Eating for Two: Lasagna with Eggplant and Chard
I'm due in about two weeks and my head is spinning. In between tying up loose ends with work and making the apartment baby-ready, I consider all the things I won’t be able to do for a while, wondering if I should be doing them—movies, flea market, making elaborate dinners. Or instead, should I be getting my fill of lazy mornings and long naps?
Adding to my discombobulation and general difficulty prioritizing, I laugh and cry at the drop of a hat now. Bouncing back and forth between euphoria and anxiety is not, as it turns out, particularly conducive to efficiency. I’ve pretty much given up hope on crossing off one item from the absurd to-do list: stocking our freezer with homemade dinners to see us through the first few weeks postpartum. It’s hot, I’m giant and tired, and have a million other things to do—cooking up a storm just isn’t going to happen now. But if I did have it in me, I’d make Deborah Madison’s lasagna with eggplant and chard, my favorite of all her recipes.
The rare chance I do muster the energy and time, I’d love to hear what you would cook to freeze if you were a very pregnant me. I’m always looking for new ideas. In the meantime, here is Madison's eggplant and chard—if I ever get around to it—and a couple other ideas from favorite blogs.
The Wednesday Chef started a very interesting conversation last month about what to cook for new parents. And last year, I loved reading about the meal delivery service that Angry Chicken’s friends set up for her when she had her third child, in lieu of a baby shower. It’s hard for me to imagine New Yorkers showing up at each others’ doors with hot dishes—isn’t that what takeout is for?—but it’s a charming idea for those who live in cities where ovens are used for baking, not storage.
About the author: Robin Bellinger recently escaped a career in book publishing, which was cutting into her cooking time. Now she's a freelance editor and can bake bread on Tuesday afternoon if she feels like it. She lives in Midtown Manhattan with her husband and blogs about cooking and crafting at home*economics.
Lasagna with Eggplant and Chard
- serves 6 to 8-
Adapted from Vegetarian Cooking for Everyone
Ingredients
1 box lasagna noodles
1 1/2 pounds eggplant, sliced crosswise 1/4 inch thick
2 tablespoons olive oil, plus extra for the eggplant
2 tablespoons butter
1/2 onion, finely diced
3 garlic cloves, finely chopped
1 bunch green chard, about 1 1/2 pounds, stems removed
Salt and freshly milled pepper
1/2 cup dry white wine (I usually substitute water unless I happen to have a bottle of wine or vermouth open)
1 cup ricotta
1 egg
1 cup tomato sauce (your favorite; make sure it is well seasoned)
3/4 cup grated pecorino romano
8 ounces fresh mozzarella, thinly sliced
Procedure
1. Boil the lasagna noodles according to package instructions. Unless it is garden fresh, salt the eggplant, let stand 30 minutes, then blot dry.
2. Preheat the oven to 400°F. Brush both sides of the eggplant slices lightly with oil. Place the slices on a sheet pan and bake, turning once, until browned on both sides, about 30 minutes in all. Chop coarsely. Do not turn off oven.
3. Heat 2 tablespoons oil and the butter in a large skillet. Add the onion and garlic and cook over medium heat for about 3 minutes, stirring frequently. Add the chard, sprinkle with 1/2 teaspoon salt, and cook until wilted, about 5 minutes. Add the wine, cover, and cook until the chard is tender and the pan is dry, about 10 minutes. Turn the mixture out onto a cutting board and chop finely. In a bowl, mix together the ricotta, 1/3 cup water, and the egg, then stir in the chard. Taste and season with salt and freshly ground pepper.
4. Oil a 9x13 inch baking dish. Spread 1/3 cup tomato sauce over the bottom and cover with a layer of pasta. Scatter a quarter of the grated cheese over the top and add a quarter of the eggplant, ricotta mixture, and mozzarella. Follow with another layer of pasta and repeat for three more layers. End with a layer of pasta and the remaining sauce. Cover with foil, tenting it above the surface.
5. Bake in the 400°F oven 20 to 30 minutes or until heated through. Remove the foil and bake 5 to 10 minutes more.
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13 Comments:
Robin- as a gift to my friend for her shower- I gave her a gift certificate for a couple nights with a personal chef (um... me.. cause I'm broke- but I'm a pretty good cook.) I went over last week with all my prep work done- popped everything in the oven, we had a lovely dinner together, cooed over the new baby and I cleaned up. I would totally give this as a gift again! I think they really enjoyed it ..and so did I !
bisbee at 11:59AM on 08/19/08
oh, this sounds really good...
mlo at 11:59AM on 08/19/08
I vote for naps and lazy mornings.
RegrettableFoodie at 12:13PM on 08/19/08
i'm not a mom and i mostly keep vodka in my freezer, however, i did find this link that might be helpful for you:
http://www.momsbudget.com/freezercooking/index.html
congrats & good luck!
gastronomeg at 12:31PM on 08/19/08
If you do find time and energy for freezer-stocking, I have a couple suggestions. Try to make things that:
- are easy to re-heat or prepare
- use a minimal amount of dishes
- can be eaten with one hand, or can be consumed easily while feeding baby
- are relatively nutritious, but also comforting and delicious.
