Deliciously Creamy: Koji Cooks' Seafood Lasagna Recipe

This retro Lasagne was a favorite of mine during my college days in Manhattan. You can use any combination of fish and seafood; in this case, more is definitely better! The pasta sheets are fresh spinach and uncooked, but you can use any fresh or no-boil lasagna sheets. It's a very elegant dish, best served with a simple green salad. I am pairing this one with baby arugula drizzled with extra virgin olive oil and balsamic vinegar, topped with freshly grated Romano cheese.

RETRO SEAFOOD LASAGNA

SEAFOOD LASAGNA - Recipe (serves 8)

BECAMEL SAUCE

4 tablespoons of sweet butter

6 tablespoons of flour

5 cups of whole milk warmed (I use a microwave).

1/2 cup fresh grated Romano or Parmesan cheese

1/2 teaspoon kosher salt

20 grinds of fresh black pepper

1/8 teaspoon fresh grated nutmeg

METHOD

In a medium-sized saucepan, melt the butter over medium heat. Whisk in the flour until it is well blended, and cook for 2-3 minutes, stirring constantly. Gradually whisk in the milk and bring the mixture to a simmer. Allow it to simmer until it thickens enough to coat a wooden spoon. Turn off the heat and whisk in the remaining ingredients, then keep it covered.

LASAGNA

a large lasagna pan

2 tablespoons olive oil - divided

2 tablespoons sweet butter at room temp.

15 fresh pasta lasagna sheets (3 per layer)

1 pound of skinless salmon fillets, sliced into 1/4" strips

1 pound of halibut or cod fillets, skin removed, sliced into 1/4" pieces.

1 pound of bay scallops, halved crosswise.

1 pound of 21/25 shrimp, with shells removed and deveined.

1/2 seasoned panko - toasted in a steel pan with 1 tablespoon of the olive oil until golden brown.

METHOD

Preheat your oven to 350 degrees. Pour 1 tablespoon of olive oil on the bottom of the lasagna pan, rub the sides with butter, and spread about 1/3 cup of the bechamel sauce evenly. Place 3 sheets of lasagna pasta on top; they don't need to touch as they will expand when cooked. Evenly distribute the salmon on the lasagna sheets, add another layer of lasagna sheets, then another ladle of bechamel sauce and the halibut. Repeat the same process with the scallop and shrimp layers, finishing with a layer of lasagna sheets, totaling 5 layers. Finally, add a ladle of bechamel sauce and the seasoned panko on top, cover with foil, and bake until bubbly, about 50-60 minutes, checking after 45 minutes. If the top and sides of the pan are very hot, it is done.