Cheesy Tuna Skillet Pasta

 

I really love skillet meals like this Cheesy Tuna Pasta.  Meals/entrees that can be cooked all in one pan on top of the stove.  In the summer they are especially welcome as they don't heat up the kitchen like oven bakes do.

 

This Cheesy Tuna Pasta is just like your favourite Tuna Casserole, except it is cooked in a skillet.  Amazingly there is no need to cook the pasta first.  It cooks right in the pan with everything else, which also helps to cut down on the washing up!

 

So what do you need to cook a fantastic meal like this?  Nothing unsual.  Its simple, economical, quick and easy to make.

• small pasta shapes (I used smaller size macaroni)
• Albacore white tuna (I only ever buy albacore)
• whole milk (homogenised, don't use a lower fat milk, the richeness of the sauce comes from the use of whole milk)
• water
• butter
• dry mustard powder
• sweet paprika (the opposite of hot paprika)
• greated strong cheddar cheese (don't be tempted to use pre-grated cheese please, it simply doesn't work well in this recipe.)
• frozen petit pois (sure you can use full size peas, but I prefer petit pois)
• salt, pepper, hot sauce and chopped parsley to garnish

 

As you can see, nothing too out of the ordinary here.  The most expensive bits will be your cheese and your tuna. I buy my Albacore tuna in glass jars from Ocado.  I end up with really great tuna, and an empty glass jar that I can use when I make jam in the summer time.

 

Do you save your glass jars?  I always have done, and plastic bags, etc. When I lived in Canada we used to buy our milk in plastic bags, in the 4 litre pack we would get three bags.  After the milk was gone I would wash and dry them and store them for future use.  They made great freezer bags!  Nice and heavy duty!

 

This is a fabulously tasty skillet meal.  It goes together really quickly and is done in about 15 minutes time maximum.  While it is cooking you can be putting together a nice salad to serve on the side.

 

You do need to keep an eye on it while it is cooking. First when you bring everything to the boil. Milk has the magic quality of being able to just about double in size when it comes to the boil, so keep watch.

 

You also want to keep a watch on it and stir it often while it is simmering away so that all of the pasta cooks equally and none sticks to the bottom of the pan.

 

Don't attempt to cut fat in this recipe by using skimmed milk.  You want at least 1% or higher.  I use whole milk. It gives a lovely rich sauce. I have never used any other kinds of milk in this dish other than cow's milk so I cannot speak as to how well they would work. (Soy, oat, almond, etc.) I can't think that they would be very nice actually. 

 

You can use fresh garden peas if you have them.  I use frozen petit pois (baby peas).  I am thinking that frozen chopped broccoli would also work in the same quantity as the peas, as would a mix of frozen peas and corn.

 

Always grate your own cheese when you are using it for cooking like this.  They add things to pre-grated blends to help them flow smoother when pouring out of the bag and they can often give you a poor finish. It doesn't really take too long to grate your own, and it is so much nicer tasting and texture wise! Also use a nice and flavourful cheese. I use strong cheddar. You can also add a TBS or two of grated Parmesan if you wish.  This adds an extra special touch!

 

I only ever use Albacore Tuna.  An old Italian woman told me to never use anything else once. I was in the grocery store and buying tuna. She was right. There is really no comparison and, to me anyways, it has always been worth it to pay a bit more and get albacore.  Its just nicer and tastes far superior.

  

Make sure you use a pasta in this recipe which says it can be cooked in 6 to 8  minutes as per the instructions on the box.  I used small elbows which worked perfectly.  All in all I think this is one winner of a weeknight supper! My children have always loved it. As a busy mom raising five children this is a recipe which always came in handy!

Cheesy Tuna Skillet Pasta

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Yield: 4

Author: Marie Rayner

A simple all in one supper entree that comes together in one pan lickety split!

Ingredients:

• 230g small size pasta shapes (2 cups, I use small macaroni)
• 280g Albacore white tuna (10 ounces), well drained
• 480ml whole milk (2 cups)
• 240ml water
• 4 TBS butter
• 1/2 tsp dry mustard powder
• 1/2 tsp sweet paprika
• 245g grated strong cheddar cheese (2 cups)
• 75g frozen peas (1/2 cup)
• fine sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
• Tabasco sauce to taste
• fresh parsley to garnish

Instructions:

1. I use my largest non-stick skillet for this recipe.  Add the macaroni, the tuna (broken up), the milk, water, butter, dry mustard powder and paprika to the skillet. Place over high heat and bring to the boil, stirring constantly. (Stay on it as milk really doubles in volume as it boils and you don't want it to boil over.)  Turn down to a bare minimum heat and cover tightly. 
2. Simmer until the pasta is cooked al dente, about 10 minutes or so, and almost all of the liquid has been absorbed.  Stir frequently to prevent the bottom from catching. Stir in the frozen peas and cheese.  Allow the cheese to melt.  Season with the tabasco sauce and salt and pepper to taste.  Sprinkle with the parsley and serve immediately.

notes:

Do NOT use pre-grated cheese. It doesn't work well in this recipe.  Please grate your own.  Any small pasta shape will work. The cook time depends on your pasta. If its not cooked and most of the liquid has already been absorbed, add a  bit more boiling water if need be.

