Josh’s Culinary Endeavors

Lasagna is one of the quickest easiest dishes that always warrants compliments.

Last night I didn’t want to eat leftovers. I saw an eggplant on the counter and decided to make lasagna

1 small eggplant
Pasta sauce
Packaged lasagna
Mozzarella cheese, shredded
Provolone cheese, thinly sliced
Ricotta cheese
Parmesan cheese
1 large egg
Fresh basil, chopped
Garlic powder
Crushed red pepper
Salt & cracked pepper to taste

Season both sides of eggplant slices with salt and pepper (removes bitterness)

Combine cheeses, egg, basil, garlic powder, salt, pepper and crushed red pepper in a large bowl. Thoroughly mix.

Pour a small layer of pasta sauce and spread to cover the bottom of baking dish. Add single layer of lasagna. Add a single layer of egg plant. Evenly spread a cheese mixture layer. Repeat layering as many times as desired.

Bake covered in a 400 degree oven for 20 minutes. Uncover and bake for an additional 10 minutes.

Allow 15 minutes to cool before serving.

Applewood smoked Sockeye salmon with roasted garlic and Anaheim bearnaise topped with lump crab meat and caviar. On the side sauteed turnips, zucchini and red peppers and smashed potato and poblano galettes with matchstick potatoes.

I hate to toot my own horn but that was a damn good meal.

Garlic & Anaheim bearnaise
1 bulb garlic roasted
1 anaheim pepper
1/2 C. white wine vinegar
1 shallot
4 egg yolks
clarified butter
1 C. boiling water

Boil finely chopped garlic, shallot and anaheim in vinegar until almost all of the liquid has evaporated. Remove from heat and allow to cool.

With a wire wisk, add egg yolks one at a time, stirring constantly. Temp with hot water very slowly. Whisk in clarified butter.

Smashed Potato & Poblano Galette
1 lb. potato of you choice
1/2 lb. sweet potato
1 large poblano pepper
1 shallot
1 tsp chili powder
1 tsp white pepper
1 tsp cumin
1/4 C. clarified butter

Shred potatoes and drain on paper towels. Coursely chop poblano and shallot. Add all ingredients in mixing bowl. Toss.

Heat oil to smoking point in large skillet. Add potato mixture and spread mix to form a large pancake. Cook to golden brown on both sides. Remove from skillet and warm at 400 degrees in oven for 15 minutes. Remove from oven, smash pancake with hands and add 2 tablespoons brown sugar. Salt to taste.