Let's Cook - Leek Lasagne.

Hi there Folks,

So I thought I would share a super yummy alternative to Lasagne, we've basically substituted the lasagne sheets for leeks! I first saw this recipe on The Hairy Dieters and thought I would give it a whirl. I didn't follow the actual recipe they did, I just made it up as per my usual style but I've linked it there for you in case you did want to follow the original recipe.

It is super simple to make, it basically involves just your standard mince bolognese, which I made in my slow cooker...in fact it doesn't even need to be mince really, it could be anything you like! And then your cheese sauce, so that could be a basic roux, or you could just put spready cheese like philadelphia on it, or whatever you fancy! The only bit that really requires work is getting your leeks prepared.

To make the leek sheets its best to use the widest leeks you can find as these will give you the wider sheets. Trim the ends off and rinse out any dirt that's collected between the layers. You then need to slice the leek lengthways, but only go half way through the width of the leek. This means that once they've been boiled, your leek sheets will be as wide as the whole circumference of the leek. You need to take the inner most layers out as they're too small to do anything with, so I just trimmed these up and put them in the bolognese. Once your leek is sliced, pop it into a pan of salted, boiling water - I did this in frying pan that was wide enough to lie the leeks down in. Boil the leeks for a good 10-15 minutes, you need to make sure they're nice and soft otherwise they can be a bit tough to cut and chew. Once they're cooked just separate and dry them with a clean tea towel and there you have your leek 'lasagne' sheets!

So basically you just then assemble your lasagne as you would do with a pasta lasagne - I do meat, sheets then cheese. Get them layered up, top with cheese and pop in the over for 15 mins to melt the cheese up :] One thing I will say is, try to make sure your bolognese and cheese sauce are a thick and sticky as possible. The leeks don't absorb any liquid like pasta sheets would, therefore I can turn out a bit watery.

Here's just another shot of the finished product for you to drool over!

Please let me know if you try this or if you have any more alternative pasta dish ideas!

Ciao for now,

JB

Lets Cook - 'Spaghetti Bolognese'.

Hi there Folks,

So this is my twist on a classic recipe that I have altered a smidge. As I mentioned in my pulled pork post my boyfriend follows a low carb diet...that means pasta is a definite no no! So to make sure that we can still enjoy our favourites, I switched out the pasta for something a little different!

What you will need:

Packet of minced beef (or lamb or turkey, whatever you please)

1/2 an onion (chopped)

2 garlic cloves (finely chopped)

1 carton of passata

5 tomatoes (chopped)

2 peppers (chopped)

3-4 sun dried tomatoes (finely chopped)

5 mushrooms (I used button - chopped)

2 leeks (thinly sliced lengthways)

Oil

1/2 teaspoon of smoked paprika

1 teaspoon of dried mixed herbs

1/2 teaspoon of chilli flakes

1 beef oxo

Salt and pepper to taste.

1. Add some oil to a pan to heat up over a medium heat. Add the chopped onions and garlic and fry gently. Then add the chopped peppers, sun dried tomatoes and mushrooms and cook for 5 minutes. Finally add the chopped tomatoes, stir in and cook for 2 minutes.

2. Add the minced beef and fry off until it is entirely browned (approximately 5 minutes).

3. Stir in the carton of passata and add the smoked paprika, chilli flakes, beef oxo cube and mixed herbs. Stir thoroughly, turn the heat down to low and leave to simmer for 30-40 minutes. The bolognese should be sticky but not too dry, so stir in a small amount of water if you feel it is drying out. Season to taste before serving

4. Wash your leeks and cut them in half length ways. Then shred them so they're in long thin strips. Add the leeks to a large pan of boiling, salted water and cook for 10 minutes or until tender. Drain thoroughly (they're very wet!)

Serve your bolognese up, add cheese and enjoy!

Although its not the same as pasta, the leek really does make a great alternative for those who are wanting to eat lower carb or maybe have a gluten allergy. Please do let me know if any of you attempt this or if you have any other similar recipes!

Ciao for now,

JB