Arrange zucchini "noodles"	Vegetable Lasagna

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Vegetable Lasagna

Source: St. Louis Post-Dispatch, September 28, 2011

Yield: 5 servings

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Ingredients

For Cashew-Herb "Cheese"

• 2 cups raw cashews

• Filtered water (see note)

• 3/4 cup canola oil (see note)

• 1/2 cup fresh lemon juice

• 2 Tbsp tahini

• 2 1/2 tsp fine sea salt or kosher salt

• 1 Tbsp minced shallot

• 1 1/2 Tbsp chopped fresh basil

• 1 1/2 Tbsp chopped fresh oregano

For Sun-Dried Tomato Marinara

• 2 cups sun-dried tomatoes (not oil-packed; see note)

• Filtered water

• 4 plum tomatoes, halved and seeded

• 1/2 Tbsp minced garlic

• 1 1/2 Tbsp canola oil

• 1 Tbsp lemon juice

• 1/2 Tbsp maple syrup

• Salt

• Ground black pepper

• 1 Tbsp chopped fresh basil

• 1 Tbsp chopped fresh oregano

• 1 Tbsp chopped fresh thyme

For Marinated Mushrooms

• 3 cups crimini mushrooms, cut in 1/8-inch slices

• 1/2 cup nama shoyu (unpasteurized soy sauce; see note)

• 1/2 cup canola oil

For Assembly

• 5 zucchini, each 8 to 10 inches long and 1 1/2 inches in diameter

• 1 cup raw corn kernels, divided

• 1 1/2 cups fresh baby spinach leaves, washed, dried and stemmed

• 1 Tbsp canola oil

• 1 cup fresh basil leaves

For Sweet Corn Sauce

• 1/2 cup raw sweet corn kernels

• 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil

• 1/4 cup filtered water

• Fine sea salt or kosher salt

• Freshly ground black pepper

For Garnish

• Baby basil leaves

• Small tomatoes, sliced

• Finishing salt, such as fleur de sel

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Preparation

Make the "cheese." Place cashews in a bowl; cover with filtered water. Soak at room temperature for 4 hours or in the refrigerator overnight. Drain cashews. In a food processor, process cashews, 3/4 cup canola oil, 1/2 cup lemon juice, tahini and 2 1/2 teaspoons salt until mixture is the texture of creamy peanut butter, about 5 minutes. Add shallot, 1 1/2 tablespoons basil and 1 1/2 tablespoons oregano; process just until mixed. Transfer to a pastry bag and refrigerate until ready to use, up to 1 week.
 

Make the marinara. Place sun-dried tomatoes in a bowl. Cover with filtered water and soak at room temperature for 4 hours or in the refrigerator overnight. Drain tomatoes; press out as much liquid as possible. In a food processor, pulse soaked tomatoes into small pieces. Add plum tomatoes, garlic, 1 1/2 tablespoons canola oil, 1 tablespoon lemon juice, syrup and salt and pepper to taste. Pulse until fully blended but still slightly chunky. Add 1 tablespoon each basil, oregano and thyme; pulse just until the herbs are chopped but remain visible. Cover and refrigerate until ready to use, up to 1 week.

Make the mushrooms. Combine mushrooms, nama shoyu and 1/2 cup canola oil in a bowl; and let sit for 20 minutes. Lift mushrooms out of the bowl; squeeze out as much liquid as possible. Remove still more liquid by pressing mushrooms between two layers of paper towels.

Assemble the lasagna. Slice the zucchini into "noodles." With a mandoline, slice zucchini lengthwise into wide slices about 1/16-inch thick. Slices should be slightly translucent and thin enough to easily bend but not so thin as to tear or disintegrate.

Assemble the lasagna. Coat a 12 1/2-by-4-by- 2 1/2-inch terrine (see note) with cooking spray. Line terrine with plastic wrap, overhanging all four sides. Place the terrine on a work surface, one short end closest to you, long sides on the left and right.

Make the layers:

Arrange overlapping layers of zucchini "noodles" crossways in the terrine, pressing the slices to adhere to the sides of the terrine. On the left long side, line up each slice with the top of the terrine. On the right long side, let the slices hang over the side, allowing enough overhang so that once all the layers are in, the slices can be folded over the top.

Gently spread marinara about 3/8 inch thick.

Sprinkle 1/2 cup corn over the marinara.

Gently coat spinach leaves in 1 tablespoon canola oil. Arrange two layers of spinach leaves, flat, atop the corn, overlapping the leaves to cover completely.

Arrange a single layer of basil leaves atop the spinach, overlapping to cover completely.

With the pastry bag, squeeze on a layer of cashew-herb cheese about 3/8 inch thick, covering the spinach and basil leaves. Coat a spatula with cooking spray and use it to gently smooth the cheese.

Arrange two overlapping layers of zucchini slices, lengthwise, covering the cheese. Gently begin to apply downward pressure, beginning to compress the layers.

Arrange all the mushrooms in an even layer, covering the zucchini slices.

Arrange two overlapping layers of zucchini slices, lengthwise, covering the mushrooms.

In this order, repeat layers of cashew-herb cheese, basil leaves, spinach leaves, marinara and corn kernels. (You may not need all the cheese and marinara.)

With a knife, trim the zucchini slices on the terrine's left long side to even them up. Place the long handle of a wooden spoon below the overhanging zucchini slices on the right long side, then use the handle to flip the zucchini slices over the top of the terrine, covering the top. With a knife, trim the flipped slices.

Wrap overhanging plastic over the terrine and gently tighten to help compress the layers. Cover and refrigerate until firm, at least 3 hours.

Make the corn sauce. In a blender, combine 1/2 cup corn, olive oil and 1/4 cup filtered water; process until smooth. Press through a chinois or fine strainer. Discard the solids. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

To serve, use the plastic wrap to gently lift the lasagna out of the terrine. With a sharp knife, carefully slice crossways about 2 1/2 inches thick. Place each slice, cut-side up, on a serving plate. Spoon corn sauce onto the plate around the lasagna. Sprinkle baby basil leaves around the slice. On the side, arrange sliced tomatoes sprinkled with finishing salt. Serve immediately.

Notes:

The cashews are soaked in filtered water because tap water's chlorine would kill the enzymes that help develop the "cheese's" flavor.

Canola oil works better in the lasagna than extra-virgin olive oil, which congeals when chilled.

Use plump sun-dried tomatoes that have not been soaked in oil. A good source for home cooks is the produce department at Dierbergs.

Nama shoyu is an unpasteurized soy sauce sold at natural food stores. You can substitute tamari or a good-quality soy sauce.

The restaurant assembled the lasagna in a 1 1/2-quart LeCreuset terrine. A loaf pan can be substituted, but you may need to build three or four layers of each ingredient rather than two and probably will need additional zucchini noodles. Multiple mini loaf pans could also be used.