Lasagna Stew

I wasn't too sure if I should share this recipe or not. It isn't exactly porphyria-friendly. Not only is there meat, but there are also tomatoes, onions, fennel, and a good amount of dairy. The only thing that it has going for it is that it has pasta.  To be sure, Tara only had one serving and I ate the rest.

We definitely don't eat like this every day. But here's the thing, we're human and we don't always eat the best.  It's just like when you're on a diet and you eat huge slice of cake (and a bowl of ice cream and some cookies, and a burger...); you know you shouldn't, but you do anyway. And, if you're the type, the next day you go bust your ass in the gym, or, at the very least, you get back on track with your diet.  It's the same thing here.  Tara occasionally  gets cravings for certain foods that aren't so trigger-friendly or we're in a pinch.  So, we try to eat foods before and after that are super high in carbs or she'll drink a Gatorade.

Anyway, enough of that and on to the recipe. Or the discussion of the recipe...


I initially saw Pass the Sushi's post on Lasagna Stew and it looked so good that I knew I was going to make it soon, like either that night or the next day, soon. 

Thankfully, my version of lasagna soup - Lasagna Stew - did not disappoint!  Honestly, the main reason I decided to post the recipe was because, people, this is good. I mean, really good. I'm not sure if it's because I love a good meat sauce and I rarely get to enjoy it, but I was savoring the sauce like nobody's business.

It doesn't taste quite like lasagna, but it is very lasagna-esque.  You know, kind of like a cousin of lasagna.  All the elements are there: meat sauce, pasta, ricotta, and browned mozzarella topping.  They just combine to form something fabulous.

Despite what I said earlier about this lasagna stew being essentially a trigger-bomb, it is quite customizable. It can easily be made vegetarian by replacing the meat with veggies like mushrooms and/or zucchini, etc.. It can be made dairy-light or even dairy-free. You can change up the spices somewhat by leaving out the fennel and upping the basil, oregano, and bay lead. I suppose it could even be made onion-free, too, although I'm not entirely sure because, at that point, it would probably be another dish entirely.

 

Lasagna Stew

Adapted from Pass the Sushi and Closet Cooking  and

Don't let the long list of ingredients fool you; this comes together fairly quickly.  If you want to make this more soup-like, increase the chicken stock to at least 4 cups. 

Ingredients

• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 1/2 lb Italian sausage, casings removed
• 2 medium - large onions, finely chopped,
• 4 cloves garlic, minced
• 1/4-1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes
• 1/2 teaspoon fennel seeds, crushed
• 3 tablespoon tomato paste (organic preferred)
• 1 28oz can diced tomatoes, with juice
• 1 14oz can diced tomatoes, with juice
• 1 1/2 cups, approximately, chicken stock
• 1 bay leaf
• 1 teaspoon dried oregano
• 8oz pasta (mafalda would be appropriate, but any big pasta will do)
• 1/2 cup finely chopped fresh basil (I left this out)
• Salt and pepper, to taste
• 8oz ricotta cheese
• 1/2 cup grated Parmesan
• 2 cups shredded mozzarella

Directions

In a large pot (either a sauce pot or a large, high-sided skillet), heat oil over medium heat. Add sausage and cook until brown, breaking up into small chunks, until no longer pink, about 5 minutes. Transfer to a bowl and set aside (this step is optional, but it will help the next step go quicker.).

Add onion and sauté until soft, about 5 minutes. Add garlic, red pepper flakes, and fennel and sauté for about 1 minute. Stir in tomato paste and cook for 5 minutes or so.

Add to the pan tomatoes with juice, sausage (if you removed it), stock, bay leaf, and oregano; bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer for about 30 minutes to blend the flavors.

While sauce simmers, bring a large pot of salted water to boil. Dump in the pasta, boil for a minute or so, turn off the heat and cover. Let sit for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally, or until the pasta is cooked to your liking. Once done, drain and return to the pot.

While the sauce and pasta is cooking, preheat the oven to broil and place oven safe bowls on a baking sheet.

When the pasta is cooked and the sauce is done simmering, fish out the bay leaf and discard. Stir in basil and season with salt and pepper to taste. Then stir in pasta.

Scoop a heaping spoonful of ricotta into each bowl. Ladle stew into bowls and top each bowl with Parmesan and mozzarella cheese. Place in broiler with oven door cracked for 3-5 minutes or until cheese browns.

Wait a few minutes before serving because the stew will be super hot.


Recipe variations:

Vegetarian:  Replace the meat with any number of vegetables, but especially mushrooms. Replace the chicken broth with vegetable broth or water.

Dairy-free or dairy-light:  Decrease the amount of ricotta used in the lasagna and decrease the amount of topping. If you are just looking for a little bit of dairy, I would eliminate all but a smidge of the topping.

Fennel-free:  Leave out the fennel and, if you are using a meat, use ground pork and beef in place of the sausage. Increase the rest of the seasonings, especially the salt, pepper and bay leaf, and double the basil by adding it to the sauce while it is cooking and then at the end.

