Chicken & Mushroom Lasagne

method

I'm going to break the process of making this dish down into three stages:

• Make the pasta sauce
• Make the cheese sauce
• Construct the lasagne

Click the links above to jump to any of the stages below

I was wondering whether to simply put links here that took you to my pasta and cheese sauce recipes, but, I think it's easier if you have everything here on the same page, so you are not needlessly jumping around the website.

Let's kick off with the pasta sauce:

pasta sauce

1. Heat a large wok temp 6 (or heavy bottomed pan)
2. Add the oil & allow it to heat up
3. Add your onions for 5 mins
4. Add your carrots for 5 mins
5. Add your celery and garlic for 5 mins
6. Add salt and pepper and dried herbs

7. Once these vegetables have reduced by 2/3rds
8. Push aside & add your bacon lardons brown for 10 mins

9. Push the bacon under the vegetables
10. Fry your chicken pieces for 10 mins

Tip - fry your chicken in 3 small batches. If you put it all in at once the temperature of the pan will drop and they will boil! Push your chicken under your vegetables and bacon

11. Add your mushrooms stir-fry for 5 minutes

12. Combine all the ingredients in the pan
13. Add tomato pulp & tomato puree
14. Add stock cubes & Worcestershire sauce
15. Add water & bring to a rapid simmer

16. Cover with a well fitting lid
17. Turn down to med heat for 15 mins
18. Remove the lid turn to med-high heat & allow to reduce

19. Lastly, sprinkle in your marjoram

Set the pasta sauce aside to cool, popping it in the fridge overnight is best. It will let those flavours develop beautifully

Now let's tackle the cheese sauce:

cheese sauce

1. Melt the butter in a small - med pan
2. Add all the flour
3. Add the onion powder with the English & Dijon mustard
4. Stir with a whisk or spoon to make a roux

5. Add a little milk at a time while whisking

Don't worry about the lumps, keep stirring and whisking as you add the milk, and they will melt into the sauce

6. Stir continuously to form a thick white sauce

7. When thickened, it should coat the back of a spoon
8. Turn the heat off
9. Add the cheese

10. Stir until the cheese has melted

Cover and set aside until needed.

Now let's get down to the business of putting the lasagne together

construct the lasagne

You'll need a 22.5cm square by 7.5cm deep oven-proof dish, or 3 loaf tins (or disposable dishes) with each one being enough for two people.

1. Pre heat oven to 190c
2. Mix the cheese and bread together

3. Put half the pasta sauce in the bottom of the dish
4. Then top with lasagne sheets

5. Spread half the cheese sauce onto the pasta sheets

6. Top with lasagne sheets

7. Put other half the pasta sauce on top

8. Then top with lasagne sheets

9. Then put other half the cheese sauce on top

10. Top with breadcrumbs & cheese mix

11. Drizzle some olive oil over the top
12. Cover with pre-oiled tin foil
13. Bake in pre-heated oven at 190c for 30mins
14. Remove the tin foil & bake for another 15mins
15. Check it is hot in the center & browned and bubbling