Spicy Lamb Chili
What's more comforting than a meaty bowl of chili in the winter?
Recipe courtesy of Amy Tavalin of Tavalin Tails Farm.
This creamy lasagna uses Lambilicious Marinara Sauce from Ladies of the Lamb at the Nashville Farmers' Market and a creamy bechamel sauce in place of ricotta. You can add cooked ground lamb to any marinara sauce as well. And any cheese you have on hand, but we like the contrast of sharp cheddar with the nutty lamb and spinach. The lambilicious sauce is made by Edible Chef Skylar Bush. Don't get humg up on how you layer this. It all bakes together for a creamy, yummy pasta dish.
Ingredients
- 12 lasagna noodles, cooked al dente
- 4 tablespoons butter
- 4 tablespoons flour
- 3 cups milk
- 1/2 cup half and half
- salt and pepper
- 5 ounces Parmesan cheese, grated, divided
- 3 cups chopped fresh spinach or kale (or other greens in season)
- pinch freshly grated nutmeg
- 4 ounces aged sharp cheddar, shredded
- 1 (16 ounce) jar Lambilicious Marinara Sauce (Ladies of the Lamb, or marinara with 12 ounces cooked ground lamb)
Instructions
1. Preheat oven to 400F.
2. Melt butter in a medium saucepan. Add flour, whisking well. Cook 3 minutes whisking well until blended. Gradually add milk, whisking well. Cook 10 minutes, whisking frequently until sauce is thickened and bubbly. Add half and half, salt and pepper and nutmeg Whisk well. Add half Parmesan cheese. Add spinach and cook 2 minutes until blended and spinach is wilted.
2. Spread a small amont of the spinach sauce in the bottom of a 8 cup casserole dish. Arrange lasagna noodles over. Top with 1/3 lamb marinara sauce, cheddar cheese and spinach sauce. Top with lasagna noodles and continue with remaining ingredients, ending with marinara and cheddar cheese and remaining Parmesan cheese. Cover with foil and bake 40 minutes. Uncover and bake another 10 minutes until browned and bubbly. Let cool 5 -10 minutes before cutting.
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