Dear Jeanne: I have not tried this recipe, but it looks good. Can you lighten it? — Vicky, Carlsbad, Calif.
Dear Vicky: I made this recipe exactly as written, but found that it was difficult to divide the sauce among the layers of seafood, and there was not enough sauce for the top — therefore, it was a bit dry.
I decided not only to replace the cream but to make more sauce. To eliminate the richness of the sauce, I added some fresh mushrooms and spinach.
One cup of fish weighs about 6 ounces, so I used about 1 1/2 pounds of seafood. You may use any kind of fish you like, but since seafood cooks quickly, do not cook it first, or it will be overcooked. I also calculated the nutritional information based on eight servings instead of six servings, like your recipe.
SEAFOOD LASAGNA
1 pound lasagna noodles
1/4 cup butter
3 tablespoons garlic
3 tablespoons flour
1 cup whipping cream
1 cup half-and-half
Salt and pepper
1 cup each fresh salmon and halibut, in bite-size pieces
1 cup cooked shrimp
1 cup crabmeat
1/2 teaspoon parsley flakes
1 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1. Cook the lasagna noodles according to directions. In a saucepan, saute the butter and garlic. Add the 3 tablespoons flour, stirring constantly until mixed well. Slowly add the whipping cream and half-and-half, stirring constantly until mixed well. Salt and pepper to taste. Simmer until the sauce thickens.
2. In alternating layers in a 9-by-13-by-2-inch lasagna dish, place the lasagna noodles and the seafood, pouring the sauce over the seafood. Top with parsley flakes and Parmesan cheese. Bake at 350 for 25 minutes, or until the fish is done.
Serves 6.
LIGHT AND RICH SEAFOOD LASAGNA
12 lasagna noodles
2 tablespoons butter
6-8 cloves garlic, minced
5 tablespoons unbleached all-purpose flour
3 cups 1 percent low-fat milk
1/2 teaspoon salt
Freshly ground pepper
3/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese, divided use
8 ounces fresh mushrooms, sliced
1/4 cup white wine or broth
6 ounces fresh baby spinach
6 ounces fresh salmon, in bite-size pieces
6 ounces fresh halibut, in bite-size pieces
6 ounces shrimp, in bite-size pieces
6 ounces crabmeat
1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley
1. Boil the lasagna noodles for 8 to 9 minutes, drain and rinse in cold water. Set aside.
2. Preheat the oven to 350 F. Spray a 9-by-13-inch pan with nonstick cooking spray. Set aside.
3. In a small saucepan over medium-low heat, melt the butter and saute the garlic for about 2 minutes. Add 2 tablespoons of the flour and cook for another 3 minutes. Dissolve the remaining 3 tablespoons flour in 1 cup of the milk. Slowly stir the milk-flour mixture into the butter mixture, stirring constantly to avoid lumps. Raise the heat to medium or medium-high and bring to a boil, continuing to stir or using a wire whisk to beat out any lumps. Add the rest of the milk, along with the salt and pepper. Bring to a boil.
4. Remove the sauce from the heat and stir in 1/2 cup of the Parmesan cheese. Set aside to cool.
5. In a large nonstick skillet, saute the mushrooms in the white wine or broth for 3 to 4 minutes. Remove the mushrooms and set aside to cool; leave any wine that remains in the pan. Add the spinach to the wine and heat just to wilt. Add the spinach to the mushrooms.
6. Remove 1 cup of the sauce and set aside. Combine the rest of the cooled sauce with the seafood pieces. Place three lasagna noodles on the bottom of the prepared pan. Drop 1/3 of the sauce with fish pieces (about 2 cups) evenly in dollops on the noodles. Sprinkle with 1/3 of the mushrooms and spinach. Repeat layers 2 more times, finishing with a layer of noodles. Top the last layer of noodles with the reserved sauce. Sprinkle with the remaining 1/4 cup Parmesan cheese and parsley.
7. Bake for 25-30 minutes, or until heated through.
Makes 8 servings.
Each serving contains approximately: Original Recipe: 731 calories; 35 gm fat; 205 mg cholesterol; 906 mg sodium; 65 gm carbohydrates; 41 gm protein; 3 gm fiber. Revised Recipe: 360 calories; 9 gm fat; 96 mg cholesterol; 512 mg sodium; 40 gm carbohydrates; 30 gm protein; 3 gm fiber.
Jeanne Jones is the author of 33 cookbooks, most recently "Cooking From the Cupboard" (Rodale Press). For more information, you can go to her Web site, jeannejones.com. Send your recipe for revision to: Cook It Light, Deseret Morning News, P.O. Box 1212, La Jolla, CA 92038. lease include a stamped (63 cents), self-addressed envelope. © King Features Syndicate Inc.