Butternut Braised Rib and Chard Lasagna

inAmerican Recipes, Autumn Recipes, Beef Recipes, Dinner Recipes, Italian Recipes, Pasta Recipes, Recipes, Vegetable Recipes
  • YIELDS | 12 SERVINGS
  • PREP TIME | 35 MINS
  • COOK TIME | 60 MINS

This lasagna is layered with fall flavors. This recipe takes advantage of sweet, seasonal, butternut squash, plump, fresh sage leaves, and a robust creamy base. This recipe is so versatile; use your favorite meat or poultry.

Ingredients

For the Béchamel Sauce

  • 1/4 cup butter
  • 1/4 cup flour
  • 3 cups favorite milk

For the Lasagna

  • 1/2 medium sized butternut squash, roasted, about 3/4 cup
  • Box of lasagna noodles
  • 1/4-1/2 teaspoon nutmeg, or to taste
  • 6 cups favorite shredded cheese (We used a combination of gouda and mozzarella.)
  • 4 cups of favorite cooked meat (We used the meat from 7-8 braised beef shanks)
  • Large bunch Swiss chard, leaves rinsed, stems trimmed; keep leaves whole
  • ½ cup Parmesan cheese, grated
  • Kosher salt and freshly brown pepper to taste
  • 20-25 sage leaves, fried, optional

Instructions

  1. Preheat oven to 400°F.
  2. Cut squash in half and scoop out the seeds. Rinse, dry, and drizzle with olive oil, salt, and pepper. Roast for 45-55 minutes. When done, set one half aside to cool and save the other half for another recipe.
  3. While the squash roasts, cook the lasagna noodles according to the directions on the box.
  4. Make the béchamel and then pour into a high-speed blender and let cool.
  5. Grease the bottoms and sides of a lasagna pan.
  6. Scoop the pulp from roasted squash, about 3/4 cup, and add to the béchamel sauce. Add in the nutmeg, salt and pepper to taste and blend until smooth.
  7. Pour 1/4 cup béchamel mixture into the pan and coat the bottom of the pan. Place a layer of lasagna noodles onto of the sauce. Cover with 1/3 of the shredded cheese and 1 cup meat of choice, then a layer of chard leaves. Repeat this sequence of layers two more times. Finish with the last cup of meat and top with remaining shredded cheese and the Parmesan cheese.
  8. Bake for 45 minutes or until bubbly and brown.
  9. Remove from the oven and top with fried sage leaves, if using. Let sit for 15-20 minutes to set

    How to Make Béchamel Sauce

    Béchamel is the first of the 5 Mother Sauces. it begins with the first building block of roux and is blended with milk or cream. It is a a delicious and creamy base used in rich dishes such as macaroni and cheese, lasagnas, cheese soufflé. It serves as the base layer for other sauces such as a Mornay sauce made with gruyere and parmesan or a soubise sauce by adding blended onions.

    Ingredients:

    • 1/4 cup butter, olive oil, or animal Fat, such as bacon grease
    • 1/4 cup flour
    • 3 cups favorite milk
    • Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper to taste

    Instructions:

    1. Melt butter, olive oil, or rendered animal fat in a heavy bottomed pan over medium heat. 
    2. When it has been melted whisk in the flour and whisk constantly to be sure it doesn’t burn  and until it is a light golden brown, about 6–8 minutes.
    3. Turn the heat down to low and whisk in the milk. continue to mix until creamy. 
    4. Add kosher salt, pepper to taste plus any other spice or herb to season the sauce.