RCP: Upscale Tuna Noodle Casserole
Posted: Sun Feb 25, 2007 11:32 pm
It's been chilly and rainy around here, and I've been craving the kind of foods one eats with such weather. Today, it was casserole. After looking around Epicurious a while, I came across this recipe for Tuna Noodle Casserole. Like many of us, I grew up with the stuff. It was a quick weeknight meal that you could get kids to eat. I checked in with my wife and found she felt the same way I did about it, so it was on.
That said, this recipe is not what my mom used to make. For one thing, there's no cream of mushroom soup to be found. It includes lots of fresh mushrooms and a bit of sherry. And it really comes out beautifully. I'll post the recipe as it is written, but I made a few changes for tonight's supper. I added some morels that I rehydrated along with their rehdrating water. I used gruyere instead of cheddar cheese. And I used panko rather than white bread crumbs. It was a real hit.
Tuna Noodle Casserole (from the May 2004 issue of Gourmet magazine via Epicurious.com):
1 medium onion, finely chopped
4 1/2 tablespoons unsalted butter (total)
10 oz mushrooms, trimmed and sliced 1/4 inch thick (4 cups)
2 teaspoons soy sauce
1/4 cup Sherry
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
2 cups chicken broth
1 cup milk
2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 (6-oz) can tuna in olive oil, drained
6 oz dried curly egg noodles (preferably Pennsylvania Dutch style; about 3 1/4 cups)
1 1/2 cups coarse fresh bread crumbs (from 3 slices firm white sandwich bread)
4 oz coarsely grated Cheddar
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
Preheat oven to 375°F. Butter a shallow 2-quart baking dish.
Cook onion in 1 1/2 tablespoons butter with a pinch of salt in a 12-inch heavy skillet over moderately low heat, covered, stirring occasionally, until softened, about 5 minutes. Increase heat to moderately high and add mushrooms, then saute, stirring occasionally, until mushrooms begin to give off liquid, about 2 minutes. Add soy sauce and continue to saute mushrooms, stirring, until liquid mushrooms give off is evaporated. Add Sherry and boil, stirring occasionally, until evaporated. Remove from heat.
Melt remaining 3 tablespoons butter in a 2- to 3-quart heavy saucepan over moderately low heat and whisk in flour, then cook roux, whisking, 3 minutes. Add broth in a stream, whisking, and bring to a boil, whisking. Whisk in milk and simmer sauce, whisking occasionally, 5 minutes. Stir in mushroom mixture, lemon juice, and salt. Flake tuna into sauce and stir gently. Season sauce with salt and pepper.
Cook noodles in boiling salted water until al dente. Drain noodles and return to pot. Add sauce and stir gently to combine. Transfer mixture to baking dish, spreading evenly.
Toss together bread crumbs and cheese in a bowl. Drizzle with oil and toss again, then sprinkle evenly over casserole. Bake until topping is crisp and sauce is bubbling, 20 to 30 minutes.
Makes 4 to 6 servings.
Mike
That said, this recipe is not what my mom used to make. For one thing, there's no cream of mushroom soup to be found. It includes lots of fresh mushrooms and a bit of sherry. And it really comes out beautifully. I'll post the recipe as it is written, but I made a few changes for tonight's supper. I added some morels that I rehydrated along with their rehdrating water. I used gruyere instead of cheddar cheese. And I used panko rather than white bread crumbs. It was a real hit.
Tuna Noodle Casserole (from the May 2004 issue of Gourmet magazine via Epicurious.com):
1 medium onion, finely chopped
4 1/2 tablespoons unsalted butter (total)
10 oz mushrooms, trimmed and sliced 1/4 inch thick (4 cups)
2 teaspoons soy sauce
1/4 cup Sherry
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
2 cups chicken broth
1 cup milk
2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 (6-oz) can tuna in olive oil, drained
6 oz dried curly egg noodles (preferably Pennsylvania Dutch style; about 3 1/4 cups)
1 1/2 cups coarse fresh bread crumbs (from 3 slices firm white sandwich bread)
4 oz coarsely grated Cheddar
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
Preheat oven to 375°F. Butter a shallow 2-quart baking dish.
Cook onion in 1 1/2 tablespoons butter with a pinch of salt in a 12-inch heavy skillet over moderately low heat, covered, stirring occasionally, until softened, about 5 minutes. Increase heat to moderately high and add mushrooms, then saute, stirring occasionally, until mushrooms begin to give off liquid, about 2 minutes. Add soy sauce and continue to saute mushrooms, stirring, until liquid mushrooms give off is evaporated. Add Sherry and boil, stirring occasionally, until evaporated. Remove from heat.
Melt remaining 3 tablespoons butter in a 2- to 3-quart heavy saucepan over moderately low heat and whisk in flour, then cook roux, whisking, 3 minutes. Add broth in a stream, whisking, and bring to a boil, whisking. Whisk in milk and simmer sauce, whisking occasionally, 5 minutes. Stir in mushroom mixture, lemon juice, and salt. Flake tuna into sauce and stir gently. Season sauce with salt and pepper.
Cook noodles in boiling salted water until al dente. Drain noodles and return to pot. Add sauce and stir gently to combine. Transfer mixture to baking dish, spreading evenly.
Toss together bread crumbs and cheese in a bowl. Drizzle with oil and toss again, then sprinkle evenly over casserole. Bake until topping is crisp and sauce is bubbling, 20 to 30 minutes.
Makes 4 to 6 servings.
Mike