Gluten-free:  Use any gluten free pasta you prefer.

Onion-free:  I am guessing about this one. Leave out the onion and significantly increase the seasonings. I would add 2-3 bay leaves, add the larger amount of red pepper flakes (assuming you can handle heat), increase the oregano (add some fresh, too, if you have it), and double the basil by adding it when the sauce is cooking and then at the end.

If you try out any of these variations, please let me know how they work for you or what you did or would do differently.

Penne a la vodka

I know people like to knock Rachael Ray, but all of her recipes that I have made (and it's only been a few) were very approachable and relatively easy to make.  This recipe is no exception.  I mean, even Deb from Smitten Kitchen made it.

Rach's dish is somewhat annoyingly titled: You Won't Be Single For Long Vodka Cream Pasta.  But, it is Tara's favorite meal that I make for her.  She requests it for her birthday every year plus she likes me to make it for special occasions. Other people buy their wives flowers; I make mine penne a la vodka!  So, even though I haven't been single for many years (almost 10, people!), it certainly keeps me from being single again!

(By the way, the Decadent Duo for Decadent Duos: Chocolate Cups with Whipped Cream from the same episode is pretty phenomenal.) 

I've tweaked this recipe so much over the years, per Tara's requests, that we've pretty much made it our own. Mainly, I added some heat with red pepper flakes and made it chunkier by increasing the amount of shallots, adding cut up stewed tomatoes, and eliminating the chicken stock.    

Incidentally, I rarely drink any form of alcohol - I can count how many drinks I imbibe in one year on one hand - and I certainly don't buy alcohol for drinking.  So, the first time I had to buy vodka for this recipe (normally I send Tara), there was a sale on the larger, 1.5 liter, bottles.  The irony of a non-drinker buying a rather large bottle of vodka was not lost on me.  Also ironical is how decently stocked our liquor cabinet (shelf, actually) is due to my willingness to use multiple varieties in my cooking and baking. 

Penne a la Vodka
Liberally adapted from Rachael Ray

Serves 4

If you want to make this alcohol free, swap the vodka for a half cup of chicken or vegetable broth (or water in a pinch); add it in with the tomatoes.

Ingredients

• 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
• 1 tablespoon butter
• 4-5 shallots, chopped
• 2 cloves (or 1-2 teaspoons from a jar) minced garlic
• red pepper flakes to taste (~1/4 tsp)
• 1 cup vodka
• 1 large (28 oz) can crushed tomatoes*
• Salt and pepper to flavor
• 16 oz penne pasta
• ½ cup heavy cream
• 20 leaves basil, shredded/torn (optional)
• grated parmesan cheese (optional)

Directions

Heat a large skillet over medium heat. Add oil, butter, and shallots.  Gently saute shallots for 3-5 minutes to develop sweetness.  Add garlic and red pepper flakes to the pan and saute for a minute or so.  Add vodka to the pan and reduce by half (2-3 minutes).  Add tomatoes to pan.  Bring sauce to a bubble and reduce heat to simmer.  Season with salt and pepper.

While sauce simmers, bring a large pot of salted water to boil.  Dump in the pasta, boil for a minute or so and turn off the heat, add 1 tablespoon of the oil, and cover.  Let sit for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally, or until the pasta is cooked to your liking.  Once done, drain and return to the pot.

Stir cream into sauce.  When sauce returns to a bubble, remove from heat. Toss hot pasta with sauce and basil leaves.  Sprinkle with Parmesan cheese, if desired.

*Note: Regarding the tomatoes, for a thinner sauce, use the 28oz can of crushed tomatoes; for a super chunky sauce, use a 28oz can of stewed tomatoes, chopped; finally, if you need to compromise like I do, use one 14.5 oz can of stewed tomatoes, chopped, and one 14.5 oz can of crushed tomatoes.  The 14.5 oz can of crushed tomatoes can be a bit difficult to find (I know Muir Glen makes it), so you may need to double the recipe.  But don't worry, it freezes really well.

Orzo with mushrooms, tomatoes, and sausage

In the process of my pantry cleaning, I realized that we had a large amount of orzo so I have used it for several different meals.  I've discovered that there is something about the texture of freshly cooked orzo that makes me happy.  Typically, you'll see orzo used in soups or pasta salads, but I like to pair it with sauces (like regular noodles) or stew-type things like chili (where I would normally use rice).  

A perfect example is the above meal: orzo with pesto, mushrooms, tomatoes, and sausage, which is both vegetarian-friendly and vegan-friendly.  I'm not including any recipe because there's really not much to it.  I boiled orzo pasta just like I would regular pasta - Watch it though, because it cooks up quick!  Then I combined it with some homemade pesto, topped it off with sauteed mushrooms (because we all know how much I love them) and diced tomatoes.  Leave it that way for a vegan side dish or add a sprinkle of Parmesan and some sliced sausage on the side and - Voila! - a fairly quick weeknight meal.

