truffled wild mushroom lasagna

Hey folks!

So my shift got canceled last night at work {at least I was put on call, so I got half-pay instead of my shift being cut entirely}, which left me time today to cook a recipe I have been wanting to try! I am not the biggest fan of mushrooms, but I am always looking for ways to expand my palate's tastes, and new recipes that might help me to enjoy mushrooms more. And this recipe sounded really good {white truffle oil, yes please!}! Found in Cooking Light's December issue, I give you:

Truffled Wild Mushroom Lasagna

(PS - don't try this if you don't have 2 hours to spare!)

You don't have to spend a lot on truffle oil; look for small 2- or 3-ounce bottles, which are less likely to go bad before you use up the oil. {I got 8 oz for $9 at Sprouts}


Yield:  8 servings (serving size: 1 piece)

1 tablespoon olive oil
2 cups thinly sliced leek
8 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
3/8 teaspoon salt, divided
7 cups sliced cremini mushrooms (about 1 1/2 pounds), divided
4 cups sliced shiitake mushroom caps (about 1 pound)
2/3 cup Côtes du Rhône or other fruity red wine
1 tablespoon chopped fresh thyme
1 tablespoon chopped fresh oregano
1 tablespoon chopped fresh sage
3 tablespoons white truffle oil
1 teaspoon black pepper, divided
2 1/2 cups 1% low-fat milk
1 bay leaf
2 tablespoons butter
3 1/2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1/8 teaspoon ground nutmeg
2 cups fat-free ricotta cheese
1/4 cup chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
1 tablespoon grated lemon rind
Cooking spray
8 ounces precooked lasagna noodles {use whole-wheat noodles to add fiber!}
1 cup (4 ounces) shredded part-skim mozzarella cheese
1 cup (4 ounces) grated fresh Parmesan cheese

1. Heat olive oil in a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add leek, garlic, and 1/4 teaspoon salt; sauté 2 minutes. Add 4 cups cremini mushrooms and shiitake mushrooms; sauté 10 minutes or until mushrooms release moisture and begin to brown. Stir in wine; cook 3 minutes or until liquid almost evaporates, stirring frequently. Remove from heat; stir in thyme, oregano, sage, truffle oil, and 1/2 teaspoon pepper.

2. Combine milk and bay leaf in a heavy saucepan; cook over medium-high heat to 180° or until tiny bubbles form around edge (do not boil). Remove from heat; cover and let stand 10 minutes. Strain mixture through a sieve into a bowl; discard bay leaf. Set aside.

3. Melt butter in saucepan over medium heat. Add remaining 3 cups cremini mushrooms; sauté 4 minutes or until tender. Add flour, stirring with a whisk until blended. Cook 1 minute, stirring constantly; gradually add milk. Bring to a boil; reduce heat, and simmer 8 minutes or until thick. Stir in remaining 1/8 teaspoon salt, 1/4 teaspoon pepper, and nutmeg.

4. Preheat oven to 350°.

5. Combine ricotta, parsley, lemon rind, and remaining 1/4 teaspoon black pepper in a bowl. Spread 1/2 cup milk mixture in bottom of an 11 x 7-inch glass or ceramic baking dish coated with cooking spray. Arrange 3 noodles over sauce; top with 2 cups mushroom mixture. Sprinkle with 1/4 cup mozzarella and 1/4 cup Parmesan. Arrange 3 noodles over cheese. Top with 1 cup ricotta mixture. Repeat layers once with 3 noodles, 2 cups mushroom mixture, 1/4 cup mozzarella, 1/4 cup Parmesan, 3 noodles, and 1 cup ricotta (dish will be very full); spread remaining sauce over top. Cover with foil; place baking dish on a baking sheet. Bake at 350° for 30 minutes. Remove from oven; increase oven temperature to 450°. Uncover the lasagna, and sprinkle with remaining 1/2 cup mozzarella and remaining 1/2 cup Parmesan; bake an additional 10 minutes or until golden brown.
 
CALORIES 424 ; FAT 17.7g (sat 6.4g,mono 2.2g,poly 8.1g); CHOLESTEROL 31mg; CALCIUM 393mg; CARBOHYDRATE 41.3g; SODIUM 455mg; PROTEIN 23.7g; FIBER 2.8g; IRON 2.6mg

This was DEFINITELY tasty, but it took a LOT of effort to make, lol! So if I were to make it again, I would probably do a double batch and freeze it, and serve to guests as a show-off dish :)
Cheers to holiday cooking & new recipes!