Saturday night I was home sick (sniffle cough). While Cindy and I watched Shutter Island in bed, Trevor was hard at work installing a new faucet in the bathroom and rewiring the lighting in the kitchen. Our previous lighting was a 3-bulb fixture in the middle of the ceiling which didn't adequately light all of the work space. Trevor found some funky glass bulbs (above) and we hung one over the sink, one over the prep table, and one over the stove. As much as I appreciate an energy efficient bulb, the light that they give off can be very harsh and fluorescent. This new lighting creates a warm, elegant, and more relaxing cooking environment.
We capped off the long weekend with a vegetarian Roasted Squash Mexican Lasagna. Easier than enchiladas, and you may already have many of the ingredients in your pantry! I used squash, carrots, onions and black beans as it's what I had on hand. Would also be delicious with fresh (sauteed) corn, rice and/or potatoes, fresh summer tomatoes, roasted mushrooms... go crazy.
Roasted Squash Mexican Lasagna
Serves 4-6
Ingredients:
16 small fresh corn tortillas
3 cups grated monterey jack, cheddar, or combo
1 can black beans, drained & rinsed
3 carrots, peeled
1 small yellow or white onion, diced
2 cloves garlic
1 tsp. cumin
1 tsp. chili powder
dash cayenne
4-5 zucchini or mix of squash
oil, salt & pepper
Sauce:
1 small shallot, minced
3 cloves garlic, chopped
1 tsp cumin
2 tablespoons adobo
1-2 chipotles in adobo
1 14. oz can diced tomatoes
To make sauce:
Heat a bit of oil in a small skillet. Add shallot and saute briefly, until translucent. Add garlic and cumin, saute 30 seconds. Stir in adobo sauce, chiles, and tomatoes. Cook 5-10 minutes, puree with stick blender or in food processor. Thin with a bit of water if necessary. Season to taste.
Directions:
Preheat oven to 450. Cut squash into coins or quarters, keeping pieces roughly the same size. Toss in oil with a bit of salt and roast on baking sheet until slightly brown and caramelized (20-30 minutes).
Finely grate carrots with a box grater. Heat a skillet and add a teaspoon of oil. Add diced onion and let soften 2 minutes, seasoning with a bit of salt (do not let brown). Add garlic, cumin, chili powder and cayenne, stirring through. Let spices toast until they are just fragrant, then stir in grated carrots. Stir and saute for 2-3 minutes, then remove from heat.
To assemble the lasagna, take a lasagna pan and put about 1/2 cup of sauce in the bottom. Layer 4 tortillas over the sauce. Make a layer of roasted squash, topping with some of the cheese. Top with 4 more tortillas. Top with carrots and onions and some more of the sauce, then top with four more tortillas. Top with black beans and more cheese, then another layer of tortillas. Pour the remaining sauce over the top, and sprinkle with remaining cheese. Top with pickled jalapenos (our favorite!)
Cover with greased foil and bake in a 350 oven for about 40 minutes. Enjoy with any/all of the following: a dollop of sour cream/ chopped green onion/ a sprinkle of freshly chopped cilantro/ a squeeze of lime juice/ more pickled jalapenos.
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