Word Perv

Okay everyone, this is my last installment of my great weekend. Part I chronicled the Oktoberfest, Part II highlighted the Navy 5-Mile race (where I kicked some ass!). This is the last part of a truly fantastic weekend spent with Jen.

When I found this recipe I wasn’t sure when I’d make it. It seemed a little more time consuming than I ideally wanted, but it sounded so good. I emailed Jen, asking if she liked portobello mushrooms and if so, would she mind being a guinea pig for a new recipe I’d found?

This was her reply: “Consider me your most willing and excited guinea pig, albeit with a better sense of home decor. Cedar shavings and chewed up toilet paper rolls just aren’t my style… But I *heart* portobellos and have always wanted to try to grill one up and stuff it with other grilled veggies and make like a bella “burger”. Had a guy once who promised he’d make me one, but he also promised me some lovin’ on my b-day and chose to attend a NASCAR race instead… So needless to say, I’m still bella-recipe-less…”

Okay, first of all, what sort of total idiot chooses NASCAR over a hottie like Jen?! And secondly, no way was I going to let her down in the bella-recipe department! So with her full support in my recipe experiment, I made the following: Portobello Lasagna with Basil Cream. Below is the recipe, with the slight tweaks I’ll make next time.

Portobello Lasagna with Basil Cream

• 5 tablespoons butter
• 1/4 cup flour
• 3 cups milk, heated
• 4 cloves garlic, finely chopped
• salt
• 1/2 pound lasagna noodles (or enough for 2 layers)
• 1/2 large onion, chopped into small pieces
• Six 6-oz packages portobello mushroom slices (or 4 pounds whole, stemmed and sliced)
• 1 1/2 bunch basil, stems discarded
• 1 cup heavy cream
• 2 cups grated Parmesan cheese
• pepper

In a medium saucepan, melt 3 tablespoons butter over low heat. Stir in flour and cook for 2 minutes. Slowly whisk in hot milk, then 1 clove garlic and 3/4 teaspoon salt. Bring the garlic sauce to a boil and cook, whisking, until thickened, about 5 minutes. Set aside.

In a large pot of boiling salted water, cook lasagna noodles for 8 minutes. Drain and transfer to a bowl of cold water.

Position rack in the center of oven and preheat to 375 degrees F. In a large skillet, melt the remaining 2 tablespoons butter over low heat. Add the onions and remaining garlic and cook until softened, about 5 minutes. Stir in mushrooms and cook until softened, about 7 minutes.

Using a food processor, puree the basil leaves with the cream. Set aside 1/2 cup basil cream. Stir the remaining basil cream and 1 cup Parmesan into the mushroom mixture; season with salt and pepper, if desired.

Grease a 9×13-inch baking dish and spread 1 cup reserved garlic sauce on the bottom. Drain the lasagna noodles and line the dish with enough noodles for 1st layer. Top with the mushroom mixture, and then a layer of noodles. Combine the remaining garlic sauce and basil cream; spoon on top. Sprinkle with remaining cheese.

Bake until golden, 40-45 minutes.

Serve with wine and friends and enjoy!