Warning, this was weird. It was a brave experiment. I wasn’t sure I’d like it. Even when it looked like a perfectly normal lasagna, I was doubtful.
It was a rhubarb lasagna.
This is how it came to be.
I love rhubarb. I love it’s tangy vibrancy. Growing up, I’d pick what grew by our garage. I’d simply dip the end in a bowl of sugar, eating it like celery sticks and dip.
The problem is that everyone wants to treat rhubarb more like a fruit than like the vegetable that it is. The problem is that I don’t make sweet things. I’ve tried to get around this before with my rhubarb chicken salad. But I had still used rhubarb’s constant companion – strawberries. Could I make a savory main dish with rhubarb that didn’t cheat with either meat or strawberries?
I consulted my Vegetarian Flavor Bible. Other than strawberries… rhubarb also goes well with creamy and and cheesy things…
And creamy things also go well with spinach, and green onions…
Suddenly I envisioned a lasagna. Layers of tangy rhubarb, creamy and funky cheese, and bright greens.
- I took a frozen quart bag of rhubarb and boiled it down with black pepper, and honey, and a touch of vegetable oil.
- I defrosted frozen spinach and squeezed out the water. I mixed in a bunch of green onions and one egg.
- I mixed ricotta and goat cheese with some thyme.
I started with a thin layer of rhubarb sauce, then a layer of no-boil lasagna noodles, then rhubarb, cheese, greens, repeat ending with a cheese layer of mozzarella.
Put in the oven (I think it was 350º?) covered, for… well until it I could see it bubbling on the sides of the glass. I finished it under the broiler to get the cheese all toasty.
I actually liked it! I enjoyed it as a brunch or lunch. Will wasn’t as sold, but I think he had it for dinner. Still, I’m counting it as a successful experiment.
I would like to taste it.
I want to try it as well! Have any left overs?
I had leftovers… They are long gone now though.