I've totally be sleeping at the wheel! I'm sorry it's been forever since I last updated, summer has been busy around here. But I'm back with an incredibly delicious and refreshing "Spring-y/Summery" dish. I made this awhile ago when it was still officially Spring, but Summer pushed it's way through on June 21 so I'm a little behind :) Whether prepared in Spring or Summer these vegetables are in-season and at peak perfection for their taste. This is such a lovely meatless recipe....I almost passed it by my husband. But eventually he noticed there was not a sliver of animal carcass to be found. He protested a bit, but did finally relent and say "it's really good."
Recipe adapted from The Foodies Handbook
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*Makes 2 servings as a main course
3 dried lasagna sheets (not the no-boil kind)
1 big bunch asparagus
2 big handfuls of fresh green beans (I'm guessing about 1/2 a pound)
2 tbsp butter
2 cups of fresh spinach
1 cup of sour cream
2 tbsp fresh dill
1 lemon, zest and juice
Some shavings of parmesan cheese
Kosher salt and black pepper
Bring a pot of salted water to a boil. When it boils, add the lasagna noodles and cook to package directions. Drain and cut the lasagna sheets in half.
Trim the bottom 1-2 inches off the asparagus and set aside. Chop the ends off the green beans. In a large saute pan, add about a tbsp of olive oil over medium heat and then add the asparagus and green beans. You'll want to saute them for approximately 8 minutes. You want them to have a nice bright green color and be tender yet slightly crisp.
While the asparagus and beans are sauteing, in a separate pan heat about 2 tbsp of butter over
medium heat. Add the zest of the lemon and the spinach. Squeeze the juice over the spinach and let wilt down for about a minute. If you cook the spinach too long it turns a nasty olive green color. Then add the sour cream and dill. Let this simmer for a couple minutes and season with salt and pepper. Remove from the heat.
To assemble, place a 1/2 lasagna sheet on the plate, put a few asparagus spears and beans on top, spoon over the dill-lemon cream sauce and repeat until you have three layers. The top should be asparagus spears/beans and then garnish with a little bit more fresh dill and shavings of parmesan cheese.
Serve with a salad and crusty bread.
Click here for printable version of Spring Vegetable Lasagna
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THE RESULTS?
I LOVED the flavors of this dish! It was so fresh and summery tasting. The sauce has a real tang from the lemon and sour cream and it works so well with the nutty asparagus. Our only complaint (both mine and my husbands) was that it was slightly difficult to eat. A fork and a knife work great, but you ruin your beautiful work of art. It bothered my husband a lot more than it did me, but like I said, we both thought the flavors were totally scrumptious.
A little mess never hurt anyone....it's all gonna end up in the same place anyway ;)
This recipe is quite inexpensive to make. For more inexpensive meal ideas, check out the $5 Dinner Challenge.
And for more green bean recipes check out $5 Dinners Grow. Eat. Save. - Green Bean Edition.