Generally, I admire simple recipes. Dishes that come together in a flash. However, now and then, the desire to create something exemplary strikes and I’m driven to work my butt off in the effort to make something unusual. Obviously, lasagne is not original in any way, but I wanted to put my spin on it anyway because I was craving something delicious and comforting in the thick of a personal crisis. I delved through my fridge and grocery cupboard and discovered that I (actually) had the fixings for a mushroom lasagna.
This recipe must be made in parts and, sadly, it’s not a total breeze, but it’s totally worth the effort.
6 large brown mushrooms
1 small onion
2-3 cloves of garlic
½ bunch of spinach
Dash of nutmeg
Dash of crushed red chilli
Dash of salt and pepper
Tin of Italian tomatoes (like Roma Tomatoes)
1 small onion
2-3 cloves garlic
Dash of fresh thyme
Dash of fresh Italian Parsley
3 Tablespoons margarine
1 Teaspoon marmite or nutritional yeast
3 Tablespoons flour
Can of coconut milk or cream (I had cream and it worked really well)
Dash of fresh basil
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
Lasagne noodles (check that they’re vegan on the label)
Vegetable oil for sautéing
Vegan shredded cheddar for topping (optional)
Wash all the vegetables and herbs.
Peel and slice the mushrooms
Dice one onion into chunky pieces
Shred and dice spinach
Crush the garlic
In a heavy based saucepan sauté the mushrooms until they begin to release their juices. Add the onions and sauté until translucent. Add the garlic and sauté for a further minute. Add the nutmeg, chilli, salt and pepper. Add spinach, thyme and Italian Parsley to the pan and sauté until just wilted.
Dice a small onion, finely. Sauté the onions in a pan until translucent. Add a tin of diced, Italian tomatoes. Add finely diced or crushed garlic. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Remove from the heat and add finely shredded fresh basil.
The secret ingredient is marmite, which makes the white Béchamel Sauce taste exactly like cheese sauce. (Promise)
Melt the margarine in a saucepan. Remove from the heat. Stir in flour until totally smooth. Add salt and pepper. Add 1/8th of the coconut cream/milk. Stir in the coconut cream until totally smooth. Return to the heat and add the balance of the coconut cream, stirring constantly to ensure that no lumps form. Remove from the heat when the sauce has thickened (when it begins to boil). Add the marmite and stir. Taste and adjust seasoning (try not to eat all the fake “cheese” sauce before you prepare the lasagne (yes, it’s that delicious))
In a square baking dish, begin with a layer of tomato sauce, then lay a lasagne noodle on top. Add a layer of mushroom/spinach filling and add the white sauce on top. Continue to layer ingredients until all is safely in the baking dish. (Safe is good. Hehe!) Finish with a layer of white/cheese sauce.
Add a layer of vegan shredded cheese or vegan Parmesan on top (optional)
Bake in a moderate oven at 180 degrees Celsius for 35-40 minutes.
Serve with a crisp green salad.
All images and video are my own shot with my iPad and manipulated using Art Studio
Recipe was developed and tested by me
