I made this lasagna for my Valentine’s cupcake party this year. It was quite a hit. The pan was scraped clean within ten minutes of setting it on the table. Thank you Cook’s Illustrated!

If Italian fontina is unavailable, use whole milk mozzarella rather than a rubbery Danish, Swedish, or American fontina. Whole milk is best in the sauce, but skim or low-fat milk also work.

INGREDIENTS

• 1/2 ounce dried porcini mushrooms , rinsed well
• 1 cup water
• 2 pounds portobello mushroom caps (about 10 medium), cleaned and cut into 2- to 3-inch by 1/4-inch slices
• 4 tablespoons olive oil
• 2 large red onions , chopped medium (about 4 cups)
• 8 ounces button mushrooms , cleaned, stems trimmed, and broken into rough pieces
• 4 medium cloves garlic , minced or pressed through garlic press (about 1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon)
• 1/2 cup dry vermouth
• 3 tablespoons unsalted butter , plus additional for greasing pan
• 3 tablespoons unbleached all-purpose flour
• 3 1/2 cups milk (see note above)
• 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
• 1/4 cup minced fresh parsley leaves
• 1/4 cup minced fresh basil leaves plus an additional 2 tablespoons
• 8 ounces Italian fontina cheese , rind removed and shredded (about 2 1/4 cups)
• 1 1/2 ounces grated Parmesan cheese (about 3/4 cup)
• 12 no-boil lasagna noodles
• 1/2 teaspoon grated lemon zest from 1 lemon

DIRECTIONS

1. Cover porcinis with water in small microwave-safe bowl; cover with plastic wrap, cut several steam vents in plastic with paring knife, and microwave on high power for 30 seconds. Let stand until mushrooms soften, about 5 minutes. Lift mushrooms from liquid with fork and roughly chop (you should have about 3 tablespoons). Strain liquid through fine-mesh strainer lined with paper towel into medium bowl. Set mushrooms and liquid aside.
2. Adjust oven rack to middle position and heat oven to 425 degrees. Spread portobello mushrooms in even layer on rimmed baking sheet and drizzle with 2 tablespoons oil, tossing to coat mushrooms evenly; sprinkle with 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/2 teaspoon pepper and toss again. Roast mushrooms until shriveled and all liquid released from mushrooms has evaporated, about 30 minutes, stirring halfway through cooking time. Set mushrooms aside to cool.
3. While portobellos roast, heat 1 tablespoon oil in 12-inch nonstick skillet over medium-high heat until shimmering. Add onions, 1/4 teaspoon salt, and 1/4 teaspoon pepper and cook, stirring occasionally, until onions are browned around edges, about 10 minutes. Transfer onions to large bowl and set aside.
4. Meanwhile, process button mushrooms in food processor until uniformly coarsely chopped, about six 1-second pulses, stopping to scrape down bowl as needed. Heat remaining 1 tablespoon oil in now-empty skillet over medium-high heat until shimmering. Add chopped button mushrooms and cook, stirring occasionally, until browned and all moisture has evaporated, 6 to 8 minutes.
5. Reduce heat to medium and stir in porcini mushrooms, 1 tablespoon garlic, 1 teaspoon salt, and 1 teaspoon pepper. Cook, stirring frequently, until garlic is fragrant, about 1 minute. Add vermouth and cook, stirring occasionally, until liquid has evaporated, 2 to 3 minutes.
6. Add butter and cook until melted. Add flour and cook, stirring constantly, about 1 minute. Slowly add reserved porcini soaking liquid, scraping pan bottom to loosen browned bits. Add milk and nutmeg. Increase heat to medium-high and bring mixture to boil. Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer until sauce has thickened and reached consistency of heavy cream, 10 to 15 minutes (you should have about 4 cups). Remove from heat and stir in 2 tablespoons parsley and 1/4 cup basil.
7. Combine fontina and Parmesan in medium bowl. Toss cooled portobello mushrooms with onions in large bowl. Place noodles in 13 by 9-inch ovensafe baking dish and cover with hot tap water; let soak 5 minutes, agitating noodles occasionally to prevent sticking. Remove noodles from water and place in single layer on kitchen towel. Wipe baking dish dry and coat with butter.
8. Using rubber spatula, evenly distribute 1 cup mushroom sauce in bottom of baking dish; position 3 noodles on top of sauce. Spread 3/4 cup sauce evenly over noodles followed by 2 cups mushroom-onion mixture and 3/4 cup cheese. Repeat layering of noodles, sauce, mushroom-onion mixture, and cheese two more times. Place 3 remaining noodles on top of last layer of cheese. Spread remaining sauce over noodles and sprinkle with remaining cheese. Lightly spray large sheet of foil with nonstick cooking spray and cover lasagna. Bake until bubbling, about 20 minutes.
9. While lasagna is baking, combine remaining 2 tablespoons parsley, 2 tablespoons basil, and 1 teaspoon garlic with zest in small bowl. Increase oven temperature to 500 degrees, remove foil from lasagna, and continue to bake until cheese on top becomes spotty brown, 6 to 8 minutes. Remove lasagna from oven and immediately sprinkle evenly with herb mixture. Cool 15 minutes, then cut into pieces and serve.

