Father's Day Lasagna / Salted Caramel Sauce over Ice Cream!

"OMG! This is the absolute BEST lasagna I have EVER had!!!"

DH and I were out late last night and felt a bit fragile this morning. After the lovely Father's Day wishes and cuddles, I decided the best way to spend a gray Sunday afternoon is to cook a delicious Father's Day dinner fit for a king! (and this, believe me, if definitely fit for a king!)  DH was asking me to make him lasagna, and having not made this for years, I checked out some recipes and really liked the look of Jamie Oliver's "Simple Lasagna". Why it is called "Simple Lasagna" I haven't a clue, since it isn't especially simple to make! HOWEVER -  I made some modifications and cut some corners with my version of this recipe, (although you DO need to spend a bit of time making this beauty!) but I don't think it will lose the depth of flavour Jamie was set out to accomplish.  It definitely is worth making this - I plan on freezing the leftovers into individual portions for TJ - he just LOVES lasagna!  Also the recipe makes up more meat sauce than is needed, so it will also be good to combine with fresh pasta for TJ dinners as well.  Next time I make this - it will be for entertaining guests, so I can share this most excellent dish with others!

Here it is:

Father's Day Lasagna

Ingredients
• 250g pancetta or smoked bacon, chopped
• 1 teaspoon of cinnamon (or more!)
• 1 large onion, finely chopped (food chopper for these next 4 ingredients makes it sooo easy!)
• 2 carrots, finely chopped
• 2-3 cloves of garlic, peeled and finely chopped
• 2 handfuls of fresh herbs I had some oregano and rosemary, but you could use basil and/or sage
• olive oil
• 300g minced beef
• 250g minced pork
• 2 x 400g tins of chopped tomatoes
• 300ml red wine or water
• 2-3 bay leaves
• 1 butternut squash, halved, deseeded and roughly chopped
• 1 tablespoon ground coriander
• 1 teaspoon dried chili flakes
• sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 400g fresh lasagna sheets (or cooked - dried lasagna sheets)
• 400g mozzarella, torn up

for the white sauce
• 1 x 500ml tub of crème fraîche
• 3 anchovies, finely chopped (really! it does increase the flavour and isn't so bad!)
• 2 handfuls of freshly grated Parmesan cheese
optional: a little milk - just a splash!

Preheat the oven to 180ºC/350ºF/gas 4. In a large stainless steel skillet pan slowly fry the pancetta and cinnamon until golden, (this smells so gorgeous!!!) then add the onion, carrot, garlic and herbs and about 4 tablespoons of olive oil. Mix together, then add the beef and pork. Cook for about 5 minutes, then add the tinned tomatoes and the wine or water. Add the bay leaves and bring to the boil. Transfer to the Covered Baker or a casserole dish with lid. Then get some greaseproof paper, wet it and place it on top of the dish with a lid placed on top as well. Then place in the preheated oven for 2 hours. (yes, don't worry, 2 hours!) Place the butternut squash pieces in a plastic resealable bag with the olive oil, coriander and chili flakes. Shake to cover squash with spices and oil and then tip onto rectangular stone (or baking tray).  Season with salt and pepper and roast in the oven for the last 45 minutes of cooking the sauce. When the sauce is done, season to taste and put to one side. Mix together the crème fraîche, anchovies, and a handful of Parmesan, and season with salt and pepper. You may need to loosen the mixture with a splash of milk. (you want a béchamel sauce consistency)



Turn the oven to 200ºC/400ºF/gas 6. To assemble the lasagna, rub an earthenware lasagne dish (Square Baker) with olive oil, lay some sheets of lasagne over the bottom. Add a layer of meat, a little white sauce and a sprinkling of Parmesan. Break the butternut squash into pieces and use this as one layer, then repeat the layers, finishing with a layer of pasta covered in white sauce. Tear over the mozzarella and sprinkle with some extra Parmesan. Cook in the preheated oven for 30–35 minutes until golden.

YUM!!!!!

and now for dessert . . . . .

Found this recipe in today's YOU magazine supplement in the Sunday papers. Nigella's recipe and as soon as I saw it, I thought I must make this for DH - he will love it over ice cream! (and so will the rest of us!!)

Problem is - I don't have much of a sweet tooth at all, HOWEVER - when I tasted this, I was hooked! The combination of the sweet with the salt tricked my mind into absolutely LOVING this sweet, sticky sauce! I just might have a big problem now if I make it again!  (the thing is - it's so easy to make!!!! AAARRRGGGHHHH!!!!!)

Salted Caramel Sauce

*Makes enough to pour over ice cream for 6-8 people (or 3-4 greedy ones!)

75g salted butter, best quality
50g soft light brown sugar
50g caster sugar
50g golden syrup
125ml double cream
1/2 - 1 1/2 teaspoons finest salt, to taste

Melt the butter, sugars and golden syrup in a small, heavy-based saucepan and let it simmer for 3 minutes, swirling and stirring every now and again.

The sauce should turn from gold to dark amber as it cooks.

Add the cream carefully, then half a teaspoon of salt, and swirl again.

Give it a stir with a wooden spoon and taste - go cautiously so that you don't burn your tongue - to see if you want more salt, before letting it cook for another minute, then pour into a jug for serving.

HEAVEN!!!!!!

Quinoa Stuffed Pork Tenderloin with Butternut Squash Souffle

Wow, it's been quite a while since I have posted! That's the beauty of a blog - post when I can is all I can say!

I wanted to make something healthy, but tasty, so I think this is perfect! This recipe is not completely Paleo, although the only thing un-paleo about it is a little quinoa, and that is such a healthy grain, I think I can get away with it! TJ and DH love quinoa - in fact, when TJ's friends come round, they ask me to make them quinoa - if you haven't tried it, do it soon!!!

I made this with Butternut Squash Souffle, which is on an earlier post - so easy and healthy and so much flavour.

Quinoa Stuffed Pork Tenderloin

• 1/4 cup uncooked quinoa
• 1/2 cup water
   
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1/2 onion, chopped
• 2 cloves garlic, chopped
• 1 small apple - peeled, cored and chopped
• 1/4 cup raisins
• 2 tablespoons pine nuts
• 4 mushrooms, chopped
   
• 1 (1 pound) pork tenderloin
• 1 pinch ground cinnamon
• 1 pinch garam masala, or to taste
• salt and ground black pepper to taste
   
• Bring the quinoa and water to a boil in a saucepan over medium-high heat. Reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer until the quinoa is tender, and the water has been absorbed, about 15 minutes.
• Heat the olive oil in a skillet over medium heat. Cook and stir the onion, garlic, apples, raisins, pine nuts, and mushrooms until the onion has softened and turned translucent, about 8 minutes. Stir in the white wine, and cook another minute until the liquid has evaporated. Combine the apple mixture and quinoa until evenly mixed; set aside.
• Preheat an oven to 425 degrees F (220 degrees C).
• Cut the pork tenderloin from one side through the middle horizontally to within one-half inch of the other side. Open the two sides and spread them out like an open book. Place between two sheets of heavy plastic (resealable freezer bags work well) on a solid, level surface. Firmly pound the tenderloin with the smooth side of a meat mallet to a thickness of 1/2 inch.
• Season the tenderloin on both sides with cinnamon, garam masala, salt, and black pepper. Spoon the quinoa filling onto the tenderloin, then roll up and secure with kitchen twine or toothpicks. Place onto a roasting pan.
• Roast in the preheated oven until the pork is no longer pink in the center, about 35 minutes. An instant-read thermometer inserted into the center of the filling should read 160 degrees F (70 degrees C). Cover with aluminum foil, and let rest for 10 minutes before slicing.