Shavuot
is just around the corner. Everywhere
we look there is a conspiracy to have us eat as much cheese as possible. I am sure that if it were in the hands of the
cheese and pasta industries, Shavuot would be extended to a full week! As it is every company from Tnuva and Tara to
boutique cheese companies, pasta manufacturers and even the fashion industry is
clamoring to get into the act of selling us anything that is white and
cheesy.
The
question has to be – how do we deal with all that cheese? There are two schools of thought (aren't
there always??).
1) Shavuot
is only one day (two days abroad and I have to say that I think a two-day
holiday would be nice) so eat a little bit of everything and enjoy!
or
2) Shavuot
is a cholesterol nightmare and you should make your "own" food and eat correctly without
disturbing your diet.
Both
schools of thought have their merit. If
you can truly, really and honestly have just a small portion of each dish,
then go forth my child and have fun. I
also feel that if you are going to eat something points-heavy – then it should
be WORTH it. Eat a really good piece of
cheese cake! Eat a really worthwhile
portion of Fettuccini Alfredo! Don't
waste your points on foods that are not "too die for" (that's a
professional term!).
I,
for one, cannot live according to this school of thought! I need to have my own food items or I
will not survive!
So
how will I deal with the Shavuot meals?
Simple! For the "swarm"
I will make: WARNING
IF YOU HAVE HIGH CHOLESTOROL, HEART PROBLEMS OR HAVE WILLPOWER ISSUES YOU MAY
WANY TO SKIP THIS: lasagna with five cheeses, a cheese and mushroom
soup, Fettuccini Alfredo, focaccia, salad with feta and cranberries and a
cheese cake that is so decadent and dense it takes two and half hours of
oven-time. There usually is another dish
or two, but I won't bore you or tempt you.
For
myself and Sidney, I will make fish, a wonderful cheese-less/noodle-less
lasagna (see recipe below) and a big salad.
A piece of the real cheese cake is optional!
What
I want you to take away from this week's second blog article is shop carefully
and thoughtfully for Shavuot, as this is only a one-day "performance". While learning all night, just remember to
take a few good walks around the neighborhood!
And
now for that Lasagna (sorry no picture this week – hopefully I will have one up
just before chag!)
Yochi's
Cheese-less Noodle-less Lasagna
Hints and
Tips:
·
I buy small cherry
tomatoes whenever I can, which seems to be nearly all year long. I have nearly zero-waste, as these good, firm,
small tomatoes last longer than the larger ones and the crushed, not-so-nice
ones are GREAT for sauces and soups.
This is a great time to put all the not-so-nice ones into your lasagna sauce.
·
I don't use disposal
baking dishes, unless I am bringing a dish over to a friend for Shabbat. The disposable ones are not made for baking heavy
dishes such as lasagnas and meats (sorry about that juxtaposition); they are easily
punctured and are just not nice looking on the table.
I prefer the good sturdy
glass baking dishes in a variety of sizes and depths.
·
To make a "super
points-friendly version of the lasagna", I make the lasagna with long slices
of skinned eggplant instead of lasagna noodles. Make sure to always soak the eggplant
once it is sliced to prevent bitterness in your dish. Eggplants also tend to blacken or darken the
dish as well if they are not pre-soaked.
·
The best way to prepare
the vegetable layers is to work in the "oriental cooking manner":
cook all the hard, slow-to-cook vegetables first and then add the softer,
quicker-to-cook vegetables. This way the
vegetables will cook well and thoroughly and you will not end up with a half
undercooked-half overcooked mess.
Ingredients:
·
Eggplants or lasagna
noodles
·
Mushrooms – sliced for
garnish
·
Vegetable layer:
o
Chopped red peppers
o
Chopped carrots
o
Chopped celery
o
Chopped onions
o
Chopped garlic
o
Chopped squash (optional)
o
Chopped Eggplants
(optional)
o
Chopped mushrooms
(optional)
·
Sauce layer:
o
Fresh not-so-nice crushed
tomatoes or cans of crushed tomatoes
·
Spices for both layers: garlic
powder, freshly ground pepper, paprika, chopped fresh parsley, fresh or dried
basil, fresh or dried oregano, fresh or dried thyme
·
water
·
PAM
How to work:
1. First prepare the eggplants. Peel the outer skin and
slice lengthwise. Make sure the
slices are about the thickness of a pinky or less. Soak in water for about an
hour. Rinse and then press out all the
liquid before using them.
2. Now prepare the vegetable layer(s).
Prepare and chop all the vegetables. Spray a wok or deep frying pan with
PAM and then, as described above, cook the hard, slow-cooking vegetables
first. Watch the vegetables carefully so
you do not burn them.
3. Once these vegetables become a bit soft and change to a deeper color you can
either add small amounts of water and then the softer vegetables or just add
the vegetables alone. In either case, once
the vegetables are cooking "nicely" you will need to add water and the
spices.
4. Here is the tricky part: you will now add enough water and
spices to create a semi-thick sauce that covers about half way up the
vegetables. This sauce is very important
to the softness and texture of the final dish.
5. I love oregano and other, what I call, Italian spices. I add very generous amounts to my lasagna.
6. Once the vegetables are cooked. Take
the pan off the flame and leave the vegetables in the pan to cool.
7. Now prepare your sauce. I have
long since stopped making a cooked tomato sauce. It is simply too much work and, in my opinion,
does not add anything to the overall dish.
In a very large bowl I mix the crushed tomatoes, canned or fresh with
all the spices mentioned above. You need to make a good amount of sauce for this dish. Any leftover sauce can be froozen!
8. Once again, you need to add enough water to make a sauce that is the
consistency of a slightly watery soup.
9. Slice the mushrooms for garnish.
10.
Now it is time to
assemble the dish. I like to have all my
ingredients in an "assembly line" – so I place my baking dish, next
to the sliced eggplants, pan of cooked vegetables and bowl of sauce. I also make a plate of sliced mushrooms and
extra oregano to either add on the top of each layer or just sprinkle on the very
top layer.
11.
The number of layers you place
in your dish depends on the depth of your baking dish and how thick you like
your lasagna. I like a thick lasagna and
will usually have about four to five layers.
12.
Start with a layer of eggplant
slices placed side-by-side on the dish.
Try to make one flat, even layer.
13.
Next add a ladle or two
(depending on the size of your dish and your ladle) of cooked vegetables.
14.
Next pour over this layer
a ladle or two (or even three) of tomato sauce.
15.
Add mushrooms and oregano
for garnish, if desired and then start a new layer.
16.
Continue layering till
the very top of the pan. The final "layer" should be a thin layer of sauce,
sliced mushrooms and oregano.
17.
I warmly recommend that
you line the rack in the oven underneath the lasagna with parchment
paper, since the lasagna's sauce has a nasty habit of bubbling over.
18.
Bake in a preheated oven
to 180°C for about 30-35
minutes. Cooking time may vary
according to oven, baking pan material (glass or metal) and number of layers
of the dish. The dish is ready once
the sauce begins to bubble and the mushrooms are browned. Remember, the ingredients in this dish are
already cooked!
Have a wonderful
Shavuos!!!! If anyone wants my decadent
cheese cake recipe please send request on my FB page or email me at yochi.eisner@gmail.com
Do you have any
questions? Any comments? Write me or
facebook me! B'TeyAvon!
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