FamilyFood

Tuna Casserole: Creamy goodness

creamy tuna casserole

Sometimes there's nothing like simple, basic childhood favorites. In my family we all tease my sister about her childhood roux obsession and how when she was a pre-teen she spent lot of hours at the stove making bechamel, casseroles, and cream puffs—anything that required a butter-flour paste.

I share her roux obsession and, even more, love béchamel (white) sauce. It's my casserole staple: pasta + béchamel +/- protein + cheese means you "can't hardly" miss making something gorgeous.

I eyeball my roux. Consult a recipe (I learned from Joy of Cooking) to learn the technique if you need, but I make it thusly:

• 1 stick butter (melt until foamy)
• 1/2 cup flour (add to butter, stir, cook several minutes to eliminate the raw flour taste)
• enough milk to make the sauce the consistency I want (anywhere from 2-4 cups)
• a grating of nutmeg (I used to go the clove-studded onion route, but I like nutmeg in my bechamel a little better)

When making tuna casserole, I saute onion and celery in the butter then add the flour and milk. Yes, the bechamel is lumpy because of the veggies, but in a casserole it doesn't matter. Then I combine the sauce with one can of olive-oil-packed Italian tuna and mix well. The tuna-embellished sauce is then combined with one box of cooked (very al dente) elbow macaroni (or other short pasta), and a couple of handfuls of frozen peas if I have them on hand. A grating of pecorino romano over the top is all I need, but you could do buttered breadcrumbs or a combination of buttered breadcrumbs and grated cheese. Bake for 30 minutes at 350º (or until lightly browned on top) and dig in.

The recipe led my four-year-old to declare: "This is the most delicious pasta ever!"

[photo: Stefania Pomponi Butler]

Christmas Day Menu

Tonight my whole family will be cooking like crazy for tomorrow's Christmas lunch. My mom's side of the family takes turns hosting  "The Family Party" every year and this year it's our family's turn. We're cooking for about 50 people. Here's the menu. (I'll post pics and recipes soon.)

• Antipasti—salami, prosciutto, cappicolla, roasted red peppers, marinated mushrooms, olives, cheeses
• Seafood mousse
• Three pastas: farfalle with Italian tuna (in oil), capers, parsley, and lemon; penne with pesto alla siciliana; fresh (uncooked) tomato pasta with basil
• Eggplant caponata
• Fennel and blood orange salad
• Roast suckling pig
• Crusty bread
• Green salad made with Waimanalo (local) baby lettuces
• Panettone

LUNCH FOR A NEW MAMA

My friend Cafemama gave birth to her second boy a little over a month ago.  When we were first moving to Portland, I lurked on her blog(s) and then finally introduced myself by way of email when we moved.  We are just starting to get to know each other—it's hard to get together when we both have kids (and now she has a newborn)—but we try.  And she is surprisingly mobile for just having had a baby...she talks of jogging and berry picking and...I think I was catatonic for six months after having Wallie.  She is, in a word, amazing.

And because we really think she's groovy and because she just had a baby and just because...we are taking her this lunch today.  (Along with cake.  Nursing mamas need cake.)

PASTA WITH LEMONY TUNA SAUCE

If you have a microplane grater, it will come in handy to grate the lemon zest.  Try not to refrigerate this pasta.  It's better when left to hang at room temperature.

Put the pasta water on to boil and salt it like mutha.

• 1 pound of short pasta, any kind (fusilli, farfalle, penne, campanelle, etc.)
• zest of one lemon
• juice of same lemon (reserve one squeezed half)
• capers (pref. the ones packed in salt, rinsed and dried; or brined), about a teaspoon
• a handful of flat-leaf parsley, leaves only, chopped
• 1 6 oz can or jar of high quality solid Italian tuna in olive oil like Callipo, Flott, or Genova (I prefer the first two for price and qulity)
• 1/4 to 1/2 of a finely chopped onion (or omit completely)
• salt and pepper
• olive oil

When pasta is cooked to al dente, drain it and place it back into the cooking pot.  Immediately dump in the lemon zest, lemon juice, and capers.  Toss the pasta well.  Next add a glug or two of olive oil, mix it again, and then just let it hang out.

Open tuna and dump into a bowl, oil and all.  Take reserved, squeezed lemon half and squeeeeze several more drops of juice out of it directly onto the tuna.  (Now you can throw it away!)  Lightly flake tuna with a fork.  Add in a little more olive oil (one glug) and then put that—along with the chopped onion—onto the cooling pasta.  Adjust salt and pepper.  Stir well. 

It can remain like this for a good 2-3 hours, just mix it every so often.  When you are ready to serve it, transfer the pasta into a serving bowl (if you want.)  Add the parsley (and maybe another drizzle of olive oil) at the last moment.

COLD ARTICHOKES WITH HERB-Y VINAIGRETTE

First, cook two artichokes.  Chill them over night.

Halve them and remove the choke/thistley parts.  You should have a little "well: in each half.

Prepare the vinaigrette which is:

• 1 part balsamic vinegar (a splash)
• 3 parts oil (3 splashes)
• a few parsley leaves, chopped
• 2 basil leaves, cut into thin ribbons (chiffonade)
• a garlic clove roughly chopped

Spoon a little vinaigrette over each artichoke. Be sure to fill "the well."  Salt and pepper and serve.

=================
Just got back from our visit.  Cafemama looks beautiful and baby T. is a snuggly little peanut...and he smells sooooo good!