The Hairy Dieter's Lasagne with Propoints

Boy can these bikers cook 

Rich tomato sauce with minced beef and a creamy white sauce loaded with cheese for 6 Weightwatchers Propoints.  Oh Yes. 


Well we all know that the Hairy Bikers can cook, but can they cook skinny?  Definitely.  

I first watched their Hairy Dieters series back in August and I could not wait to try some, or all of the recipes.  Since then, I have been making this at least once a month.  I was skeptical about the whole leek idea instead of pasta.  I like leek in soups and casseroles but as a substitute for pasta?  

I loved this, it's extremely tasty and incredibly low in propoints.  What's not to love.  

I followed this recipe without making any changes at all.  The only thing I did different was, I cut the leek sheets into size of a portion, I just felt that it kept it's shape better.

The white sauce is genius, so tasty.  I have since used the white sauce recipe for other dishes and its always been a hit. 

If your looking for the actual link to the recipe click here. 

Weightwatchers Propoints per serving 6
Weightwatchers Propoints per recipe 33
Serves 6

Ingredients

2 large leeks

1 medium onion

2 celery sticks, trimmed


2 carrots, peel


500g/1lb 2oz lean minced beef

2 garlic cloves, peeled and crushed

150g/5½oz chestnut mushrooms, wiped and

chopped

2 tbsp plain flour

150ml/¼ pint red wine

400g/14oz can chopped tomatoes

2 tbsp tomato purée

1 heaped tsp dried oregano

2 bay leaves

500ml/18fl oz Slim Line milk

3 tbsp cornflour

Freshly grated nutmeg, to taste

50g/2oz extra-mature Low Fat cheddar, grated

25g/1oz parmesan, finely grated

3 medium vine tomatoes, sliced

Freshly ground black pepper

Directions

Trim the leeks until they are about the same

width as your lasagne dish. Cut the leeks 

length ways through to the middle but no 

further.

Open out the leeks and remove five or six of

the narrow leaves from the centre of each 

leek. Thinly slice these inner leaves. 

Separate the larger leaves – these will become

your ‘lasagne’.

Finely chop half the onion and cut the other

half into wedges. Thinly slice the celery and

dice the carrots.

Put the minced beef in a large non-stick

frying pan with the sliced leeks, chopped 

onion, celery, carrots and garlic.

Place the pan over a medium-high heat and fry

without added fat for about 10 minutes until

lightly coloured. You’ll need to break up the

mince with a couple of wooden spatulas or 

spoons as it cooks.

Stir in the chopped mushrooms and cook for 2–3

minutes more. The pan should look fairly dry

at this point.

Sprinkle over the plain flour and stir it

thoroughly into the mince and vegetables.

Slowly stir in the red wine and beef stock.

Add the canned tomatoes, tomato purée and

dried oregano, then drop a bay leaf into the

pan and bring it to a simmer. Season with lots

of freshly ground black pepper.

Turn down the heat slightly and leave the 

mince to simmer for 20–30 minutes until rich

and thick, stirring occasionally.

While the mince is cooking, put the onion

wedges in a saucepan with the remaining bay

leaf. 

In a small bowl mix three tablespoons of the 

milk with the cornflour.

Pour the rest of the milk into the pan with 

the onion wedges and set it over a low heat.

Bring to a very gentle simmer and cook for 2–3

minutes. Remove from the heat and leave the

milk to infuse for 10 minutes.

Half fill a large saucepan with water and

bring to the boil. Add the leek ‘lasagne’ and

bring the water back to the boil.

Cook the leeks, for five minutes or until very

tender. 

It is important that the leeks are tender or 

the lasagne will be tricky to cut later.

Drain in a colander under running water until

cold. Drain on kitchen paper or a clean tea 

towel.

Preheat the oven to 200C/400F/Gas 6.

Remove the onion wedges and bay leaf from the

infused milk with a slotted spoon, then return

the pan to the heat. Give the cornflour and

milk mixture a good stir until it is smooth.

once more and pour it into the pan with the 

infused milk.

Bring to a simmer and cook for five minutes,

stirring regularly until the sauce is smooth

and thick.

Season the sauce with a good grating of nutmeg

to taste and plenty of ground black pepper.

If the sauce is a little too thick to pour

easily, whisk in a couple more tablespoons of

milk.

Spoon a third of the mince mixture into a 2.5 

litre lasagne dish. 

Top with a layer of blanched leeks. Repeat the

layers twice more, finishing with leeks. Pour 

the white sauce over the leeks and top with

the sliced tomatoes. Mix the cheddar and 

parmesan cheese and sprinkle all over the top.

Bake for 30 minutes or until golden-brown and

bubbling.

Divide into portions with your sharpest knife.

Serve with a freshly dressed green salad.

Enjoy the Niptuck way, so you don't have to!