Short Rib and Cauliflower Lasagna

I had to make short ribs this past weekend, so I planned a dish around having some extra leftover shreddy beef deliciousness.I’ve been eating a veg-forward diet recently (I just made that word up.) so I wanted to load up this lasagna with all my current faves, cauliflower, mushroom, and arugula. I also made a really quick sauce in the food processor with manchego, ricotta, and some milk.  Historically, I have been averse towards lasagna varieties, but this one came out fantastic!

The sauce is as simple as adding these ingredients to the processor and let it rip while adding milk slowly until you get the right texture and liquidity.

I roasted the cauliflower for about 7 minutes, then added the mushroom and cooked another 3 minutes.

The sauce all ready to go.

Mandi shredded up the short ribs. (and ate half of it)

Ok lets build the lasagna. A little sauce first.

Then pasta, followed by more sauce, the mushrooms, cauliflower, arugula, and short ribs.

Then just layer it up.

Oh yea… this was good.

Nice and cheesy, and loaded with yummy vegetables.

A nice twist on lasagna that was really satisfying and different.

Sauce – Half pound of manchego cheese, 2oz parm, 3 cups ricotta, teaspoon oregano, teaspoon chile flake, salt and pepper. Put this in the food processor, and as you blend it, stream in milk until it becomes a nice creamy texture.

For the braised ribs
Package of celery hearts
bunch of carrots
1 large onion
5 cloves garlic
1 lbs bone-in short ribs
Water
ANY OR ALL: thyme, parsley, black pepper, mustard seed, coriander, parmesan rind

Sear the ribs on all sides and remove from pan, add the veggies and cook till they soften and some start to brown. Add the garlic and cook a few minutes. Add the ribs back in with any accumulated juices. Add any or all of the optional ingredients. Fill with water and loosely cover. Put it in the oven at 300 (or simmer lightly on the stovetop) for 3 hours. Pull the ribs out of the stock and shred them up.

Finally bring it all together.  Roast off some chopped cauliflower for about 7 minutes in oil, salt, and pepper, then add chopped mushrooms to the pan and cook another 3 minutes. Finally time to make the lasagna. Cook the noodles (reserve 2 cups of pasta cooking liquid) and build it up by first adding a spread of sauce, followed by noodles, then the arugula, cauliflower, mushrooms, and shredded beef. Repeat 4 times and top with another layer of pasta. then spread on some of the sauce with a little more shredded parm. Ladle on the reserved pasta cooking water and pop it into the oven at 350 for about 45 minutes.