Wilmarth's lasagna drives diner wild

Posted: Aug. 7, 2002

Char H. of Port Washington requested the recipe for the Wild Mushroom Lasagna from L.C. Wilmarth's Deepwater Grille, 808 W. Main St., Ashland.

<% If Request.ServerVariables("REMOTE_ADDR") = "207.170.16.6" Then %><% End If %><% If Request.ServerVariables("REMOTE_ADDR") = "207.170.16.6" Then %><% End If %>L.C. Wilmarth's Deepwater Grille Recipes Wild Mushroom Lasagna

Ken Sproat, executive chef, sent the recipe.

Marinara sauce (see recipe)
Wild mushroom-leek mix (see recipe)
2 pounds lasagna noodles, cooked al dente
1 pound fresh spinach, washed, dried, roughly chopped, seasoned with salt and pepper
2 pounds smoked mozzarella cheese, shredded
1/2 pound shredded Parmesan cheese
Salt and pepper to taste

Make marinara sauce and wild mushroom-leek mix in advance. They can be made the day before if desired.

When ready to assemble: Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Coat 12-by-16-by-2 1/2-inch pan with vegetable oil spray, then layer ingredients.

For first layer: Add 7 lasagna noodles, 3 1/2 cups marinara sauce, half the spinach, a third of the mozzarella cheese.

For second layer: Add another 7 lasagna noodles, all the mushroom leek mixture, all the Parmesan cheese.

For third layer: Add another 7 lasagna noodles, another 3 1/2 cups marinara sauce, the remaining spinach, another third of the mozzarella.

For fourth layer: Add 7 lasagna noodles, remaining marinara sauce and remaining mozzarella cheese. You may have leftover noodles; save for another use.

Cover pan with foil and bake in preheated oven 1 hour. Uncover and let rest 5 minutes before cutting and serving.

Note: Leftovers freeze well. Wrap individual portions, then freeze. To serve, thaw in refrigerator, then reheat 1 to 2 minutes in the microwave on full power.

Marinara sauce

1 medium yellow onion, cut into 1/4-inch squares
1 small carrot, cut into 1/4-inch squares
1 rib celery, cut into 1/4-inch squares
1 tablespoon freshly minced garlic
1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
6 1/2 cups good-quality canned tomatoes, diced
3 1/4 cups good-quality tomato puree
1/2 cup basil pesto
1 tablespoon salt
1 tablespoon pepper

In large saucepan over medium heat, add oil. Saute onion, celery, carrot, garlic and crushed red pepper 10 minutes, stirring often.

Add diced tomatoes and tomato puree, mix well, reduce heat to low and simmer 2 hours, stirring occasionally. Transfer to container, add pesto, salt and pepper. Refrigerate uncovered. After mixture has cooled completely, puree in food processor, then return to container, cover and refrigerate. Sauce can be made 2 to 3 days before making lasagna.

Wild mushroom-leek mix

1/8 cup dried porcini mushrooms
4 leeks (white part only), well-washed
1 1/4 pounds cremini mushrooms, cleaned with damp towel
1 1/4 pounds oyster mushrooms, woody base removed
1 1/4 pounds shiitake mushrooms, stems removed
3 tablespoons olive oil (divided)
1 tablespoon freshly minced garlic
1 tablespoon salt (divided)
1 tablespoon pepper (divided)
1 teaspoon freshly chopped thyme (divided)
1 teaspoon freshly chopped oregano (divided)
1 teaspoon freshly chopped parsley (divided)

Cover porcini mushrooms with water, cover and set aside until soft.

Roughly chop leeks and fresh mushrooms. In large saute pan, add 1 tablespoon of the oil. Add leeks and garlic and saute 3 minutes. Season with some salt and pepper. Remove from heat and transfer to large cookie sheet.

In same pan over medium-high heat, add another tablespoon oil and add half the mushrooms. Saute until they just start to release their liquid. Season with some of the salt and pepper and half the fresh herbs. Remove from heat and place on cookie sheet with the leeks.

Repeat same process using remaining tablespoon oil, mushrooms and herbs. Remove porcini mushrooms from liquid and add to mushroom mixture in pan. Drain soaking mixture through coffee filter, making sure to leave sand and grit behind. Saute another 3 minutes. Transfer last batch of mushrooms to same cookie sheet and refrigerate. When cool, place in container and mix well. Cover and refrigerate until ready to use.

To request a recipe, write "You Asked for It," Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, Box 371, Milwaukee, WI 53201-0371; fax to (414) 224-2133; e-mail to jsfeat@onwis.com. Requests must include complete restaurant name and address, as well as your name, address and phone number. (Names and addresses will be withheld upon request.)