Luxurious Tuna Casserole
Who says a tuna casserole can’t be glamorous? (Or gorgeous, for that matter.) It’s simply a matter of choosing your cheeses wisely — scrumptious cheese makes for a scrumptious casserole. For this concoction, I was fortunate to have a complementary selection of cheeses on hand: herbed Brie, English Stilton, and Dutch Parrano (which is a bit like Parmesan). A forlorn bunch of leftover broccoli was also sitting on the refrigerator shelf just begging to be eaten, so that got tossed in, too.
Since most vegetables pair well with tuna and cheese, it’s always nice to include one or two. Peppers, for example, would be a tasty addition, as would tomatoes, mushrooms, zucchini, carrots…you get the idea. The more veggies, the merrier the flavor and visual appeal (and nutrient density).
Luxurious Tuna Casserole (gluten-free or with wheat)
Serves 4. If you’d like to double the recipe, use a 9×13 pan.
Heat oven to 350 degrees F.
4 servings whole-grain noodles in a chunky shape, such as twists or tubes, prepared according to package directions (use brown rice noodles for a gluten-free dish)
1 head broccoli, cut into little trees (cut the tops free from the “trunk” and then cut any large clusters in half)
2 T. butter, preferably from grass-fed cows
2 T. brown rice flour or whole-wheat flour (the former is gluten-free)
About 3/4 cup of whole milk, preferably from grass-fed cows
About 1 cup of combined cheeses, grated or cubed (Brie, Stilton, and Parmesan are excellent candidates for a three-cheese combination)
1 6-oz. can of tuna
While the pasta is cooking, bring a medium-sized pot of water to boil. Add broccoli and simmer for 5 minutes, if necessary turning down the heat a little to keep the water from bubbling and bursting out of the pot. Drain broccoli and set aside. Drain noodles and set aside, too, being sure to rinse them thoroughly in warm water to prevent them from sticking later on.
To make the roux, melt the butter over medium-low heat, stir in the flour, and let cook for about a minute, stirring constantly with a whisk. Gradually add milk a tablespoon at a time, stirring after each addition to smooth out any lumps. When all of the milk has been added, you should have a smooth, thick sauce. (If it’s too thick, add another tablespoon of milk.) Gradually whisk in cheeses, again stirring constantly.
The second the last shred of cheese has melted into the sauce, remove from heat and stir in broccoli and tuna. Stir drained noodles into sauce and then pour/scoop the entire thing into an 8×8 glass pan.
Bake for about 20 minutes or until casserole is gently bubbling around the edges. If you’d like a nicely-browned top, broil the casserole for 3-5 minutes. Serve piping hot.
Enjoy!
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Tags: brie, broccoli, casserole, gluten-free, Parrano, roux, Stilton, tuna
