Holiday retro potluck
Give your games night a blast from the past with these updated childhood favourites — tuna casserole, meat-free veggie balls and sweet and spicy snack mix
Nostalgia and familiar flavours reign supreme during the holidays as home cooks try to recreate flavours from their childhoods, or in my case, the kind of childhoods I saw on television Christmas specials. This party spread is inspired by the casseroles, cocktail meatballs and Chex Mix of the ’60s and ’70s with a bit of my fondness for Chinatown flavours thrown in.
While some dishes are best left in the past, there are ways to improve on retro dishes: adding fresh ingredients rather than the canned stuff for better flavour, playing with texture by incorporating the crunch of vegetables and fresh herbs, and incorporating global flavours to liven up an otherwise one-note dish. All these dishes can be made a day or two ahead of time, giving you time to focus on what really matters this season: beating everyone else at Scrabble.
POTLUCK continued on E8
Seriously Good Tuna Casserole
Star Tested
Tuna casserole is a divisive dish: Some love it for the nostalgia, while others have bland memories of gloopy pasta and dried tuna chunks. Whether or not you grew up eating tuna casseroles, this version is sure to please guests. I replace the customary canned mushroom soup with a bechamel sauce and brown loads of fresh mushrooms for a more intense, earthy flavour. I also add loads of vegetables and cheese to balance out the tuna. For the crunchy topping, I used Flamin’ Hot Cheetos though purists can stick to the classic toppings of Corn Flakes or bread (I like Panko) crumbs. 6 cups (340 g package) dried egg noodles
4 cans solid chunk tuna packed in water, drained 7 tbsp (105 ml) unsalted butter 1 each large carrot, yellow onion, bell pepper, diced 2 celery ribs, diced 4 minced garlic cloves 10 large button mushrooms, thinly sliced Salt and pepper, to taste 6 tbsp (90 ml) all-purpose flour 4 cups (1 l) milk 1-1/2 cups (375 ml) shredded mozzarella 1/2 cup (125 ml) grated Parmesan, pecorino or grana padano For topping, either 1 packet Shake ‘n Bake or 2 cups (500 ml) Corn Flakes or Panko crumbs or crushed Flamin’ Hot Cheetos (topping) Chopped flat-leaf parsley (garnish)
Preheat oven to 425 F (180 C). Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Cook pasta until just before al dente, about 3 to 5 minutes. Drain and spread pasta evenly in a 9 in-by-13 in (23 cm by 33 cm) oven-safe casserole dish. Set aside.
In a large mixing bowl, break tuna into flakes using your hands. Set aside.
In a large skillet over medium-high heat, melt 1 tablespoon butter. Add carrot, onion, pepper, celery, garlic and mushrooms. Season generously with salt and pepper. Sauté until vegetables have cooked down to half their size, mushrooms are browned and juices have cooked off, about 10 minutes. Transfer to mixing bowl with tuna. Mix. Set aside.
To make bechamel sauce. Wipe down skillet. Place over medium heat. Melt remaining 6 tablespoons butter. Add flour stirring constantly to ensure there are no lumps and butter isn’t browning. Continue stirring until small bubbles begin to develop. While still stirring, slowly add milk. Bring to a boil. Continue to stir until sauce thickens to a cream soup consistency. Season generously with salt and pepper. Remove from heat and stir into bowl of tuna and vegetables until evenly coated. Spread mixture evenly over cooked noodles in casserole dish.
If making ahead of time, let cool completely. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate. Remove from fridge and allow dish to come to room temperature (about 30 minutes) before adding topping and baking.
Sprinkle cheese on top in an even layer. Then sprinkle Shake ‘n Bake or preferred topping evenly on top. Bake for 20 minutes, or until top of casserole begins to brown and cheese starts to bubble. Remove from heat. Garnish with chopped parsley and serve immediately.
Makes 8 to 10 servings.