Cooking Class with Chef Ivan Flowers - Lesson 43 Tuna Noodle Casserole

Last week I taught you how to make a super juicy meatloaf. I do hope you had some leftovers and enjoyed some meatloaf sandwiches the next day.

Writing about meatloaf got me thinking about other comfort food favorites and what kept popping into my mind again and again was tuna noodle casserole. Remember this dish from when you were a kid? More than likely your Mom made it with some sort of canned soup or using one of those box mixes. However it was made, it was delicious, creamy, satisfying and economical. Well, in this class I’m going to teach you how to make a tuna noodle casserole from scratch that will not only bring back all those wonderful childhood memories of this classic dish, but also surpass them!

Let’s get cooking!

This recipe will serve six and for it you will need:

• 9 x 12 baking pan
• sauté pan
• 2 large bowls
• 1 medium bowl
• large saucepan
• colander
• four cans of solid white tuna in water drained and flaked (5 ounce cans)
• 1 ½ pounds egg noodles
• 1 cup frozen peas
• 1 cup diced celery
• 1 tablespoon smoked paprika
• 10 ounces sliced white button mushrooms
• 1 tablespoon + ½ teaspoon chopped fresh thyme
• 1 ½ cups mayonnaise
• ½ cup evaporated milk
• ¼ cup buttermilk
• ½ cup Parmesan
• 1 tablespoon granulated garlic
• 1 tablespoon lemon zest
• 2 tablespoons canola oil
• 2 cups grated part-skim mozzarella cheese
• 2 cups panko bread crumbs
• salt
• pepper
• spray oil

Preheat your oven to 350 degrees. Now, get your egg noodles cooking in a large saucepan with salted water. Remember, you salt the water because this is the one chance you get to flavor those noodles. Cook the noodles two minutes less than package recommends. You want the noodles to be undercooked for two reasons. First, you want them to be able to soak in some of that delicious sauce you are creating for the casserole. Second, you don’t want them to become mushy and soggy as they bake with the other ingredients. Once cooked, drain in a colander and then immediately rinse with cold water. This not only keeps them from turning into one big noodle lump, but it also stops them from cooking any more. Once done, set aside.

Next, heat the canola oil in a sauté pan over medium high heat. Once the oil is hot, add in your mushrooms and cook until caramelized, stirring occasionally. Once cooked, stir in ½ teaspoon chopped thyme and salt and pepper to taste. Don’t add the salt while the mushrooms are cooking, if you do, they will put out water and boil, becoming wet and mushy instead of brown and delicious. Again, we are seasoning every component of the dish so when they are combined you have created fabulous layers of flavor. Once mushrooms are seasoned, set aside.

Now, in a large bowl combine the drained and flaked tuna, celery, frozen peas, cooked mushrooms, and mozzarella. You really want to use the solid white tuna in water for this casserole. It is a higher quality than the chunk variety and has a better flavor. Also, please use part-skim mozzarella, not whole milk. The whole milk variety, while delicious, tends to put out water when cooked and the last thing you want is a watery casserole.

In another large bowl, whisk together the mayonnaise, buttermilk, evaporated milk, smoked paprika, granulated garlic, lemon zest and Parmesan. This will be the sauce for your casserole. Once combined salt and pepper the sauce to taste. Note, you did not use any canned soup in this sauce. Canned soups are generally very high in sodium and have preservatives. This sauce is much lower in sodium, healthier and trust me, it tastes better.

Next, combine the tuna mixture with the sauce mixture. Once that is well-mixed, stir in the cooked egg noodles. Now, spray your casserole dish with oil and pour in the mixture. Make sure it is evenly distributed in the dish.

In a medium bowl, combine the panko bread crumbs with the tablespoon of chopped thyme. Sprinkle this all over the casserole.

Cook in the preheated oven 25-30 minutes, until casserole is bubbling and the breadcrumbs are golden brown.

That’s it, a comforting casserole dish!

Now that you have this technique, play with it. Add carrots and sautéed onions. Use cheddar cheese instead of mozzarella. Leftovers? Great! When I make this I always have leftovers and they call to me at three in the morning. So I cut a square from the cold casserole, press it down so it is about an inch thick and then griddle it. Once it is golden brown and warm, I make a sandwich with it! Delicious!

Have fun and remember, as with any technique or recipe, the most important component is the cook’s heart. The heart is what helps you create delicious meals you'll never forget.

Chef Flowers has over 25 years of fine cuisine experience. The former Executive Chef at Top of The Market, San Diego, also owned Fournos restaurant in Sedona, Arizona, named a top 25 restaurant in Arizona. He was also Executive Chef at L’Auberge de Sedona, the AAA Four-Diamond, Four Star award winning restaurant. Flowers has created extraordinary cuisine for some of the finest restaurants in Arizona, including T. Cooks at Scottsdale's Royal Palms Resort and the Phoenician's Mary Elaine's and Different Pointe of View.

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