Northwest Arkansas Democrat-Gazette
Kitchen chemistry
“Your ability to change everything, including yourself, starts here in the kitchen.”
Brie Larson’s “Lessons in Chemistry” Lasagna
Ingredients:
Bolognese
• 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 1 carrot, finely chopped
• 1 celery rib, finely chopped
• 1 medium onion, finely chopped
• kosher salt
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 teaspoon red chili flakes
• 1 6-ounce can tomato paste
• 1 pound 90% lean ground beef
• 1 pound ground pork
• 1/4 pound pancetta, ground or very finely chopped
• 1 cup whole milk
• 1 cup dry white wine
• 1 tablespoon chopped fresh oregano
Ricotta Béchamel
• 5 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
• 3 cups whole milk, warmed
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1/2 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
• 1 15-ounce container ricotta cheese
Assembly
• olive oil, for brushing
• 1 pound dried lasagna noodles
• 2 cups finely grated Parmesan
• 1 1/2 cups grated mozzarella cheese
• 2 tablespoons chopped Italian parsley
Instructions:
1. Make the bolognese: Add carrot, celery, and onion to an oiled pot and sauté until translucent. Then add garlic and chili flakes, and cook for 1 minute. Stir in tomato paste, cook until it turns brick red, and add ground beef, pork, and pancetta. Cook for 10 minutes until browned. Add milk and white wine, then let simmer for 1 1/2 hours, stirring occasionally.
2. While the bolognese simmers, make the ricotta béchamel: Melt butter in a medium pot over medium-low heat. Add flour and cook for another minute while stirring. Slowly whisk in milk, bring the mixture to a simmer, then cook for another minute to thicken. Add salt and nutmeg, then remove from heat. After cooling for 15 minutes, stir in the ricotta.
3. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C).
4. Boil lasagna noodles until just under al dente, about 1 minute less than the package’s instructions.
5. Now assemble in a 9x13 pan. Start with a layer of ricotta béchamel on the bottom of the dish, then add a layer of noodles. Spread another layer of bechamel, then top with a layer of bolognese and a dusting of Parmesan cheese. Top with more noodles, then repeat the laying process 4 more times to get 5 layers in total. Top the final layer with the remaining béchamel, Parmesan, and all of the mozzarella cheese.
6. Bake uncovered for 35-40 minutes until browned and bubbling. Finally, let cool for 15 minutes, garnish with parsley, slice, and serve.
Extra Crispy Roast Chicken From “Lessons in Chemistry”
Ingredients:
• 1 whole chicken, 4 to 5 pounds
• 1 tablespoon kosher salt
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1 teaspoon black pepper
• 1 lemon, zested and quartered
• 4 tablespoons (1/2 stick) unsalted butter
• olive oil, for brushing
Directions:
1. Combine salt, baking powder, black pepper, and lemon zest and use it to season the chicken inside and out.
2. Refrigerate the chicken overnight, uncovered.
3. Put a large cast iron skillet in the oven and heat it to 425 degrees F (220 degrees C).
4. Stuff butter and lemon quarters inside the cavity of the chicken and tie the legs of the chicken together with twine. (If you don’t have twine, you can skip this step).
5. Brush the chicken skin with olive oil.
6. When the oven and skillet are hot, carefully place the bird in the skillet, breast side up.
7. Roast for 15 minutes, then reduce the heat to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
8. Baste the chicken, then continue roasting for about 50 minutes, basting every 15 minutes, until a thermometer inserted into the meaty part of the thigh reads 155 degrees F (about 70 degrees C). Let rest for 15 minutes.
9. Skim about 4 tablespoons of fat from the pan, then transfer the chicken to a cutting board, tilting the cavity downward so all of the juices run out into the pan as you do so.
10. Use tongs to remove the lemons from the cavity and squeeze the lemon juice into the pan.
11. Use a rubber whisk or spatula to vigorously stir the buttery, lemony pan juices into a sauce. (Add a splash of chicken stock, lemon juice, or water to help it emulsify if needed).