Vertical Lasagna and Cheesecake Lollipops!

Domenic Chiaromonte is considered one of Canada's most progressive chefs.

The executive chef and co-owner of Match Restaurant, just outside Toronto, is known for his modern cuisine and stunning presentation, and elevates food to an art form.

Among his finer works: Vertical Lasagna and Cheesecake Lollipops!

The former obviously isn't a normal lasagna: He rolls the pasta and stands it upright in the baking sheet.

"The Early Show Saturday Edition" put him to another kind of test - he accepted our "Chef on a Shoestring" challenge of preparing a three-course meal on our slim budget of $35.

And that earned him automatic entry into our "How Low Can You Go?" competition: The "Shoestringer" whose ingredients costs are lowest will be invited back to cook our year-end holiday blowout meal!

DOMENIC'S SATURDAY MENU

FOOD FACT

Lasagna (plural lasagne) is both a form of pasta in sheets and also a dish, sometimes named lasagne al forno (meaning "oven-cooked lasagne") made with alternate layers of pasta, cheese, and often ragu (a meat sauce) or tomato sauce.

RECIPES

Organic Green Salad with Pear & Sake Dressing

INGREDIENTS:
1/2 cup pear juice
1/3 cup good quality sake
1/2 cup basil
2 to 3 tablespoons rice vinegar
5 to 6 tablespoons grape seed oil
10 ounces organic greens

METHOD:

To make the dressing combine all the ingredients but the oil in a food processor and pulse until all mixed well.

With the machine running, slowly add in the oil to fully incorporate it with the rest of the ingredients. Adjust seasoning to taste.

Toss the mixed greens with the dressing and serve.

Vertical Chicken Lasagna

INGREDIENTS:
1-2 pounds fresh Chicken diced
1/2 red onion diced
1 cloves garlic
Purple basil (or basil)
1 green onion husks
2 tablespoons tomato paste
2 cups crushed tomatoes
1 pack dry lasagna pasta sheets in box
Salt to taste
Minced garlic
1 cup parmesan cheese
1 cup asiago cheese

METHOD:

In an extra large sauté pan, cook the onion, garlic, basil and green onion until translucent, about 12 minutes. Add Chicken and sauté until cooked through, about 7-9 minutes. Add the tomatoes and tomato paste and let simmer till reduced about 40 minutes. Set aside.

Pasta:
Place the salt and minced garlic and pasta into the water. Cook until al dente and the pasta is pliable. Remove from the water and place in an ice water bath to stop the cooking.

Assembly:
Place the sheet of lasagna in front of you lengthwise. Spread the chicken Bolognese the length of the sheet. Sprinkle with parmesan and asiago cheese.

Starting with the end closest to you, begin to roll the pasta up to the other end. Place a blanched leek around the pasta and tie to secure.

Stand up as a cylinder shape and place in roasting pan. Cover the pan with foil and bake at 350°F until hot in the center and cheese has melted, about 12-15 minutes. Serve hot.

For the Cheesecake Lollipop recipe, go to Page 2

Cheesecake Lollipops

For 8 lollipops:

INGREDIENTS: for cheese cake
8 ounces cream cheese
½ cup unsalted butter
1 cup sour cream
1 cup heavy whipping cream
3/4 cups white sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
6 eggs

METHOD: for cheesecake

Pre-heat the oven to 325°F.

Cover a 9-inch spring form pan in foil and spray with a non-stick spray or brush with melted butter.

In an electric mixer combine the cream cheese, butter and sour cream and mix until completely incorporated. Scrape down the edges.

Next fold in the whipping cream, sugar and vanilla and mix until combined. Turn the mixer to low and slowly add the eggs one at a time.

Once you have added all of the eggs and everything is combined, pour the mixture into the prepared spring form pan. Place the pan in a water bath and bake in the oven for one hour and thirty minutes, or until a toothpick comes out clean.

Remove from the oven and allow to completely cool.

INGREDIENTS: for lollipops
4 ounces cream cheese
2 tablespoon peanut butter
4 Oreo cookies
8 lollipop sticks
2 cups dark chocolate
2 cups white chocolate

METHOD: for lollipops

Place the cheesecake, cream cheese, peanut butter and Oreos in a food processor. Place food processor on high and mix until all of the ingredients are well-combined. Scrape down the sides with a rubber spatula.

With a small ice cream scoop, scoop out eight small balls. Place a lollipop stick in the center of each scoop. Place in the freezer for about 30 minutes, or until the scoops are hard.

Place the white and dark chocolate in a small glass bowls and microwave until the chocolate has melted, about 20 seconds.

Dip the frozen cheesecake lollipops in melted dark chocolate, then drizzle with the white chocolate. Serve.

So, how did Domenic do in our "How Low Can You Go?" competition?

Green Salad
pear juice $0.79
sake $2.99
basil $1.50
grape seed oil $1.99
greens $2.00
total $9.27

Vertical Lasagna
Chicken $3.98
red onion $.79
garlic $.39
green onion $.69
tomato paste $.99
crushed tomatoes $1.33
lasagna $1.59
parmesan cheese $2.24
asiago cheese $2.37
total $14.37

Cheesecake Lollipops
cream cheese $1.49
sour cream $1.19
whipping cream $1.19
peanut butter $1.50
Oreo cookies $1.99
dark chocolate $1.79
white chocolate $1.79
total $10.94

His grand total: $34.58

No change on our leader board:

1. Paul Liebrandt $32.35
Corton

2. Scott Peacock $32.60
Watershed Restaurant

3. Joey Campanaro $33.27
The Little Owl