Liza lou's: "Ratatat" Lasagna

(the bright spot)

"I wake up, it's raining and it's Monday...", but I am doing alright...cause the memory of our spring like Sunday is still with me and today I have already encountered a bright spot. I am so glad I decided to check the mail. I don't dig checking the mail. But once a month I smile as I open the box to a bright, colorful, and shiny food magazine, and admittedly I salivate a bit at the cover. Last month it was at a short rib sandwich and today, a pizza topped with fresh mozzarella from LA.

So now you know, I cook, I eat, and I read about food. See, it is all aspects of food that I crave. On the days when I tire of cooking, and I don't want to think about doing it, it doesn't discourage me. Six years ago, when I decided to leave NC State and academia itself, I made a choice. I closed the school books, and decided I liked food better. Across the world, people are cooking and eating. There are teachers everywhere, and in the every day. It is up to me to consume the knowledge, and it is through that, I gain the energy and strength to become motivated back into the kitchen. The learning process is never ending, and there is plenty to go around.

So, along with my once a month food magazines, and a slew of individuals that I observe, admire, or bottle with questions, there is the ever fascinating world of the internet. It opens me up to a plentiful amount of resources. When it comes to daily food findings, I consider the New York Times to be the cream of the crop. And on a certain winter day, it was from reading online, Mark Bittman's food blog, Bitten, that I learned how to make a fantastic, yet alternative lasagna. He used celery root puree to replace a traditional bechamel sauce. And with it, a new flavor reigned supreme.

Inspired, I applied the knowledge in my own kitchen. Using his idea, I created a new lasagna with a ratatouille theme. It is summer somewhere, and thanks to that I could find squashes and zucchinis, tomatoes and eggplants at the store. So out of the oven came a winter favorite with a much needed taste of summer. It was a version healthier than the heavier, but more traditional one that I usually make.

And it was just as pleasing and even more impressive.

All the vegetarians in the house, this one is for you!

Ingredients:

1 large eggplant, sliced into 1/4 inch rounds
kosher salt
pepper
olive oil
3 cups of milk
1 large celery root, peeled and chopped
1/2 yellow onion, chopped
3 garlic cloves, minced
3 zucchinis, seeds removed, and chopped
3 yellow squashes, seeds removed, and chopped
1 1/2 cups roasted tomatoes from the Whole foods olive bar
(substitution: 1 large can diced tomatoes with juice, if so skip on the tomato paste and the water)
2 T. tomato paste
2 T. water
2 T. thyme, stems removed, and minced
2 T. oregano, stems removed, and minced
2 bunches Swiss chard, rinsed, patted dry, and chopped
1 T. olive oil
lasagna noodles, I prefer the no boil kind (they cook as they bake)
Whole milk mozzarella cheese, grated

Method:

Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Now lightly salt eggplant rounds and let sit on the counter for about 30 minutes to sweat out the liquid. Be sure to rinse off salt and pat dry before roasting, because eggplant will taste too salty. Toss rounds with olive oil, a little salt and pepper, and roast for about 20-25 minutes (check at 20min), flesh will be soft but chewy, and skin will be crisp.

Once done, turn oven heat down to 375 degrees. Meanwhile, combine celery root and milk in a large pot. Bring to a boil, then allow to simmer on low heat for about 30 minutes. At first keep an eye on it, stirring, there is nothing yuckier than boiled over milk. Once celery root is mushy, pull out a half a cup of milk cooking liquid, then drain out the rest. Puree celery root in food processor or blender, adding reserved milk to make it smooth. Season with salt and pepper and set aside.

Next, saute onions and garlic on medium high heat til softened. Add zucchini, squash, tomatoes, and tomato paste, and 2 T water, and cook together about 20 minutes. Season with salt and pepper and add fresh herbs. Mix well. It should be slightly on the mushy side.

Quickly, on medium high heat, saute in 1 T. olive oil, Swiss chard til wilted. Very lightly season with salt and pepper.

Go ahead and grate your cheese, and grease with butter a deep dish pan (one that is suitable for lasagna).

It is layering time. First, spread a thin layer of celery root puree on the bottom of the pan. Top with noodles, then ratatouille mixture, eggplant rounds, Swiss chard, and cheese. Then repeat. Celery root, noodles, ratatouille mixtuure, eggplant rounds, and cheese.