Linguine with Onion Confit, Goat Cheese, and Walnuts

This was the very first recipe I ever made from a vegetarian cookbook. A friend of mine had it and it inspired me to become a vegetarian. I realized that vegetarian cuisine could be delicious, sophisticated and hearty.

The book, a staple in my collection of 15 years, is "Fields of Green" by Annie Somerville. I highly recommend it to anyone looking to build their library.

This pasta dish is easy and rich. It can be a little dry so serve it with a side that has a lot of juice, such as fruit salad.

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Linguine with Onion Confit, Goat Cheese and Walnuts

1 Tbl extra virgin olive oil

2 medium yellow onions, thinly sliced, about 4 cups

Salt and pepper

2 garlic cloves, finely chopped

1/4 cup dry white wine

1/2 lb fresh linguine

1/3 cup chopped fresh basil, about 20 leaves

3 Tbls walnut pieces, toasted

1 oz soft goat cheese (I use 2 oz to kick up the flavor)

Heat the olive oil in a wide skillet. Add the onions and 1/2 tsp salt; saute over medium heat for about 10 minutes, until the onions begin to soften and release their juices. Add the garlic continue to cook over medium heat, gently scrapping the pan with a wooden spoon to keep the onions from sticking as they caramelize. After 40 minutes, the onions should be a rich golden color and very sweet. At this point, add the wine to deglaze the pan and simmer over low heat.

Bring a large pot of water to boil. Chop or break the toasted walnuts into pieces with your hands. When the water is boiling, add 1 tsp salt and the linguine and cook until tender. Just before draining the pasta, add 1/4 cup of the cooking water to the onion confit. Immediately drain the pasta then add the confit along with the walnuts and basil to the pasta. Season with 1/2 tsp salt and a few pinches of pepper. Crumble in the cheese and serve immediately.

BEST LASAGNA EVER - Portobella Mushroom and White Sauce Lasagna

This recipe comes from the Barefoot Contessa. It is simply divine. I've taken it to dozens of social functions and it is always the first dish that people return to for seconds. This is the ultimate crowd pleaser.

For the milk mixture, I've found that getting it to thicken takes significantly longer than she indicates in her recipe.

Also, this recipes takes a lot of pots and pans. If you are able, have several going at once or this process is incredibly lengthy.

Here's how I do it: 1) start a large pot of water with a fitted lid to boil, 2) begin warming the milk, 3) start the first batch of mushrooms, 4) add the noodles, 5) make the sauce, 6) start the second batch of mushrooms.

It seems that you'll be short on Parmesan but if you measure it out exactly and follow the recipe exactly (I'm notorious for altering recipes so when I say stick to it, I mean it!). Don't add more Parmesan or it will overpower the perfect balance of flavors that is achieved between the sauce, sauteed mushrooms and cheese.

**do NOT substitute wheat flour in this recipe...it changes the flavor of the sauce significantly and really takes away from the magic.
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Portobella Mushroom & White Sauce Lasagna

Kosher salt
Good olive oil
3/4 pound dried lasagna noodles
4 cups whole milk
12 tablespoons (11/2 sticks) unsalted butter, divided
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1 1/2 pounds Portobella mushrooms
1 cup freshly ground Parmesan

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Bring a large pot of water to a boil with 1 tablespoon salt and a splash of oil. Add the lasagna noodles and cook for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. Drain and set aside.

For the white sauce, bring the milk to a simmer in a saucepan. Set aside. Melt 8 tablespoons (1 stick) of the butter in a large saucepan. Add the flour and cook for 1 minute over low heat, stirring constantly with a wooden spoon. Pour the hot milk into the butter-flour mixture all at once. Add 1 tablespoon salt, the pepper, and nutmeg, and cook over medium-low heat, stirring first with the wooden spoon and then with a whisk, for 3 to 5 minutes, until thick. Set aside off the heat.

Separate the mushroom stems from the caps and discard the stems. Slice the caps 1/4-inch thick. Heat 2 tablespoons of oil and 2 tablespoons of the butter in a large (12-inch) saute pan. When the butter melts, add half the mushrooms, sprinkle with salt, and cook over medium heat for about 5 minutes, until the mushrooms are tender and they release some of their juices. If they become too dry, add a little more oil. Toss occasionally to make sure the mushrooms cook evenly. Repeat with the remaining mushrooms and set all the mushrooms aside.

To assemble the lasagna, spread some of the sauce in the bottom of an 8 by 12 by 2-inch baking dish. Arrange a layer of noodles on top, then more sauce, then 1/3 of the mushrooms, and 1/4 cup grated Parmesan. Repeat 2 more times, layering noodles, sauce, mushrooms, and Parmesan. Top with a final layer of noodles and sauce, and sprinkle with the remaining Parmesan.

Bake the lasagna for 45 minutes, or until the top is browned the sauce is bubbly and hot. Allow to sit at room temperature for 15 minutes and serve hot.

*NOTE: To make ahead, assemble the lasagna but do not bake. Cover and refrigerate for up to 24 hours. When you do bake it, add 10 minutes to the baking time.