Posted by Carla under Dinner

Serves 4.   Published November 1, 2009.   From Cook’s Illustrated.

We strongly recommend purchasing “dry” scallops (those without chemical additives). If you can only find “wet” scallops, soak them in a solution of 1 quart cold water, 1/4 cup lemon juice, and 2 tablespoons table salt for 30 minutes before proceeding with step 1. In step 2, season the scallops with pepper only. If you are unsure whether your scallops are wet or dry, conduct this quick test: Place 1 scallop on a paper towel-lined, microwave-safe plate and microwave on high power for 15 seconds. If the scallop is “dry,” it will exude very little water. If it is “wet,” there will be a sizable ring of moisture on the paper towel. (The microwaved scallop can be cooked as is.) Prepare the sauce (if serving) while the scallops dry (between steps 1 and 2) and keep it warm while cooking them. See our related recipes for Orange-Lime Vinaigrette, Ginger Butter Sauce, and Caper-Mustard Sauce.

INGREDIENTS

1 1/2
pounds dry sea scallop , 10 to 20 per pound, small side muscles removed (see note)

Table salt and ground black pepper
2
tablespoons vegetable oil
2
tablespoons unsalted butter

lemon wedges or sauce (see related recipes) for serving

DIRECTIONS

1. Place scallops on rimmed baking sheet lined with clean kitchen towel. Place second clean kitchen towel on top of scallops and press gently on towel to blot liquid. Let scallops sit at room temperature 10 minutes while towels absorb moisture.
2. Sprinkle scallops on both sides with salt and pepper. Heat 1 tablespoon oil in 12-inch nonstick skillet over high heat until just smoking. Add half of scallops in single layer, flat-side down, and cook, without moving, until well browned, 1 1/2 to 2 minutes. Add 1 tablespoon butter to skillet. Using tongs, flip scallops; continue to cook, using large spoon to baste scallops with melted butter (tilt skillet so butter runs to one side) until sides of scallops are firm and centers are opaque, 30 to 90 seconds longer (remove smaller scallops as they finish cooking).
3. Transfer scallops to large plate and tent loosely with foil. Wipe out skillet with wad of paper towels and repeat cooking with remaining oil, scallops, and butter. Serve immediately with lemon wedges or sauce.

Posted by Carla under Dinner, Fish

We made this for our Christmas Eve Seven Fishes dinner. Just pretend that shrimp and lobster are fish. We did not use live lobster but found a container of frozen lobster that tasted quite good cooked. We didn’t make croutons but toasted slices of baguette and spread them with roasted garlic. This recipe is from Gourmet.

For croutons
12 to 16 (1/2-inch-thick) baguette slices
3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 garlic clove, halved

For soup
1 (1- to 1 1/4 -lb) live lobster
2 large tomatoes, peeled and coarsely chopped
1 large onion, chopped
4 garlic cloves, chopped
1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil
1 lb boiling potatoes
1/3 cup finely chopped fennel fronds (sometimes called anise)
1 Turkish or 1/2 California bay leaf
1/4 teaspoon crumbled saffron threads
1 1/2 tablespoons coarse sea salt
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
9 cups fish stock
3 pounds white fish fillets (such as monkfish, turbot, red snapper, striped bass, porgy, grouper, and/or cod), cut into 2-inch pieces
1/2 pound cockles or small hard-shelled clams, scrubbed
1/2 pound cultivated mussels, scrubbed and any beards removed
1/2 pound large shrimp in shells
Rouille: Recipe Below

Make croutons:
Put oven rack in middle position and preheat oven to 250°F.

Arrange bread slices in 1 layer in a shallow baking pan and brush both sides with oil. Bake until crisp, about 30 minutes. Rub 1 side of each toast with a cut side of garlic.

Make soup:
Plunge lobster headfirst into a 6- to 8-quart pot of boiling water, then cook, covered, 2 minutes from time lobster enters water. Transfer lobster with tongs to a colander and let stand until cool enough to handle. Discard hot water in pot. Put lobster in a shallow baking pan. Twist off claws with knuckles from body, then crack claws with a mallet or rolling pin and separate claws from knuckles. Halve body and tail lengthwise through shell with kitchen shears, then cut crosswise through shell into 2-inch pieces. Reserve lobster juices that accumulate in baking pan.

