Recipe of The Week - Salmon and Asparagus Lasagna
Ingredients
· 400 grams (14 oz) skinless salmon fillet
· 2 cups diluted or homemade fish stock
· Small bunch of fresh dill
· 6 black peppercorns
· 1 lemon, zest grated and juiced
· 750 grams (1 1⁄2 lbs) asparagus, trimmed
· 1 tablespoon butter
· 1⁄4 cup flour
· 1 1⁄4 cups 1% milk
· 1⁄4 cup light sour cream
· 300 grams (10 oz) fresh lasagna (the number of sheets will depend on the brand)
· 2 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese
Directions
1. Preheat the oven to 400°F (200°C). Put the salmon fillet in a shallow pan in which it fits snugly and add the stock, the stems from the dill (reserve the fronds for the sauce), the peppercorns and lemon juice. Bring to a boil, then simmer gently for 8–10 minutes until barely cooked. Remove the fish from the stock and, when cool enough to handle, break up into coarse flakes. Strain the stock and discard the flavourings. Set aside.
2. Steam the trimmed asparagus for about 3 minutes until barely tender. Cut off and reserve the tips, then chop the stalks into short pieces. Chop the reserved dill fronds.
3. To make the sauce, melt the butter in a pot and stir in the flour, then gradually stir in the reserved stock and the milk. Bring to a boil, stirring constantly, to make a smooth light sauce. Simmer for 1 minute, then remove from the heat. Add the lemon zest, the chopped dill fronds, sour cream and seasoning to taste. Stir in the salmon and chopped asparagus stalks.
4. Arrange enough sheets of lasagna to cover the bottom of a greased lasagna dish or large shallow ovenproof dish, of about 1.5 litre capacity. Spoon over one-quarter of the salmon mixture. Repeat the layers twice more, then cover with the remaining lasagna sheets. Top with the reserved asparagus tips and press them down gently all over. Top with the remaining salmon mixture.
5. Sprinkle with Parmesan, then bake for 30–35 minutes until the mixture is bubbling and the top is golden.
6. Variation: For a change of flavour, use a smoked cod fillet instead of salmon and replace the asparagus with tiny broccoli florets (there is no need to cook them before layering), or even use half broccoli florets, half asparagus.