Lasagna with Brussels Sprout and Endive Salad

Way back in the time when I was dating my good wife, I decided to cook for her.  I like to say that my cooking sealed the deal to win her over.  On that occasion, I fixed lasagna, garlic bread, and a lemon ice box pie.   The lasagna recipe I used was one I'd gotten from my mother, I don't know where she got it.  It has evolved over the years as I tend to cook it according to how I want it to taste.


Last week was the good wife's birthday and she requested the lasagna for her birthday supper.  She also wanted fresh hot bread and a salad.  In the end, I also ended up making cupcakes to go with the meal since cupcakes are easier to share with friends and neighbors.  The cupcakes will be a separate post.


Before I get into the recipes, I'll give a word of warning.  We are not Italian and if you want to take exception to the recipe just know, I'm not going to change it.  If you  think it should be a certain way, start your own blog.  That was brought on by reading too many complaining comments on other blogs. 


For the salad, I had to come up with something different because the good wife wanted something other than the usual mixed greens with additions.  I got to looking in my garden at what was left from the fall planting that could be used for a salad.  What I had was Brussels sprouts, endive, and kale.  I went with the Brussels sprouts and endive which I'm sure you figured out from the title.  Since the Brussels sprouts are raw, this is a good way for people to try them since many that don't like  them are put off by the smell of them cooking.  Since they are thinly sliced, they'd never know they were Brussels sprouts unless you tell them.  I dressed it with a lemon vinaigrette.  I also don't use the standard proportions for a vinaigrette.

Brussels Sprout and Endive Salad

Brussels Sprout and Endive Salad


14 Brussels sprouts
1 small head of endive
6 - 8 slices of bacon, cooked
1/3 cup almonds


Thinly slice the Brussels sprouts and place in a large bowl.  Cut the endive leaves from the ribs and slice to the same width as the Brussels sprouts and add to the bowl.  You want to end up with equal amounts of the Brussels sprouts and the endive.  Chop or crumble the bacon according to how done you cooked it and add to the bowl.  Run the almonds through the chopper until they are small chunks and add to the bowl.  Toss the contents to mix well.  Just before serving add the lemon vinaigrette.  Serves 4.


Lemon Vinaigrette


1 lemon
olive oil
1 pinch kosher salt
1 - 1.5 tsp mustard, which ever you have on hand


Squeeze the juice from the lemon into a small jar.  Pour in olive oil until you have twice as much olive oil as lemon juice.  Add a healthy pinch of kosher salt and the mustard.  Put the cap on the jar and shake to combine.  Pour over salad and toss until you get the salad coated without it dripping off.


Lasagna


1 lb hot Italian sausage
2 15 oz cans diced tomatoes
1 6 oz can tomato paste
1/3 bottle of Merlot or red wine of your choice
6 - 8 cloves garlic, minced
1 small onion, diced small
2+ tsp salt
2+ tsp pepper
3+ Tbs Italian seasoning
2 bay leaves
12 oz cottage cheese
2 eggs
fresh pasta sheets or dried lasagna noodles
shredded mozzarella cheese


I package my hot Italian sausage as bulk but if you have linked sausage remove the casing.  Brown the sausage in a pot making sure to break it up into small pieces.  Remove the sausage from the pot.  Add the garlic and onion to the sausage grease and sautee until the onion is translucent then add the tomatoes and tomato paste.  Stir to combine.  Add  the 2 tsp salt and pepper and the 3 Tbs Italian seasoning and stir.  Taste and adjust if desired.  Stir in the wine and bay leaves and return the sausage to the pot.  Bring to a boil then reduce to a simmer and cover.  The longer you let it simmer the better it gets. 


In a small bowl, combine the cottage cheese and the eggs.


Make the fresh pasta sheets or prepared lasagna noodles according to package directions.


Spoon a little of the meat sauce onto the bottom of the pan.  Lay down a layer of pasta sheets/lasagna noodles being sure to over lap well.  Spoon half of cottage cheese and egg mixture onto pasta and spread evenly.  Top this with a good layer of the shredded mozzarella cheese.  Pour in half the meat sauce.  Repeat the layering process.  Bake for 45 minutes in a 375F oven until bubbly.  I used a glass pan this time so it took a bit longer.  Let it sit for 10 minutes then cut and serve.

Lasagna hot from the oven

The bread was made using the same recipe I've adapted from a technique/recipe from Artisan Bread with Steve.  Most of his recipes vary a bit depending on the type loaf but I found one that I can tweak a bit to serve for several different uses.

Hot crusty bread

The good wife enjoyed her birthday supper and the boy declared the salad the 2nd best he'd ever had.  The best he said came from a restaurant and was as much about the presentation as the actual salad.  The flavor from Brussels sprouts and endive only a few hours from the garden was out of this world.  I'm making a variant of this salad using kale and store bought Brussels sprouts for Easter dinner to see what difference we can taste.  We also determined that it had been close to 5 years since I've made lasagna.  I'll have to make sure to keep it further up in the rotation.

Time to dig in

I hope you give one or both of these a try.  I think you'll like them both.  If  you try them, let me know what  you think.  Remember, have fun in the kitchen.


Uncle T