Asparagus Lasagna

It's spring! I smell it in the air and feel it all around me. I see snow drops and crocus poking there noses up out of the dirt in my yard. I'm preparing to turn the soil in my garden and sow seeds for lettuce and arugula. 

 Every spring I welcome the season with a fresh Asparagus Lasagna. I find new bunches of tender and slender asparagus, grate fresh lemon zest, and buy logs of goat cheese. Occasionally I make my own  pasta, other times I just buy fresh lasagna sheets and enjoy the ease of preparation. It's best served with an orange salad. And with the blood oranges still available what better accompaniment than a lovely red and green salad?

 Dress your table for spring with a vase opurple hyacinths, a yellow table cloth and prepare for spring. It's arriving and available for the taking!

Asparagus Lasagne
4 pounds of slender asparagus, trimmed
3 Tablespoons olive oil
6 lasagna sheets, or enough to make 3 layers
4 Tablespoons butter
1/4 cup flour
1 1/2 cups of chicken broth
1/2 cup water
7 oz mild goat cheese (montrachet)
1 teaspoon freshly grated lemon zest
1 2/3 cups parmesean cheese, gated
1 cup heavy cream

Preheat the oven to 500 degrees.

Cut off asparagus tips and reserve. Cut the  rest of the asparagus spears into 1/2 inch lengths. place in a bowl with the olive oil and salt and pepper. Toss ensuring all are coated in olive oil. Place in a roasting pan and roast 5-10 minutes shaking occasionally.
Turn the oven down to 400 degrees.
Make a Roux by melting the butter. Add the flour and cook over a medium flame for 3 minutes stirring with a wooden spoon. Turn off the flame and add a 1/4 of the chicken stock beating with a wire whisk until blended. Add the remaining stock and water and whisk over a high flame until almost at a boil. Lower flame and cook over medium heat 5 minutes.
Whisk in goat cheese, lemon zest and season with salt and pepper. Set aside.
beat the heavy cream in a boel with salt and pepper until soft peaks form. 
Spread a little sauce over the bottom of the lasagna pan. Place pasta in pan ensuring the edges don't over lap or lay against the sides of the pan. place 1/3 of the sauce onto the pasta and smooth evenly over pasta. Sprinkle  1/2 the asparagus over the sauce and dust with 1/2 cups of Parmesan cheese.
Now make one more layer beginning with pasta, adding the sauce, asparagus and cheese. Add another layer of pasta, the last of the sauce and dollop the beaten cream on top. Sprinkle the asparagus tips over this and dust with the Parmesan cheese.
Bake for 20-30 minutes until the top is beginning to brown and bubbly. Allow the lasagna to rest 10 minutes before cutting and serving.

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