Long-time home cooks always have a tin of tuna in the cupboard, just in case —just in case unexpected company drops in or just in case someone bereaving a death in the family needs a casserole to help feed a house filled with visitors.
Those same experienced cooks also have many ways to make use of a tin of water-packed tuna, it having almost half the calories of tuna packed in oil.
This week’s recipes were found in a binder of favourite recipes shared with me by a long-time friend. She’s marked them all with a check mark indicating her success with each recipe.
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Tuna Corn Chowder
- 1 tbsp. hard butter
- 1/3 cup chopped onion
- 1/4 cup chopped celery
- 1 1/2 cups water
- 1 cup peeled, diced potato
- 1 tsp. chicken bouillon powder
- 1/2 tsp. salt
- 1/4 tsp. pepper
- 1-14 oz. can creamed corn
- 1 cup milk
- 1-6 oz. can flaked tuna in water, drained
Melt butter in a large saucepan on medium heat. Add onion and celery and cook for about 10 minutes, stirring often, until onions are softened.
Add water, potato, chicken bouillon powder, salt and pepper. Stir and bring to a boil on medium-high heat. Reduce heat to medium-low. Cover and simmer until potato is tender, about 10 minutes.
Add corn, milk and tuna and heat about 10 minutes, stirring occasionally until heated through. Do not boil. Makes about 5 cups.
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Asian Tuna Casserole
- 1-10 oz. can cream of mushroom soup
- 2/3 cup water
- 2 small cans flaked tuna in water, drained
- 1 cup cooked spaghetti, cut into small pieces
- 1 cup finely chopped celery
- 3/4 cup soda cracker crumbs
- 1/2 cup finely chopped onion
- 1/4 cup finely chopped green pepper
- 1/8 tsp. pepper
- 1/4 cup dry chow mein noodles
Combine soup and water in a medium bowl. Add all other ingredients except for the noodles. Stir to combine and then transfer to a greased 1 1/2 quart casserole dish. Sprinkle the top with the dry noodles.
Bake, uncovered, in a 350 degrees F oven for about 45 minutes until heated through. Serve with a salad. Serves four.
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Tuna Antipasto
- 1 cup finely chopped cauliflower
- 1/2 cup finely chopped pitted black olives
- 1/2 cup chopped pickled onions
- 1/4 cup finely chopped pimiento-stuffed olives
- 1/4 cup cooking oil
- 1-10 oz. can mushroom stems and pieces, drained and chopped
- 1 small green pepper, finely chopped
- 2 1/4 cups ketchup
- 1-12 oz. jar sweet mixed pickles, finely chopped
- 3 tbsps. reserved pickle juice
- 1-6 oz. can flaked tuna in water, drained
- 1-4 oz. can small shrimp, drained
Place cauliflower, olives, onion and cooking oil in a large saucepan. Cook, uncovered, on medium for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.
Add mushrooms, pepper, ketchup, pickles and pickle juice and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer, uncovered for about 10 minutes. Stir often.
Add tuna and shrimp and mix in well. Remove from heat and chill in refrigerator. Makes about 6 cups. Freezes well. Recipe may easily be doubled.
Joyce Walter can be reached at [email protected]
