• Bring a large pot of water to a boil with 1 tablespoon salt and a splash of oil. Add the lasagna noodles and cook for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. Drain and set aside.
• For the white sauce, bring the milk to a simmer in a saucepan. Set aside. Melt 8 tablespoons (1 stick) of the butter in a large saucepan. Add the flour and cook for 1 minute over low heat, stirring constantly with a wooden spoon. Pour the hot milk into the butter-flour mixture all at once. Add 1 tablespoon salt, the pepper, and nutmeg, and cook over medium-low heat, stirring first with the wooden spoon and then with a whisk, for 3 to 5 minutes, until thick. Set aside off the heat.
• Separate the mushroom stems from the caps and discard the stems. Slice the caps 1/4-inch thick. Heat 2 tablespoons of oil and 2 tablespoons of the butter in a large (12-inch) saute pan. When the butter melts, add half the mushrooms, sprinkle with salt, and cook over medium heat for about 5 minutes, until the mushrooms are tender and they release some of their juices. If they become too dry, add a little more oil. Toss occasionally to make sure the mushrooms cook evenly. Repeat with the remaining mushrooms and set all the mushrooms aside.
• To assemble the lasagna, spread some of the sauce in the bottom of an 8 by 12 by 2-inch baking dish. Arrange a layer of noodles on top, then more sauce, then 1/3 of the mushrooms, and 1/4 cup grated Parmesan. Repeat 2 more times, layering noodles, sauce, mushrooms, and Parmesan. Top with a final layer of noodles and sauce, and sprinkle with the remaining Parmesan.
• Bake the lasagna for 45 minutes, or until the top is browned the sauce is bubbly and hot. Allow to sit at room temperature for 15 minutes and serve hot.

LEEK & MUSHROOM LASAGNE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 180C/350°F Grease an 8 cup lasagne dish.
• Melt half the butter in a saucepan on high. Saute leek and garlic for 5 minutes Stir in flour, cook 1 minute. Remove from heat. Gradually stir in milk until smooth. Return to heat. Cook, stirring, until sauce boils and thickens. Simmer 3 minutes. Season.
• Melt remaining butter in frying pan on medium, saute mushrooms 5 mins, remove from heat. Stir in soup, cream and thyme, then season.
• Spread 1/2 cup of mushroom mix over base of lasagne dish and cover with a layer of lasagne sheets. Spread 1/2 of leek sauce over. Cover with lasagne sheets and 1/2 of remaining mushroom sauce. Cover with lasagne sheets, then other half of leek sauce. Top with lasagne sheets and remaining mushroom mix and cheese.
• Bake 35mins, rest 5mins. Serve with salad.

LEEK AND MUSHROOM SAUCE (LOW FAT)

Steps:

• Heat oil in a non-stick skillet over medium heat. Add mushrooms and leeks and cook about 4 minutes, stirring, until the leeks are tender.
• In a small bowl, stir together chicken broth and cornstarch. Stir the mixture into the mushrooms and leeks. Bring to a simmer and cook until thickened.
• Stir in sour cream, lemon juice and tarragon, and heat just until warmed. Do not let boil or sour cream will separate.
• Season with salt and pepper, to taste.
• Serve over cooked chicken breasts or fish.

QUICK MUSHROOM & SPINACH LASAGNE

Steps:

• Heat oven to 200C/180C fan/gas 6. Heat the oil in a large frying pan, add the garlic and cook for 1 min. Add the mushrooms and thyme, then cook for 3 mins until they start to soften. Throw in the spinach and stir until the heat of the pan wilts the leaves. Remove from the heat and stir in the soft cheese, 1 tbsp of the Parmesan and some seasoning.
• Put a quarter of the spinach mix on the bottom of a medium-sized baking dish, lay 2 pasta sheets on top, then repeat until you have used all the pasta. Finish with the final quarter of the spinach mix, sprinkle over the rest of the Parmesan, then bake for 35 mins until golden and the pasta is tender.

LEEK & GREENS LASAGNE

Steps:

• Heat oven to 200C/180C fan/ gas 6. Heat 1 tbsp oil with the butter over a medium heat. Add the bay leaf, rosemary and finely sliced leek, season and cook for a few mins until the leek has softened.
• Add the flour and cook for 1 min more until the roux smells nutty. Take off the heat, slowly pour in the milk and whisk out any lumps.
• Return to the heat and whisk slowly until thick and smooth, about 5 mins. Season well with grated nutmeg, then add 3/4 of the cheddar and parmesan, cooking until they are melted. Set aside.
• In another pan, heat 2 tbsp oil over a medium heat and fry the garlic and chilli for a couple of mins until aromatic. Add the rest of the leeks, season and fry until softened, then add the mixed greens and season a little more. Cook, stirring, until the greens have wilted, about 4 mins, then pour in the wine and cook until it evaporates.
• Oil a medium roasting tin (about 20cm square) and tip half the greens into the tin. Dot half the walnuts over the top, and nestle in a third of the artichoke hearts. Dot over half the ricotta. Remove the bay leaf from the leek bechamel and pour over a third of it. Top with three lasagne sheets to cover everything in a at layer. Repeat the process, then cover the top layer of lasagne sheets with the remaining bechamel and artichokes and scatter over the remaining cheese. Bake in the oven for 30-40 mins, until golden and bubbling. Rest for 10 mins, then serve with a sharply dressed grated carrot and beetroot salad.