If you’re looking for a special date night dinner, something a little fancy but not so hard to make try this seafood freeform lasagna, what makes it even more special is the subtle lemon cream sauce that’s spooned all over.
This is the perfect dinner to have on Valentines Day which is coming up soon and I’m quite sure many of us will be dining at home. This is meant for two people but you can certainly double the recipe for more to enjoy if need be.
I used a mix of scallops and shrimp in this easy freeform lasagna, which is highlighted with a touch of Limoncello for a smack of bright lemon flavor!
The prep work is all done in advance so when it’s time to eat all you have to do is pop your dish into the oven, warm it up and get that golden top.
You’ll be spending all your time with your date instead of cooking and cleaning in the kitchen all night, and that’s a good thing!
The lemon sauce is very light, you can use half lemon juice and half Limoncello or just all lemon juice. I wouldn’t do all Limoncello because that would be too sweet tasting and overpower the seafood.
If lemon is not your thing, you can make a nice white sauce to top it off like a béchamel, that would be equally as delicious and creamy to top it off.
Cut your lasagna noodles to fit into individual ramekins if using or if you end up using a bigger dish, it doesn’t have to fit perfect.
Then you’re going to layer all that amazing seafood on top. It’s a delicious mix of chopped scallops, shrimp, garlic, shallots with a little ricotta and mascarpone for creaminess and to help bind it all.
Save some whole shrimp for garnish it makes a striking presentation. This can be served along side a beautiful salad or if you really want to go all out, a steak for some surf and turf!
- 1 lb. seafood, I used a combo of ½ lb. shrimp and ½ lb. scallops, you can also use all shrimp or any combo of your choice, peeled and deveined leaving a couple of whole shrimp or scallops for garnish
- 6 lasagna sheets, pre-boiled
- SEAFOOD MIXTURE INGREDIENTS
- drizzle of olive oil
- 1 large shallot, small dice
- 2 large garlic, minced
- 2 heaping tablespoons chopped parsley, extra for garnish
- ¼ cup of ricotta
- 1 heaping tablespoon mascarpone cream
- 1 tablespoon, limoncello in the seafood mix or use 1 tablespoon, lemon juice
- salt and pepper to taste
- FOR THE LEMON CREAM SAUCE
- 2 Tablespoons unsalted butter and extra to butter your ramekins
- 2 Tablespoons, Limoncello ( or use all lemon juice to make up the 4 Tablespoons)
- 2 Tablespoons lemon juice
- 1 cup heavy cream
- Pre boil your lasagne noodles, according to the time directions on the box, cool them down and set aside.
- Chop up your seafood into bite size pieces, making sure to clean your shrimp beforehand, and setting aside 1 or 2 for garnish.
- For the whole shrimp garnish, season them and stick into a 420F oven until cooked through, then set aside.
- Butter 2 -6 inch" ramekins or 1- 12 inch"
- Drizzle olive oil in the bottom of a sauté pan, add the shallot and garlic til soft then toss in the chopped seafood, tossing gently till cooked. Don't over cook!
- Add 1 Tablespoon of Limoncello to the mix or lemon juice as well as the parsley.
- Let the mixture cool down then add the ricotta and mascarpone, folding it in and mixing it til incorporated.
- Make your lemon cream sauce by placing both Limoncello, ( 2 tablespoons) and lemon juice( 2 tablespoons) in a small sauce pan together ( or use all lemon juice( 4 tablespoons).
- Once warm whisk in your butter.
- When the butter melts in add the heavy cream gently stirring on low heat until the cream thickens.
- NOW FOR ASSEMBLY
- Line the bottom of your ramekins with a few cooked lasagna noodles, cutting them if need be to fit.
- Spread a little of the lemon cream sauce on the noodles.
- Divide your seafood mix between the two ramekins and spread on top of the pasta.
- Use the remaining lasagna noodles to fit over the top of the seafood mixture.
- Spoon some of the lemon sauce all around.
- This all can be prepped ahead of time.
- When you’re ready to serve you can place the ramekins under your broiler to warm it up and get some golden color on top, but if you do you can't walk away!
- Stay near the oven broiler and keep checking to make sure it doesn’t burn,.
- You can also heat them in the oven at 375 just til heated through, ovens vary so keep checking, it won't take too long, and remember everything is cooked already.
- If you want a little more golden on top, stick it under the broiler for that, but again do not walk away!
- Spoon some of the lemon cream on top to finish, garnish with chopped parsley and top it off with the whole cooked shrimp.
- Enjoy!