Tuna and I Make Amends

I've had a love-hate relationship with tuna. As a kid, I loved tuna - pure, unadulterated tuna. I remember being in a restaurant with my family on a road trip. I was probably 6 or 7, and looking at my options on the children's menu. Among the bland, kid-friendly options, I saw a tuna sandwich. But, I knew it would be tainted with dreaded mayonnaise. So, when the waitress came, I ordered "a tuna sandwich, without the mayo and bread, please". Now, I should point out that I was a very shy child, and to this day, am considered the "strong, silent type" by some of my more boisterous friends. So, the fact that I ordered for myself, and made a special request, no less, was kind of a big deal. I'm sure my sister appreciated the fact that she didn't have to order for me. But, the waitress didn't have these details about my personality. If she did, she probably wouldn't have looked at me like I was a weird kid, and said, "So, hon, what you're askin' for is just a can of tuna?" She took one look at my now bright red face, and then turned to my mom for confirmation. I got my small bowl of flaky tuna, and enjoyed every bite as the heat in my flaming red cheeks subsided. And yes, I made my sister order my next meal for me.

Somewhere along the way, I began to hate tuna. The smell and the taste both fell somewhere between very fishy and very metallic. I could barely stand to be in the same room as a can of opened tuna. And don't get me started on the mushy and unappetizing texture. There seems to have been a gradual and steady decline of the quality of tuna in my lifetime. Sure, we are all concerned about the rising mercury levels, and the serious problem of overfishing in certain areas of the world. There are plenty of morally sound reasons for avoiding tuna. Who needs the guilt? But, no one talks about the aesthetic problems. Tuna is no longer a thing of simple beauty. Most commercially available tuna looks, smells, and (though I can't necessarily attest to this one), probably tastes like cat food.

I had pretty much given up on tuna when I ran across a woman selling cans of tuna at the Saturday Market in the quaint seaside town of Astoria, OR. Her husband runs a local fishing vessel, the F/V Sonja. They have a small, family run business packing and selling their tuna, which, by the way, has been tested and found to have low levels of mercury. I had to give tuna another chance. Guess what? It is the BEST TUNA I HAVE EVER HAD! It is firm, and meaty, and flaky, and it tastes like the sea, not like a fishy metal can. It is, as the British would say, gorgeous. I raved about it to family and friends when I got back into town with my treasured cans of tuna. I've since ordered a case. If you live in the Pacific Northwest area, you should give it a try. It's not cheap, but it is well worth the price for such high quality tuna. Need more convincing? You are supporting a local business with good fishing practices, buying a product that doesn't have to be shipped 2,000 miles before reaching your doorstep, and due to the low mercury levels, you can enjoy it more often without feeling guilty. If you still aren't convinced, invite yourself over to my house on Tuna Casserole night, and you might change your mind.

This recipe for Tuna Casserole was originally published in Bon Appetit. It's a bit more work than the usual version made with canned cream of mushroom, but you can taste the difference. I've modified the recipe to my liking, with the addition of cheese and peas. I also use a lot of pepper.

Tuna Casserole

• 9 T butter
• 1/4 cup flour
• 3 cups whole milk (no low fat or non-fat)
• 1 cup sliced, stemmed fresh shitake mushrooms (opt)
• 1 cup sliced, trimmed button mushrooms (up to 2 cups if not using shitake mushrooms)
• 1/2 cup chopped green onions
• 1/2 cup chopped celery
• 1 cup frozen peas, thawed
• 1 T chopped fresh rosemary, or 1 tsp dried
• 1 T chopped fresh thyme, or 1 tsp dried
• 1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese
• 1/2 cup grated gouda or smoked gouda, (or white cheddar cheese, or whatever favorite cheese you have on hand)
• 8 oz egg noodles
• 2 7-oz cans tuna, packed in water, and drained well
• Salt and pepper, to taste
• 3 cups fresh white breadcrumbs (I usually make small bread crumbs in my food processor. The ones pictured were an experiment with large crumbs. I prefer the smaller size).

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Butter a 9x13 in glass or ceramic dish. Cook noodles, drain and rinse in cold water. Drain well, and set aside.


2. Melt 4 T butter in medium saucepan over medium heat. Add flour and stir 2 minutes. Gradually whisk in milk. Stir over medium heat until sauce thickens a little, about 5 minutes. Remove from heat.
   
3. Melt 1 T butter in medium skillet over med-high heat. Add mushrooms, green onions and celery. Saute until mushrooms are tender, about 5 minutes. Stir in rosemary and thyme. Add thawed peas. Stir mushroom mixture into milk sauce. Add grated cheeses to sauce and stir until well combined.
   
4. Return noodles to pot they were cooked in. Add tuna, breaking into flakes, and toss to distribute. Add cheese mixture and stir to evenly coat noodle mixture. Season with salt and (lots of!) pepper. Transfer mixture to prepared baking dish.


5. Melt remaining 4 T butter in medium skillet over medium heat. Add breadcrumbs and stir continuously while browning, approximately 10 minutes. Sprinkle over casserole.
   
6. Bake casserole for about 30 minutes, until bubbly around the edges and nicely browned on top. Let sit for about 5 to 10 minutes before serving.

If you are like me, you might have a hard time resisting seconds, and thirds, of this comforting meal. I think next time I'm going to divide and cook the casserole in individual serving sized dishes.

Enjoy!
Heather