Lemon Lasagna
Can you stand just one more lemon recipe?
After all, you know your friends are still foisting their backyard lemons on you or you’re still picking ripe ones off your own tree.
So, dedicate one of those lemons to this fabulous dish: “Sausage, Chard and Lemon Lasagna.” It’s from the March 2011 issue of Martha Stewart Living magazine.
It’s a very rich dish. I won’t kid you about that, what with the creamy, cheesy white sauce made with full-fat milk that binds everything together. The lemon gets sliced very thin. As you layer the no-bake lasagna noodles, sausage, and Swiss chard-white sauce mixture, you also add a layer of lemon slices, which have been blanched ahead of time to remove some of their bitterness.
The dish emerges from the oven bubbling hot and golden, with the lemon slices peeking out on top. As you enjoy the cheesy richness of each bite, you’re almost relieved to stumble upon a lemon slice to help cut the out and out decadence of what you’re eating with a welcome bright burst of citrus.
Maybe my bunch of chard was extra large, but when I cut it up and added it to the pot of warm milk thickened with grated Parmesan and a little flour, as the recipe directed, the mixture thickened up so much that it was more paste-like than sauce-like. As a result I had to add about 1/2 cup more milk to loosen it up. But use your best judgment. If your initial sauce seems pourable enough to coat the lasagna noodles, then go with the original 3 cups of milk. If, like mine, yours becomes too thick, then add a little more milk.
Whatever you do, be sure to set aside one lemon for this lovely lasagna.
Sausage, Chard and Lemon Lasagna
(Serves 4)
3 tablespoons unsalted butter
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
3 cups whole milk
1 cup finely grated Parmesan cheese (about 4 ounces)
Coarse salt and freshly ground pepper
5 cups coarsely chopped Swiss chard (about 1 bunch)
1 pound sweet Italian sausage, casings removed
1 lemon, very thinly sliced
6 no-boil lasagna noodles, preferably Barilla
Melt butter in a saucepan over high heat. Stir in flour; cook for 2 minutes. Whisk in milk. Bring to a boil, stirring. Reduce heat. Simmer for 1 minute. Remove from heat. Whisk in 3/4 cup cheese, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and 1/4 teaspoon pepper. Stir in chard.
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Cook sausage in a skillet over high heat, breaking up pieces, until no longer pink, about 4 minutes.
Cover lemon slices with cold water by 3 inches in a saucepan. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat; simmer for 7 minutes. Transfer to a paper-towel-lined plate using a slotted spoon.
Spread 1/4 cup sauce in an 8-inch square nonreactive baking dish. Top with 2 noodles, half the sausage, and 1 cup sauce. Repeat. Top with a layer of lemons, 2 noodles, then remaining sauce and lemons. Bake, covered with parchment-lined foil, for 27 minutes.
Remove from oven. Heat broiler. Uncover lasagna; top with remaining 1/4 cup cheese. Broil until bubbling, 2 to 3 minutes.
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Wednesday, 16. March 2011 5:32
Now THAT is an intriguing lasagna variety!
Wednesday, 16. March 2011 6:09
Oh, that looks and sounds divine! I love Italian dishes that have this flavor. I would have added some zest, but would never have had the brilliant idea of making a lasagna with entire slices. Very original.
Cheers,
Rosa
Wednesday, 16. March 2011 8:40
Bring on the lemon! This sounds positively scrumptious.
Wednesday, 16. March 2011 9:03
Oooh, I love the idea of lemon hidden inside as a nice surprise. (You know I love lemons!) I never thought of combining lemon with cheese, only because of potential curdling, but I guess this technique adds the lemon when the cheese sauce is cooled already, huh? Sounds refreshing!
Wednesday, 16. March 2011 9:07
wow this is exp[osive, truly gorgeous and unique!
Wednesday, 16. March 2011 11:09
This sounds unusual and delicious. For some reason, lemon and sausage seems odd to me, but I definitely trust you. Maybe I’ll try it this weekend!
Wednesday, 16. March 2011 11:18
It does sound rich but hopefully the veggies and lemon balance out the dairy part!
Wednesday, 16. March 2011 13:20
This is incredibly unusual! How fun. Now it’s making me wonder if I couldn’t do a version with confit oranges and goat cheese.
Wednesday, 16. March 2011 14:13
Sounds very intriguing, and looks beautiful, like a winter comfort dish emerging into spring. I think my neighbor’s lemon tree is calling to me over the wall.
Thursday, 17. March 2011 2:27
Yes! I can take on more lemon recipes
Never had lemon in lasagna before but the combination together with chard sounds mouthwatering!
Thursday, 17. March 2011 3:11
Mmmmmm, sounds decadent and delightful, and I don’t even like lemon!
Thursday, 17. March 2011 11:13
I can totally do one more lemon dish if it means lasagna. I love non-tomato lasagna. This one looks so good! Thanks for the suggestion.
Thursday, 17. March 2011 14:56
Lemon lasagna — how intriguing! I’ve always wanted to try one with a white sauce too!
Thursday, 17. March 2011 18:22
Oh my this looks really wonderful! And so very lucky to have homegrown lemons
I didn’t realized you have so many lemon recipes 
I adore lemon in any forms!
Thursday, 17. March 2011 22:12
This is so perfect. I’m a huge fan of lemon!
Friday, 18. March 2011 13:38
I wish I had extra lemons, but this wasn’t a good year for my trees. But, I’ll find one to use for this lasagna. Love the mix of lemon and chard, and nothing beats an oozy cheese-filled sauce!
Sunday, 20. March 2011 1:39
lovely lemon lasagna–my alliteration-loving mind does squeal with delight.
tasty work, carolyn!
Monday, 21. March 2011 8:46
Sounds great! I made Lasagna Bowls and posted today on my blog. I’ll try these next yumm!
Monday, 21. March 2011 18:54
Mmmm! It´s really a delicious! I lovely this Lemon Lasagna!
Sunday, 27. March 2011 15:56
I can always handle another lemon recipe, but this one gets extra points as its a combination I never would have thought of, and it just sounds delicious. What a wonderful dish to fi for company.
Thursday, 31. March 2011 10:05
The idea of lemon lasagna is melting my heart!
Thursday, 31. March 2011 14:44
Thank you for all the Lemon recipe’s, my Lemon Tree is overloaded!
Wednesday, 11. January 2012 5:27
[...] More Lemon Recipes: Martha Stewart’s Sausage, Chard and Lemon Lasagna [...]