My husband is impatient in the kitchen, but I wanted to have things in our freezer that he wouldn't be annoyed to prepare when our baby arrived.
We had chicken and white bean chili, butternut squash soup, and a couple different curries (which hubby would just re-heat and wrap up in a tortilla for me).
We also received a gift certificate for a meal delivery service (Sliced Tomatoes) that was really great (we live in Vancouver though, so not much help to you). They deliver all the meal components in a little cooler with heating instructions. Easy peasy.
All the best to you and your soon to be larger family! Exciting, happy times.
francie at 12:45PM on 08/19/08
I've loved reading your column, because I'm due just a week after you! Here's what we've stocked in our freezer:
Nick Kindelsperger's gnocchi with gorgonzola sauce
lasagna roll-ups (Really easy to make, and it's nice to be able to just make a few servings at a time)
chicken puffs (crescent roll dough wrapped around an onion,broccoli, boiled chicken, cream cheese mixture)
spinach-feta turnovers in puff-pastry (from Real Simple Food)
I've tried to make things that we can take out a few servings at a time, and my husband can help cook. (He's a great cook, but needs instructions. I don't write down instructions!)
Of course, frozen ravioli is always an option! Good luck in your last few weeks!
myrnie_twin at 1:14PM on 08/19/08
You'll still be able to go to movies and flea markets, especially during the first six months, if you want. Babies sleep a lot. I went to museums, movies, etc. with the little one in the baby bjorn. That part was easy.
My interest in cooking elaborate meals, however, waned a lot after I became a parent. That might not be the case for you. I know that I appreciated making simpler meals at that time. I still do, to tell you the truth, and I think it's been a good thing. Some days I might make something complex, or have a tapas party full of lots of lovingly prepared little plates, and another day, we might have grilled fish and simply prepared vegetables.
You mentioned Deborah Madison. Her book "Vegetarian Suppers" is full of lots of low-key, delicious meals.
Your cooking and eating style is likely to evolve...embrace the change, and enjoy!
LadyMarmalade at 4:12PM on 08/19/08
All kinds of soups - comfort food and easy to add a salad, bread/focaccia or whatever.
Minnestrone, pureed broccoli, pasta fagiole, vichysoisse, and that's just the beginning - all can be made in a low fat manner - healthy, filled with vitamins.
Add pasta, potatoes or not...soup is easy and can have so many layers to its original recipe.
Nonny at 9:34PM on 08/19/08
meat balls in tomato sauce is great, just heat up and boil spaghetti with it.
marinated chicken pieces ready to pop in the oven and serve with a salad,
if u like indian flavours there is a good tandoori spice (kissan brand) it is in dry form not paste which is great for marinades but I use less quantity than what they recommended on the bottle.
zebun at 11:23PM on 08/19/08
The voice of experience will tell you this. Right after you have baby you might have some agida (indigestion) issues. Tomatoes, spicy food, heavier meals. You are going to be ravenously hungry or sheepish about food in no special order. Bulk up on protein. I would skip lasagne and chard entirely. I would skip all tomatoey foods till your stomach sits back and says ok.
Everyone's experience may vary. You might be one of those great breeders who can deliver and then eat what you like. I would stock up on nice light foods that you can digest with ease. Be kind to yourself and your stomach. Birth is an event and a medical procedure.
JerzeeTomato at 9:31AM on 08/20/08
Thanks for all the good ideas! And good luck to those of you who are also waiting around for d-day!
Robin Bellinger at 8:07PM on 08/21/08
Robin, stocking the freezer is a great idea, I did it before both my babies. Soups, stews and any kind of comfort food which makes you feel soothed will be most welcome.
While I made most of what I froze, I did supplement my stash with several of my favorite take out soups and prepared foods as I knew I wasn't going to want to waste my precious energy on going out to buy them after the baby arrived.
The only problem I had was not my digestion, but the baby's as I was nursing. The onions and tomatoes in my beloved beef stew were fine for me, but gave my youngest terrible gas.
My other tip along the same lines is to stock up on whatever toiletries, papergoods, detergent you will need for the first few months so you don't need to worry about shopping for that either.
aoi33 at 9:27AM on 08/25/08
So I'm guessing the tomatoes stuffed with all-pepper sauce and rice is definitely out? (Just joking!) Seriously, though, I never even considered the garlic and spice issues when I made casseroles and such for my expectant family and friends. Would some chicken marinaded with fresh lemon and lime juices be okay, they could just add the seasonings they like, and maybe some homemade macaroni and cheese or zucchini bread? Oh, and a great cookbook I came across for new parents is "The One-Armed Cook." The author's name escapes me just now.
skyeyes at 9:55AM on 08/25/08