Chef Mik's European Style Lasagna

Lasagna has a long history, the name itself dating back to the Greeks “lasagnum”, technically it is a casserole which refers to a recipe item baked in the same pan it is most often served in, which is what lasagnum referred to the baking form itself, over the centuries the casserole evolved and at some point the name was revisited and lasagna we know today was born, by this point two sauces in particular were associated with the casserole béchamel and Bolognese (sometimes referred to as a stew/ragu) which traces its roots to Bologna in the northern region of Italy,  in this incarnation it had become quite popular all over Europe and is still enjoyed pretty much that same way to this very day

To assemble lasagna is not complicated at all, basically pasta sheets placed between alternating layers of sauces béchamel and bolognaise finished with cheese on top, that said there are countless takes on the classic dish including the American or vegetarian variations

Tip: One of the things I typically do when I work is make a lot of base sauces for use in whatever dish I am preparing, as I always like to have sauce on hand if I need it for a last minute thing, I normally make 2 to 3 time what I need such as in the case of sauce béchamel for example used in this dish here, also typically used for soufflé and when time is a factor a great way to make the best use of it   

Shopping List

Sauce béchamel, recipe follows

Sauce Bolognese, recipe Chef Mik’s Pasta Bolognese… with Chicken

1 portion pasta recipe

Mozzarella cheese

Parmesan cheese

My Mad Method

One prepared recipe pasta, rolled out into full sheets

1 liter sauce bolognaise divided in 2, 1 liter sauce béchamel divided is 3

I am using sauce mornay in place of béchamel which is basically the same sauce the addition of cheese

Start by adding one third of the béchamel sauce

Add two pasta sheets

Add half of the bolognaise

Add two more pasta sheets

Add a second layer of béchamel and repeat with a layer of pasta, one more layer of bolognaise, and a final layer of pasta and béchamel

Top with a layer of Parmesan and Mozzarella cheese

Bake for about an hour in a 175c preheated oven or until nicely browned

Ready to serve!!

Chef Mik's Homemade Pasta

Homemade pasta is super simple to make especially if you have a pasta machine which I do! Fresh pasta has been around for centuries in the Mediterranean dating back to before the Romans, while dried pasta dates back to sometime in the 12^th century according to documentation found in Sicily, which predate accounts attributing Marco Polo bringing fresh pasta back with him from his exploits in China

The recipe I am using is a standard one tried and true, to this base you can add spinach puree, roasted pepper puree, beet juice or puree, squid or cuddle fish ink, or what ever suits your fancy, and simply complete the dough as follows. Another thing you can do if time is an issue is prep your pasta ahead of time leaving them in sheets is easiest, stack them up with a little corn meal between layers to prevent sticking and toss them into the freezer until you need them...

Shopping List

Unbleached all purpose flour

Semolina flour

Eggs

Extra virgin olive oil

Salt

My Mad Method

Sift together 2.5 dl unbleached all purpose (ap) flour, 2.5 dl semolina flour, and ½ tsp sea salt

Create a well and add 4 eggs, 1 TBS extra virgin olive oil, lightly beat eggs together

Slowly start folding in flour,

Slowly a dough will start to form, when you have achieved a nice semi soft, smooth dough, let rest for a few minutes

Divide the dough, slowly start passing the dough through the pasta machine set to it thickest setting “7”  5 or 6 times then twice more one setting, twice more on setting 5, and if desired twice more on setting 4

A homemade pasta machine will roll narrower pasta sheets then will an industrial, if baking lasagna consider 2 sheets per layer

Dry pasta sheets on a wrack dust them will with flour to prevent sticking

When all the pasta is rolled out, either use them as sheets, store them or using the pasta cutter attachment pass the sheets through to create tagliatelle, fettucini, or linguini pasta , dry on wrack

Chef Mik's Pasta Bolognese... with Chicken

Bolognese is basically a sort of beef stew in this case a ragu referring to meat and vegetables browned first then stewed together, Bolognese is typically served with pasta and has been around for centuries though it’s only recently the tomato component was added after Spaniards brought it back with them from the new world along with potatoes, chilies, beans and a whole host of other ingredients we take for granite now in today’s kitchen, Bolognese tends to very from place to place, In Italy for example its quite common to add pancetta, a dairy component most often reduced milk or cream less spice and garlic then outside Italy it is then served tossed with a flatter heavier pasta, In Sweden were I learned to make it, if possible we would save left over red wine sauce and use that in our Bolognese, together of course with the ground meat, tomatoes, garlic, and spice served more often then not with Spaghetti, while here in the states I have seen it prepared with sauce Marinara and the addition or substitution of sausage, served over penny pasta

The pasta is as important an element to consider in this dish as the stew itself, contrary to popular belief pasta was known through out the Mediterranean before it became popular among the Romans, fresh pasta in Italy traces its roots to written documents form the 1300’s in the Northern port town of Genoa and dried to Sicily as early as the 12^th, its also interesting to note that dried pasta was unknown in China by all accounts at the time Marco polo landed there, for Italians of more modern times the sort of pasta used has become part and parcel of the dish it accompanies and with that in mind, today I am preparing this Bolognese with a few simple modifiers, barrowing from those classics and adding my own take on the dish the hope is to create my own special version, for example I will be substituting ground chicken for the beef, adding homemade sausage, both dried and fresh herbs, white wine but no dairy, served with flat egg based pasta

Shopping list

Ground chicken, dark meat only, best if you can grind your own

Chicken sausage, sweet Italian is good, homemade is even better

Onion

Carrots

Celery
Garlic

Parsley

Fresh or canned tomatoes, diced

Tomato purée

Chicken broth, stock, demi glace, base or bullion

White wine

Dried herbs: your favorite store bought, home made, or ours listed below

My Mad Method

450g ground chicken, dark (thigh) meat

Prep 250 sweet chicken Italian sausages

Thick ground chicken, chicken fat, sweet red bell peppers, garlic, fennel, sweet paprika powder