Onion-free and garlic-free pumpkin chili

I have a confession to make: we eat far more onions and garlic than we're supposed to.  If you've checked out our Restricted Foods page, you've seen the explanation blurb in the Foods Not Yet Assessed section regarding the Allium family.  Up until now, we've been loathe to cut out onions and garlic from our diet because we like their flavor and, quite frankly, it's kind of intimidating cooking without onion or garlic.  I mean, it's rare that a savory recipe doesn't include one or both.  However, according to all the sites I've read on Porphyria and sulfur sensitivities, including multiple anecdotes from people living with Porphyria, all foods in the Allium family should be avoided.  So, that means no onion, no garlic, no chives - none of that!

After doing some research, I found out that onion and garlic are fairly easy to replace as long as they are not the star-player of the recipe.  Essentially, they are just aromatics to give a little (or a lot) of extra oomph to the recipe.  So, to replace the oomph from one aromatic, you need some oomph from another aromatic.  The main suggestion for replacement has been celery.  Unfortunately, I'm not a big fan of celery.   I refuse to eat it if it's raw, but if it's hidden in a meal, well, OK.  Because of this, I've hesitated to even attempt an onion free and garlic free recipe using celery.    

Then I saw Ashley's pumpkin chili.  Not only did the recipe and accompanying photos look amazing (except for the kidney beans - they give me the heeby jeebies), but there wasn't a crazy amount of onion or garlic included.  So I decided it would be my first attempt at an onion free and garlic free recipe.

I plan on writing another post that includes tips and such on cooking onion free and garlic free (If y'all have any tips, please share.).  In the meantime, if you are highly sensitive or allergic double check everything!  I accidentally had traces of both onion and garlic in my recipe; I used a homemade broth that included both and the chili powder I used has garlic powder. 

I cooked the chili uncovered, so it was extra thick.   At that consistency, it would make amazing chili mac or as a sauce base for pizza with some shredded chicken on top.  I didn't get to try any of those options because I finished it, but next time!

Onion free and garlic free pumpkin chili
liberally adapted from (never home)maker with onion free and garlic free inspiration from About.com.

I'm writing this recipe as I cooked it, but please see below for my comments and suggestions.

Ingredients

• 3-4 stalks of celery, chopped
• 1-2 teaspoons olive oil
• 1 1/2 cups cooked dry (or 1 can drained and rinsed) great northern beans
• 1 1/2 cups cooked dry (or 1 can drained and rinsed) small red beans
• 1 can corn kernels, drained
• 1 14 ounce can whole peeled tomatoes, keep the juice
• 1 14 ounce can crushed tomatoes
• 1 can pumpkin puree
• 1 cup vegetable broth
• 1 tablespoon paprika
• 1 teaspoon black pepper
• 1/2 teaspoon cumin*
• 1/2 teaspoon chili powder* 
• 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper (optional)
• 1 tablespoon fresh oregano
• 1 1/2 teaspoons chopped fresh sage leaves
• 1/2 to 1 teaspoon salt
• Optional: 
• Sliced avocado, shredded cheese, and/or tortilla chips for topping.  
• For increased carbohydrates: cooked pasta such as macaroni noodles if the chili is thick, orzo if it is thinner.

Directions

In a large saucepan, heat the olive oil over medium-high heat and add the celery. Cook until onions are tender. Pour in the beans, corn kernels, pumpkin puree, tomatoes,  vegetable broth, and seasonings (including herbs).  Mix.

Bring to a boil, stirring occasionally. When stirring, crush the whole tomatoes enough to mix them in a bit, but keep them chunky.  Then lower the heat to a simmer and either cover for a thinner chili or leave uncovered for a thicker chili. Cook for 45 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Verdict & notes:

• First and foremost, I would increase all the spices, save the cayenne pepper - Dude, that stuff packs some heat!  
• Second, I would definitely increase (maybe double?) the fresh herbs; I'm still getting used to cooking with fresh herbs, so I've been starting off light.  Also, Ashley originally suggested to add the herbs toward the end, but I really needed them to flavor the mixture, so I added them in the beginning.  Thoughts? 
• Third, I might increase the celery by a stalk or two; I originally started out with one and a half and had to add some more in at the end (the recipe reflects this).    
• Finally, the pumpkin doesn't add much flavor, so don't be put off by it's addition to the chili; if you want some of the flavor to shine, add an additional half to a full can of pumpkin puree.  

All that said, I definitely liked this chili.  I ate it a few times without anything else, which is saying something for me.

*If you are being strict about removing all things onion and garlic, leave out the chili powder and substitute with up to 1 tablespoon of ground red pepper and increase the cumin to 1 teaspoon.  I'm not sure how it will taste, but if anyone tries it, please let me know. Also, make your own vegetable broth without the offending onion and garlic (how-to post coming eventually).