Recipe: Vegetable Lasagna with Chevre Bechamel

VEGETABLE LASAGNA WITH CHEVRE BECHAMEL

FOR THE TOMATO SAUCE-VEGETABLE MIXTURE:
1/2 pound fresh mushroom
1/4 cup olive oil
1 medium sized Vidalia onion, minced
3 cloves garlic, minced
4 carrots, peeled and diced
1 pound plum tomatoes, diced
1/2 cup red wine
2 teaspoons dried thyme (or 4 teaspoons fresh thyme)
2 teaspoons dried oregano (or 4 teaspoons fresh oregano)
salt and pepper to taste
1 pound cooked lasagna noodles
FOR THE CHEVRE BECHAMEL:
4 tablespoons butter
6 tablespoons flour
2 cups half and half
1 cup heavy (whipping) cream
4 ounces Montachet or other soft mild Chevre, crumbled

TO MAKE THE TOMATO SAUCE-VEGETABLE MIXTURE:
Clean mushrooms with a damp paper towel and dice.

Heat olive oil in a large skillet and add onion, garlic, carrots, and mushrooms. Saute for 10 minutes or until onion is translucent.

Add plum tomatoes, wine, thyme and oregano. Add salt and pepper to taste and let simmer for about 40 minutes.

While the sauce is simmering, cook lasagna noodles according to manufacturer's directions.

TO MAKE THE CHEVRE BECHAMEL:
In another sauce pan, make the Chevre Bechamel Sauce by melting butter over a medium heat. Stir in flour. Cook for 1 minute and then begin whisking in the half and half, stirring constantly.

Once the sauce becomes thick and smooth, stir in the cream. Just heat sauce until it is hot, then add the Chevre. Stir until Chevre is melted and remove from heat.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

TO ASSEMBLE THE LASAGNA:
Use a 11x4-inch baking pan. Coat the bottom with the tomato sauce-vegetable mixture. Cover the bottom of the dish with a layer of lasagna noodles. Next put a layer of the tomato sauce-vegetable mix. Alternate layers of noodles, tomato sauce, noodles, bechamel sauce, etc. End up with the final layer of noodles being topped with the bechamel sauce.

Bake the lasagna until bubbling, about 45-50 minutes. Remove from oven and let rest for about 10 minutes.

TO SERVE:
Invert pan onto a serving platter and cut into slices and serve immediately.

Adapted from source: New Jersey Garden Network