LASAGNE - ARTICHOKE, POTATO AND CRAB

By akselden

Ingredients

• BRAISED ARTICHOKES:
• 6 large globe artichokes
• 1 lemon, halved
• 1/4 C. olive oil
• 3 cloves garlic
• 1/4 C. white wine
• ARTICHOKE AND POTATO RISOTTO:
• 1 1/2 C. heavy cream
• 3 large Idaho potatoes, cut into 1/4-inch cubes
• 1 T. roasted garlic
• 1/3 C. feta cheese, crumbled
• 1 T. finely chopped fresh oregano
• Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
• CRAB-BRANDY CREAM:
• 2 T. butter
• 1/2 C. minced shallots
• 2 T. brandy
• 2 C. heavy cream
• 3/4 lb. jumbo lump crab meat, picked
• over for shells
• 1/4 C. minced chives
• TOMATO COULIS:
• 2 T. vegetable oil
• 1 medium onion, diced
• 5 C. chopped fresh tomatoes
• 1 leek, trimmed and sliced
• 1 C. water or vegetable stock
• ASSEMBLY
• Butter, for pan
• 1 roasted red pepper, peeled, seeded
• and cut into eighths

Details

Servings 4

Preparation

Step 1

1. Remove stems from artichokes. With a serrated knife, cut leaves off just above the base. Snap leaves off base and trim any green fibrous leaf remnants. With a grapefruit spoon or teaspoon, scrape out. the chokes and discard them. Slice each base horizontally into 3 rounds. Rub cut surfaces with lemon juice.

2. In a large skillet, saute the rounds in olive oil over medium heat until they start to color, about 2 to 3 minutes. Add the garlic cloves and saute 20 seconds; add the white wine and enough water to cover. Simmer just until artichokes are tender about 10 minutes. Remove from cooking liquid and set aside.

3. In a food processor or blender, puree two of the artichoke bases (6 slices - reserving 12 for later) with a little of the cooking liquid; reserve.

4. To make the risotto, in a heavy saucepan, reduce 1 1/2 C. cream by one-fourth. Add the potatoes and roasted garlic. Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, until the potatoes are just tender and the cream has become a thick, binding sauce, about 15 minutes. Stir in the feta, oregano and reserved artichoke puree. Season with salt and pepper.

5. For coulis, heat vegetable oil, Saute onion over medium heat until transparent. Add the tomatoes, leek and water or vegetable stock. Simmer until tomatoes are soft, about 15 to 20 minutes. Puree in a food processor with a steel blade until smooth. Strain through a sieve to remove seeds
and skin. Season with salt and pepper.

6. Preheat oven to 325°F.

7. Butter a small sheet tray. To make the lasagnes, place 4 braised artichoke rounds on the tray. Top each with one-eighth of the potato mixture and a slice of roasted pepper. Repeat layers, topping with a braised artichoke round. Bake until heated through, about 15 to 20 minutes.

8. While lasagne is baking, for crab-brandy cream, in a skillet, melt the 2 T. butter over medium heat. Saute the shallots until they become transparent, about 2 to 3 minutes. Carefully add the brandy; it will flame. When flames die out, add the remaining 2 C. cream and reduce by half. Stir in the crab and chives and season with salt and pepper. Keep warm.

9. To serve, pour a puddle of tomato coulis in the center of each of 4 dinner plates. Place a lasagna in the coulis and spoon crab-brandy cream over it.

Note: The tomato coulis can be prepared ahead and reheated at serving time.