Cook tomatoes, onion, and garlic in oil in cleaned 6- to 8-quart pot over moderate heat, stirring occasionally, until onion is softened, 5 to 7 minutes. Meanwhile, peel potatoes and cut into 1/2-inch cubes. Stir potatoes into tomatoes with fennel fronds, bay leaf, saffron, sea salt, and pepper. Add stock and bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer, covered, until potatoes are almost tender, 8 to 10 minutes.

Add thicker pieces of fish and cockles to soup and simmer, covered, 2 minutes. Stir in mussels, shrimp, lobster, including juices, and remaining fish and simmer, covered, until they are just cooked through and mussels open wide, about 5 minutes.

Stir 3 tablespoons broth from soup into rouille until blended.

Arrange 2 croutons in each of 6 to 8 deep soup bowls. Carefully transfer fish and shellfish from soup to croutons with a slotted spoon, then ladle some broth with vegetables over seafood.

Top each serving with 1 teaspoon rouille and serve remainder on the side.

Rouille:

Yield: Makes about 1/2 cup

Ingredients:

Preparation:

Pour water over bread crumbs in a bowl. Mash garlic to a paste with sea salt and cayenne using a mortar and pestle. Add moistened bread crumbs and mash into garlic paste.

Add oil in a slow stream, mashing and stirring vigorously with pestle until combined well.

Posted by Angela under Christmas foods, Dinner, Fish, Soups

This is from Martha Stewart. It’s super easy and I love it.

Ingredients

Serves 6.

• 1 cup pearl barley
• 6 cups homemade or low-sodium store-bought chicken stock
• 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 cup finely chopped onion
• 1/2 cup dry white wine
• 12 ounces rock shrimp, peeled Maine shrimp, or other small peeled shrimp
• 2 1/2 cups frozen peas, thawed
• 1 tablespoon finely grated lemon zest
• 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
• 1/4 cup finely grated Parmesan cheese
• 1 teaspoon coarse salt
• Freshly ground pepper

Directions

1. Place barley in a bowl, and add enough cold water to cover by 2 inches. Cover; let soak in the refrigerator overnight.
2. Bring stock to a boil in a saucepan. Remove from heat, and cover. Drain barley. Heat oil in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Add onion; cook 6 minutes. Stir in barley. Add wine, and cook, stirring, until liquid has evaporated.
3. Add 1/2 cup stock, and cook, stirring, until liquid is absorbed. Continue adding stock, 1/2 cup at a time, waiting until liquid is absorbed before adding more, until barley is tender but still slightly firm, about 35 minutes total (reserve 1/4 cup stock to stir in at the end).
4. About 1 minute before barley is done, stir in shrimp and peas, and cook until shrimp are opaque throughout. Remove from heat, and stir in 1/4 cup stock, lemon zest, lemon juice, Parmesan, and salt. Season with pepper, and serve.

Posted by Angela under Dinner, Risotto

This recipe is from Millenium, the best vegan restaurant in the world. It’s meant for pasta, but it’s great as a pizza sauce or sandwich spread. Works well with roasted pumpkin or squash.

INGREDIENTS

• 2 poblano chilies
• 1 1/2 cups pumpkin seeds
• 2 garlic cloves
• 1/2 bunch cilantro (leaves and stems)
• 2 limes, juiced
• 1 T nutritional yeast (optional)
• water as needed

DIRECTIONS

1. Roast and peel the peppers, removing the seeds.
2. Toast and chop the pumpkin seeds.
3. Blend everything in a food processor until smooth. Add water until it becomes a smooth paste.

Posted by Nina under Dinner, Sauces

Adapted from The Grrl Genius Guide to Life: A 12-Step Program on How to Become a Grrl Genius, According to Me! by Cathryn Michon.

Serves Enough

INGREDIENTS:

• 2 (or some) boiled white potatoes
• 2 (or some) boiled red potatoes
• 2 (or some) boiled purple potatoes
• 2 (or some) boiled Yukon gold potatoes
• 2 (or some) boiled sweet potatoes
• 3 hard-boiled eggs
• 1 each red, yellow, purple, green, and orange bell peppers, diced
• 1 red onion, diced
• 1 cup low-fat mayonnaise
• 1/4 cup nonfat yogurt
• 1 tablespoon honey
• 2 tablespoons rough-cut Dijon mustard
• 1 tablespoon sweet pickle relish
• 1/2 teaspoon paprika
• 1 tablespoon aged balsamic vinegar
• 1 cup diced parsley
• Salt and pepper to taste

DIRECTIONS:

1. Chop the potatoes and the hard-boiled eggs and put in an enormous bowl with the diced peppers and onion.
2. In a less-enormous bowl mix up all the other ingredients.
3. Dump the less enormous bowl into the more enormous bowl and toss gaily. Salt and pepper to taste.

Note: Delicious if you eat it now, even better tomorrow.

Posted by Angela under Dinner, Engagement Party Food, Picnic, Side Dishes