Tuna Mornay

Tuna Mornay is how you elevate canned tuna above a glum pantry staple or worse still, a desperate meal eaten straight from the can! It’s a tuna casserole pasta bake with a creamy sauce, sweet pops of corn and crunchy topping, baked until golden and bubbly. Simple to make, economical and oh-so-delish!

Ingredients

Marinade

• 350g / 12oz penne pasta (or other short pasta)

• 40g / 3 tbsp butter

• 3 garlic cloves, finely minced

• 4 tbsp (50g) flour, plain/all purpose

• 4 cups (1 litre) milk, any fat %, dairy or non dairy (1 quart)

• 2 tsp Vegeta, or chicken or veg stock powder/granulated bouillon (note 1)

• 1/2 cup (50g) parmesan, finely shredded

• 1/2 tsp each mustard powder, onion and garlic powder (note 2)

• 425g / 15 oz canned tuna, preferably in oil, drained (sub salmon)

• 400g / 14 oz canned corn, drained (or other veg, note 3)

Crunchy Topping

• 1.5 tbsp (25g) butter, melted

• 1/2 cup (60g) panko breadcrumbs

• 1/4 cup (25g) parmesan, finely grated

• 1/4 tsp salt

• Chives or parsley, optional garnish

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 180°C (160°C fan-forced)

2. Crunchy Topping Mix together.

3. Cook pasta per packet directions MINUS 1 minute. Drain then allow to cool slightly, then return into pot.

4. White Sauce Melt butter in a large pot over medium heat. Add garlic and cook for 30 seconds.

5. Add flour and stir into melted butter. While whisking, gradually pour in about 1/3 of the milk. Once the flour-butter mixture is incorporated into the milk, pour in remaining milk and whisk.

6. Add Vegeta, mustard, onion and garlic powder, whisk.

7. When the milk starts to heat up, whisk constantly to make sure the white sauce doesn’t catch on the base.

8. After 4 – 5 minutes, the sauce should be thick enough that you can draw a path across the back of a spoon (see video). Remove from stove and stir in parmesan.

9. Assemble & Bake Add tuna into pasta and flake into large chunks with fork (not too much, don't want it to turn to mush when stirred). Add corn, pour over sauce, then gently stir.

10. Scrape into baking dish, top with Crunchy Topping.

11. Bake 25 minutes until top is golden and edges are bubbling. Sprinkle with chives if desired then serve!

Recipe Notes

1.  Vegeta is a brand of vegetable stock powder / seasoning / granulated bouillon. It’s salt with flavour. Sold in the herb & spice aisle of everyday grocery stores. See in this post for other recipes using Vegeta and other ways to use it, as well as about scientifically proven MSG misconceptions!!

2. Substitute with any brand chicken or vegetable stock powder (aka granulated bouillon) OR 2 cubes, crumbled.

3. 2. Spices – even if you have just one of these, it will be great! Or sub garlic with more onion, or vice versa. Switch mustard powder with a teaspoon of fresh.

4. 3. Vegetables – can sub with frozen peas. If using other vegetables like carrot, broccoli etc that need to be cooked, steam or boil them separately before adding otherwise they probably won’t cook during the bake time. 

5. Could also stir in spinach leaves or shredded kale. Or sub some of the pasta with more veg!

6. 4. Leftovers – Store in the fridge for up to 4 days, reheat in microwave.

7. Make ahead / freezing: Make sauce then place lid on and it cool until lukewarm. Add 1/4 cup extra water or milk, mix with pasta, tuna and corn, pour into baking dish, sprinkle with topping. Refrigerate up to 4 days or freeze then thaw and bake per recipe.

What to serve with Butter Chicken

• To make a proper Indian feast, sides and starters are essentials!
  Because every curry needs papadums for dunking and naan to scoop up the sauce with, right?

• No-fry quick papadums – just microwave them!
  Place the papadums around the edge of the microwave turntable and cook on high for 45 seconds to 1 minute or until they are puffed up.
  They’ll be soft while warm but as soon as they cool down, they crisp up.
  They don’t expand as much as when deep fried, but neither will your thighs. 😂

• Samosas! The ultimate Indian appetiser. Leftovers make great snacks or even lunch!

• Proper naan – A recipe in the works for 5 years, I’m thrilled to finally share my proper naan recipe that can be easily made at home (no tandoor needed!)

• Shortcut “naan” – For a simpler, no-yeast flatbread that’s just as good, my Easy No Yeast Flatbread looks and tastes very similar to real naan (except it’s much faster and easier!). T
  ry telling me this doesn’t look like it belongs in this feast!

Sides for Butter Chicken

Here are some Vegetable Side Options you can add on the side of Butter Chicken:

• Indian Tomato Salad – with a refreshing minted yogurt dressing;

• Cucumber salad with lemon yogurt dressing
  another great refreshing salad that goes perfectly with curries;

• Just some sliced cucumber and wedges of tomato – not dressed.
  Nice cool, refreshing side

• South Indian Thoran-style Cabbage and Carrot Salad with Coconut
  is fresh, crunchy and shot through with gentle spices and coconut!

• For a simpler cabbage salad, try my Everyday Cabbage Salad

Comments

• July 2024
  Delicious!