Tasty Tuesday! Late Edition

Asparagus and Herb Lasagna with Olive Oil Béchamel

     So, this week's Tasty Tuesday post is a bit belated. I have been on the road and I am blogging from beautiful/friendly Hinesille, Georgia (not too far away from Savannah). I wanted to make something this week that celebrated the arrival of spring! Yes, officially "Spring has Sprung" but in Maryland spring is still in hibernation. The weather is still cold and who knows when spring weather will come our way. So, in Maryland I may be jumping the proverbial "Seasonal Eating" gun by buying Asparagus but here in sunny Georgia the locals are already enjoying the seasonal produce. Enjoy!

• 2 large garlic cloves, peeled
• Salt
• 2 pounds asparagus
• olive oil béchamel (recipe follows)
• 3/4 cup plus 1 tablespoon freshly grated Parmesan
• 1/2 cup finely chopped fresh herbs, such as tarragon, chervil, parsley, chives, basil, arugula (or rosemary if you have some left over in your refrigerator like me)
• 1/2 pound lasagna noodles

1. Fill a pot with water, and add the garlic cloves. Bring to a boil while you trim the woody ends from the asparagus. Next, cut the asparagus in into 1 inch sections (if the asparagus is especially thick you can cut in half lengthwise and then cut into 1 inch sections).

2. When the water comes to a boil, add salt to taste and the asparagus. Reduce the heat to medium low, cover partially and simmer the asparagus for five minutes, medium and thin stalks for three minutes. Transfer them to a bowl of ice water to stop the cooking process. Set aside.

3. Whisk 1/3 to 1/2 cup of the cooking water from the asparagus into the béchamel, along with 1/4 cup of the Parmesan and the herbs. Add freshly ground pepper to taste and adjust salt.

4. Oil a baking dish or lasagna dish. Bring the water back to a rolling boil, and drop in lasagna noodles. Boil just until the pasta is flexible.

5. Spread a very thin layer of béchamel over the bottom of the dish. Cover with a layer of pasta. Stir the asparagus into the remaining béchamel, and spread a layer over the noodles. Sprinkle on 2 tablespoons Parmesan. Repeat this process until the béchamel and lasagna noodles are used.

6. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Drizzle 1 tablespoon of olive oil over the lasagna, and cover tightly with foil. Bake for 30 minutes until bubbling. Uncover, and continue to bake until the top just begins to color, about 10 minutes. Remove from the heat, allow to sit five to 10 minutes, and that's it.

Olive Oil Béchamel

When making this French creme based sauce it is important to PAY ATTENTION! The milk used in this recipe will scorch if left unattended.

• 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
• 2 tablespoons finely chopped onion (optional)
• 2 tablespoons flour
• 2 cups of cold 1 percent milk
• Salt and pepper to taste

1. Heat the oil over medium heat in a medium saucepan. Add the onion, and cook, stirring, until the onions are translucent and soft. Stir in flour coating the onion for about three minutes until smooth and bubbling but not browned. Pour in the cold milk, whisking the entire time, and bring to a simmer.  The mixture will begin to thicken.  As soon as the sauce starts to simmer turn the heat to the lowest setting whisking often and scraping the bottom and edges of the saucepan for about 10 minutes. Season with salt and pepper.

You can use vegetable stock as a substitution for the milk if you want a vegan version of this recipe

Remove the woody ends from the asparagus (no sweet Santoku knife this time)

Cut the asparagus into 1 inch pieces while drinking a New Belgium Mighty Arrow Spring Seasonal

Boil until tender

Cook the lasagna noodles until flexible

For the béchamel soften the onions in olive oil

Add the cold milk to the flour mixture

Next, the chopped herbs

Layer away!

Take care of yourself and each other!