Fall/winter recipes from Jan Kelly

Jonah Braun
Tue, 19 Oct 2010 00:43:56 +0000
Culture & Entertainment, Spotlight, Braun, Chef

Jan Kelly, chef of Meritage restaurnat in Milwaukee, shares some of her favorite recipes.

Roasted Fingerling Potatoes with Chorizo and Cheese

1 pound fingerling potatoes
olive oil
½ medium onion, diced
8 ounces chorizo (fresh or Spanish)
1 cup shredded Chihuahua cheese or any melting cheese
salt and pepper
flour tortillas (optional)
*Roasted garlic aioli recipe below

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Cut fingerling potatoes into ¼-inch slices. Toss in oil to coat and season with salt and pepper. Roast in oven until browned and soft on the inside.

While potatoes cook, slice onion. In sauté pan, add a little oil and heat until hot, but not smoking. Add onion and cook until lightly brown. Add chorizo (if fresh, remove from casing first) and cook until well-browned and cooked through. Add potatoes to chorizo and onions. Top with Chihuahua cheese and place back in oven until cheese is melted. Serve with roasted garlic aioli and tortillas.

Roasted Garlic Aioli

1 bulb fresh garlic or 6 cloves peeled garlic

Olive oil
1 – 2 cups mayonnaise
Lemon juice

If using whole garlic: place in small ramekin or skillet. Pour olive oil to coat garlic and add enough water to cover bottom of ramekin or skillet. Cover with foil and place in 375-degree oven for approx. 45 minutes. Check water level often.

If using peeled garlic: place it in a saucepan and cover with oil. Bring to simmer on top of stove and cook until slightly brown and soft. Drain oil and reserve for another use.

Puree garlic in food processor and add mayonnaise — adjust mayo and garlic to your liking. Add touch of lemon juice to taste and salt and pepper.

Root Vegetable Lasagna

6 ounces butter
6 ounces flour
½ cup diced shallots
5 cups milk
¼ teaspoon thyme
Cayenne
Nutmeg
Salt and pepper
6 large parsnips
4 carrots
4 large turnips
1 rutabaga
5 lasagna sheets
4 cups ricotta cheese
1 tablespoon chopped garlic
Parmesan cheese

Béchamel sauce:
Melt butter in saucepan. Add shallots and cook until soft. Add thyme, then flour to make a roué. Cook for a few minutes and add milk while stirring to prevent lumps. Cook until thick (if too thick, add more milk), season with a pinch of nutmeg, cayenne, salt and pepper. Keep warm.

For lasagna, prepare a 9-by-13-inch pan with pan spray or olive oil and preheat oven to 350 degrees. Peel and thinly slice all vegetables. Mix ricotta with 1 tablespoon garlic, salt and pepper. Begin to assemble lasagna by placing one lasagna sheet down in the pan, followed by a layer of ricotta cheese mixture (about ½ cup). Then layer parsnips, carrots, rutabaga, and turnips, and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Finish each layer by pouring a small amount of béchamel sauce over the vegetables and sprinkling with Parmesan cheese. Repeat multiple times, and finish by pouring béchamel sauce over top along with Parmesan cheese.

Cover with aluminum foil and bake until vegetables are easily pierced with a knife (approx. 45 minutes to an hour). Remove cover and allow lasagna to brown on top.

Cool for 15 minutes before serving.

Yield: 4 – 6 servings