Help with my seafood lasagna please

[cajun_angel21]

Hi, I'm having a couple of people over in 2 weeks and I need a little help with my menu.

Originally, I was going to make a Seafood Lasanga, with shrimp, crab meat, and scallops, in a lemon butter cream sauce.

One person does not like crab, so I told them that I can make a section of the lasagna crab free, which he said would be fine.
I'm contemplating if I should do it this way, or just 86 the crab and find another type of seafood to put in. Any suggestions?

Also, I want it to be very simple and not overly rich because this is not the only dish I am serving. I'm not sure what type of cheeses to use. I googled seafood lasagna and saw one recipe with a mixture of ricotta and goat cheese. Although I have never had goat cheese before. Does it pair well with seafood? Beside Parmasean and a little provolone, I'm drawing a blank. Help me out. I need cheeses that won't cover the the seafood flavors. TIA~
P.S. Any ideas on side dishes. I'm think just a simple bed of sauteed sniach would be good. Maybe, asparagus, but again I'm going for an understated goodness.

[cajun_angel21]

Sorry for the typos, I'm thinking about a bed of SPINACH. *wheww*

[Cheri]

I make a seafood lasagna, thoug it has been awhile. You can just omit the crab, add extra scallops and shrimp if you like. I would love the recipe for your sauce because I use a light bechemel which can sometimes get a little rich. I do use ricotta because its flavor does not mask the flavor of the seafood. I think a spinach sounds nice, either sauted or as a salad.

[elakin]

i would avoid using cheese altogether, since seafood and cheese do not complement each other.

a bechamel sauce is traditional. if you really are set on using cheese, use a bit of mascarpone or even cream cheese, and work that into your bechamel off the heat. maybe just a bit of parm to give it a little tang.

that's not light. but, in my opinion, trying to make a 'light' lasagna is kind of a difficult task. it's just not a light dish.

use some chopped chives and some toasted buttered breadcrumbs as a topping. that might lighten it up a bit. serve it with a tossed salad.

if you want to make a lighter seafood pasta dish, i'd recommend doing something other than lasagna. a short pasta shape would go nicely with the seafood you mentioned, and a simple lemon-olive-oil-garlic-herb-white wine sauce would serve you well. use some marjoram and basil.

a butter-based sauce is just asking for trouble, as it will most likely break when you bake your lasagna. if you do decide to stay with the lasagna idea, go with the more stable flour-thickened bechamel-based sauce. but i'd also avoid using lemon with all those rich, milky flavors you've got going on. lemon doesn't like dairy products, generally.

ok, now that i've completely changed your entire dish, i guess that's all i've got to say.

[AprilB]

I would substitute a firm fish like Halibut for the crab. I find it gives a balance with the crustateon thing going on. I make a tomato based bisque that I invented when I was about 17...scallops, firm white fish, shrimp, mushers, onion, garlic, celery, bell pepper.

I can't imagine anyone not liking crab but .... oh well...

April

[AprilB]

whatever cheese you do use would have to be mild in taste.

I have a recipe for a "stuffing" that I use for trout using sweet bay shrimp, cornbread and ricotta/cottage cheese.

The goat cheese I have tasted has been kinda sharp. I'm guessing it would overpower the sweetness/mild flavours in fish.

Marscapone maybe? It's a little deserty maybe, but it might be something that could be made into something nice.

April