Caldo Verde Lasagne (EXPERIMENTAL)

This recipe was inspired by a need to use up the leftover ingredients from the Caldo Verde recipe I made a few weeks ago. I had only a few recipe ingredients left, and I am not sure if doubling the amounts I used would work yet, so the recipe below is for experimental purposes only.


Ingredients (amounts I think would work):
1 lb Portuguese chourico sausage, diced small
1 onion, diced
2 garlic cloves, minced
1/2 cup heavy cream
1/2 cup milk
8 cups of kale, chiffonaded
6-9 lasagne noodles
2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese
salt and pepper to taste

Directions:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Prepare the lasagne noodles according to the package directions. When they're done, cut them to fit the loaf pan. I cut mine into thirds and lay the pieces so that the ruffled edges are parallel to the shorter side of the pan.

In a saucepan over medium heat, cook the diced chourico chunks until they've caramelized on most of their sides and released about 2 tbsp of red oil. Remove to a separate dish using a slotted spoon.

In the remaining red oil in the pan, sweat the diced onion. When onion is translucent, add in half of the minced garlic cloves. Cook for a few more minutes until the garlic is fragrant. Add the chourico back into the pan, and mix the chourico, onion, and garlic together. Set aside.

Wipe out the pan. Pour in the milk and cream. Add in the remaining minced garlic clove. The milk and cream should begin bubbling immediately. Add in all of the kale and continuously stir the kale into the milk and cream so that it wilts and the liquids evaporate, about five minutes. Take off heat and set aside.

In a loaf pan (this recipe is meant to make a fat lasagne to be cut in half and shared by two people), layer the chourico and onion mixture, then the creamed kale mixture, the lasagne noodles, and the shredded mozzarella cheese until you have used up all of the ingredients. The last layer should be the mozzarella layer. Try to cover up any exposed areas of noodle or else they might dry out and become crispy in the oven.

Bake in the oven until the mozzarella cheese turns golden brown, about 20-30 minutes. Garnish with parsley leaves.