Dice 200g onion

Dice 125g celery

Dice 125g carrots

8g total dried herb blend: Italian oregano, Mexican oregano, thyme, marjoram, cayenne pepper (optional)

Start by sautéing the onion, celery and carrots in olive oil or rendered pancetta fat

When the vegetable are sautéed add 2 garlic cloves minced, sauté for 1 or 2 minutes longer then transfer to soup pot

Wipe the pan clean, then working in batches brown the meat and sausage, when ready transfer to soup pot

Deglaze the pan with a couple dl’s white wine

While you are deglazing the pan heat the meat and the vegetables together with the spice mix

Add the white wine to the pot along with 750g diced tomatoes, 2dl tomato purée, and 1TBSP tomato paste, chicken demi glace (you can make your own and freeze them in ice trays)

Bring to boil, add 2 bay leaves turn down the temperature and simmer for 2 hours

After 2 hours adjust seasonings with salt and pepper to taste add fresh parsley mix to combine, toss with pasta

Ready to serve!!

Ready to serve!!

Chef Mik's Schnitzel

Schnitzel in all its forms is a great thing, be it the original Austrian Wiener Schnitzel prepared with lean cuts of veal loin which has been around sense the 1500’s, or the Israeli style schnitzel prepared with chicken, the Scandinavian style with pork, or Japanese style with panko instead of bread crumbs they are all great, drizzle a little drawn butter over them, add a slice of lemon, through some capers on for good measure and you are good to go, for a little extra something sometimes it will also come toped with anchovies and sometimes even mushroom sauce, but I love it no matter what it's topped with or what its served with, be it fried potatoes, mashed potatoes, or even potato salad I just love it, it's that simple!

So with that, for today's version, I am preparing my schnitzel with veal and adding a little mustard for affect which I love, this is by no means a necessity however I will say horseradish and/or wasabi are also great options for anyone who is into that type of thing, and for those willing to take it even a step further and you can also fill them with ham and/or cheese if so desired...

Shopping ListVeal loin, sirloin or tenderloin
Mustard, optional
Eggs
Butter
Bread crumbs, or crusty bread you can purée on your own
All-purpose flour
Salt and pepper to taste

Canola oil
My Mad Method

Cover 75 to 100g pieces of veal loin or sirloin and pound out nice and flat

For larger portion out 150g pieces

Salt and pepper to taste, spread mustard over surface of meat (optional)

Coat the meat on both sides with white flour

Dip the floured pieces of meat in egg wash

Coat both sides of the meat well with unseasoned breadcrumbs patting down to make sure the crumbs adhere to the meat

Make sure to prep all the schnitzel first before cooking, do not stack

Fry the schnitzel in clarified butter, or butter and oil, make sure the fat is well heated, and to have enough of it in the pan so that the entire surface of the breaded meat is submerged in the fat or else you will have dry spots, when they just start to darken on the sides flip, (not more then a couple of minutes)

Fry one or two more on another side, then remove from heat and drain on paper towels

Ready to serve!!

Ready to eat!!

Chef Mik's Tortilla con Camarones

There are a few stories about the origins of the Spanish style tortilla which I first started preparing myself now well over 20 years ago, one in which a military general was looking for a way to keep his troupes fed, another involving peasants of a small town were in food was scarce and the dish evolved out of necessity, there is also one in which the wife of a farmer created it during a war while under house arrest of sorts, that said my own history with this particular dish is the one I like most, it was at the home of a good friend from Spain back in Europe, his mother asked if I wanted to stay for dinner, I asked my friend what they would be having and he replied “tortillas” I felt sad that they were so pore that would be all they were having and yet they still invited me to stay, the thing was at the time I was only familiar with the flour and corn tortilla’s common in Mexico and the United States, but I also knew my friends mother was a great cook and I decided to stay and boy was I in for a surprise for when I walked into the kitchen it stopped me in my tracks for what I was greeted with and the sights and smells washed over me was divine, I have always loved her cooking and to this day make many of her dishes...

The classic is simply prepared with potatoes, onions and eggs cooked up in a pan; variations include the additions of pimentos, peas, chorizo, dried meats and many others for today I will be preparing mine with shrimp, not to be confused with Andalusia version “Tortilla de Camarones” which uses chickpea flour, saffron and is deep fried

Shopping List

Eggs

Potatoes

Onions

Shrimp

Salt and pepper

Olive oil

My Mad Method

In a well heated add olive oil, heat until just smoking

Add ½ sliced onions and sauté until caramelized

In a separate pan sauté 150g shredded potatoes, a cheese grater works great for this, season with salt and pepper to taste

Toss 150g pealed and deveined shrimp with some olive oil salt, pepper, and some other spices such as chili if desired

In a well heated pan add the shrimp and pan fry for a 2 or 3 minutes

Toss the shrimp with the potatoes and onions, set aside but keep warm

Meanwhile using a stainless steal mixing bowl whisk 3 eggs with salt and pepper

Heat a sauté pan on high, add olive oil, and heat to smoking point add the eggs, after 1 minute when eggs have just begun to congeal add the shrimp, potato, and onion mix

As the eggs start to harden around the edges gently lift the sides to allow the uncooked eggs to drain below

When eggs have settles on all sided shake the pan lightly, when the omelet has released itself from the pan flip it

You can do so using a plate placed over the pan and flipping the omelet, then sliding it back into the pan

Continue to cook the omelet until cooked through and has once again released itself from the pan

Ready to serve!!