Coconut & Vanilla

Lasagne

yields: 4-6 portions

Ingredients:

• 100 g bacon,diced
• clarified butter
• 1 onion, diced
• 2 cloves of garlic, finely diced
• 1 large or 2 small carrots, peeled and finely diced
• 1 thick slice of celeriac, peeled and finely diced
• 2 Tbsp concentrated tomato paste
• 1 kg minced beef
• 150 ml red wine
• 1 tin chopped tomatoes
• 250 ml vegetable broth
• 250 g tomato purée
• salt, pepper
• chopped fresh herbs, e.g. thyme, oregano, basil or dried herbs
• 30 g butter
• 40 g flour
• 750 ml milk
• 1 bay leaf
• nutmeg
• ca. 250 g lasagne sheets
• 200 g cheese (e.g. Appenzeller or Gruyère), coarsely grated

Roast the bacon in a deep skillet or a low pot until the fat renders. If necessary add some clarified butter. When the fat has rendered and the bacon is crispy remove it from the skillet. Braise the onion lightly in the remaining fat, if necessary add some clarified butter. Add the garlic and braise shortly. Add carrots and celeriac and braise for another 5 minutes. Add the concentrated tomato purée and roast shortly. Add the minced beef and sear until browned. When the water released from the beef has evaporated add the red wine. Allow to reduce the wine, then add the chopped and puréed tomatoes, as well as the vegetable broth. Cook on middle to low heat until you have a thicker sauce (that takes about 15-30 minutes for me). Then close with a lid and simmer on low heat for another 1,5 to 2 hours.

Season the sauce with herbs and salt and pepper. The sauce bolognese is already done now!

Add the butter in a saucepan for the béchamel sauce and melt on medium heat. Whisk in the flour. Pour in the milk gradually and whisk until smooth. Add the bay leaf and simmer until the sauce begins to thicken. Keep on whisking therewhile, because the sauce burns easily. When the sauce has thickened season it with salt, pepper and nutmeg and remove the bay leaf.

Butter a rectangular baking dish.

First cover the bottom with some bèchamel, then cover with lasagne sheets. Then cover again with bèchamel, following meat sauce, lasagne sheets and so on and so forth. End with lasagne sheets, bèchamel sauce, covered with grated cheese.

Bake at 200° C top/bottom (180° C hot air) on the 2. level from the bottom for 35-40 minutes until golden brown.