Fancy-Pants Tuna Noodle Casserole
By: Nicole Sylvester
Published: Wednesday, February 3, 2010 - 7:44pm

Ingredients




1 large sweet yellow onion, finely chopped
5 teaspoons salted butter
1 pound crimini mushrooms, trimmed and diced
2 teaspoons low-sodium soy sauce
1/4 cup dry sherry
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
2 cups chicken broth
1 cup whole milk
Fresh lemon juice from 1/2 lemon

3 ounces tuna steaks, preferably yellowtail/ahi, fully cooked and cut into rough dice
1 package curly egg noodles (not yolk-free)
3 cups Coarse bread crumbs torn from loaf of rosemary diamante or rustic 1 cup coarsely shredded Beecher’s extra-sharp cheddar cheese
1 teaspoon extra-virgin olive oil
Salt to taste

Preparation

1 Preheat oven to 375°F. Butter a 9x13” pan or similar-sized casserole dish. 2 Saute onion in 2T butter in a 12-inch heavy skillet over medium-low heat, covered, stirring occasionally, 3-4 minutes. 3 Increase heat to medium-high and add mushrooms. 4 Sauté, stirring occasionally, until mushrooms release their liquid, 3 minutes or so. 5 Add soy and sherry and bring to a boil, stirring occasionally, until all liquid has evaporated. 6 Remove from heat. 7 Melt remaining butter in a 2- to 3-quart heavy saucepan over moderately low heat; whisk in flour, then cook roux, stirring continuously for 3 minutes. 8 Add broth in a stream, whisking, and bring to a low boil. 9 Whisk in milk and simmer mixture 4-5 minutes – do not let return to a boil. 10 Stir in mushroom mixture, lemon juice, and salt. 11 Fold tuna into sauce and stir gently. 12 Season sauce with salt and pepper. 13 Cook noodles in a 4-6 qt pot of salted water until al dente, approximately 5 min. Drain noodles in a colander and return to pot. Add sauce and stir gently to combine. 14 Transfer mixture to baking dish, spreading evenly. 15 Toss together bread crumbs and cheese in a bowl. 16 Drizzle with oil and toss again, then sprinkle evenly over casserole. 17 Bake until topping is crisp and sauce is bubbling, 20 to 30 minutes. 18 Serve hot.

About


Adapted from a family recipe, this dish is a great way to incorporate leftover cooked tuna steaks. The homemade mushroom sauce, rather than the MSG-laden mushroom soup used in many recipes, really makes a difference, as does the Beecher's cheddar.