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What are your favourite things to do with Tuna?  We love it in sandwiches, salads, pasta dishes, baked loaves and patties!   

 

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Tuna Pot Pie

 

When I was growing up there used to be an advertisement on the telly for a brand of Tuna, called Chicken of the Sea.  It was nice tuna, white and mild flavoured. Actually in a casserole you might have had to think if it was really was chicken and not tuna!

 

Today I decided to make us a Tuna Pot Pie for our dinner.  And why not.  I always buy this beautiful Albacore Tuna  from Ocado.  It is Waitrose brand and you can get it in Spring water or olive oil.  I usually buy the one in spring water.  It is perfect for things like sandwiches, casseroles, etc.

 

In the warmer months we even enjoy it cold in salads or on salad plates.  I confess I am not a fan or ordinary tuna, and I never buy it unless it is for the dog.

 

I only buy Albacore white tuna, sustainably sourced.  An old Italian woman told me many years ago that anything else was garbage fish.  She stopped me right in the grocery store as I was putting tuna into my grocery cart and told me I was buying the wrong thing.  Only buy tuna labeled albacore.

  

She also told me that snub-nosed carrots were sweeter than carrots with pointed ends.  And you know what. She was right on both counts.

 

So today I made a tuna pot pie using a jar of my favourite albacore tuna, crispy tender cooked carrots and baby frozen peas.  (To be honest I was disappointed with the peas. I usually buy Bird's eye Petit Pois and this time I had had to get Iceland petit pois and they were nasty. Woody and nasty. Never again.) Stick to what you know to be good.

 

I cooked the carrots and put them into a pie dish along with the peas and I broke the tuna into chunks over top.  Then I made a lush cream sauce to pour over it all.

 

It was just a basic cream sauce that I flavoured with some lemon, dillweed and hot sauce because well . . . its fish!  I felt those flavour additions would enhance the flavour of the tuna.  They did.

 

I made a half recipe of my usual butter/lard pastry and I created a top crust for the pie.  I did not bother with a bottom crust, although you certainly could if you wanted to. I didn't think it was necessary.

 

I baked it in a hot oven until the pastry was crisp and golden brown and that juicy filling was bubbling up.  Except for the disappointing peas this was really delicious!

 

The sauce was well flavoured, the tuna was beautiful, the crust was perfectly flaky  . . .

   

We enjoyed it along with some boiled potatoes, simply tossed with butter, seasoning and parsley and some Cheese Coleslaw on the side.  we were both very happy with this meal and look forward to enjoying the leftovers tomorrow.

Tuna Pot Pie

Yield: 4 - 6

Author: Marie Rayner

A deliciously different pot pie that your family is sure to love.

Ingredients:

For the pastry:

• 140g all purpose flour (1 cup)
•   1/2 teaspoon salt
• 2 1/2 TBS butter
• 2 1/2 TBS lard
•   3 to 4 tablespoons of ice water

For the sauce:

• 2 TBS  butter
• 2 TBS plain flour
• 240ml  whole milk (2 cups)
• 1 small onion, peeled and chopped
• salt and pepper to taste
• a splash of hot sauce
• a squeeze of fresh lemon juice
• 1/2 tsp dill weed

You will also need:

• 240g jar of albacore tuna in spring water drained (8 ounces)
• 1 cup each cubed carrot and frozen peas, cooked

Instructions:

1. To make the pastry, mix flour with salt, and cut in butter and lard, until you have pieces of fat in the flour about the size of peas. Add ice water, one TBS at a time, tossing it in with a fork until pastry comes together. Form in to a ball, flatten, wrap in cling film and chill. 
2. Melt the butter in a saucepan for the sauce. Add the onion and cook over medium heat, without colouring, until the onion is softened.  Whisk in the flour. Cook for a minute, then slowly whisk in the milk. Cook, stirring constantly until the mixture bubbles and thickens.  Cook for a minute further, then whisk in the lemon juice, hot sauce, dillweed and seasoning to taste.
3. Put the cooked carrots and peas in a deep 8 inch pie dish.  Break up the tuna and scatter it over top.  Pour the cream sauce over all.  Place the pie dish onto a baking tray.
4. Preheat the oven to 200*C/400*F/ gas mark 6.
5. Roll the disc of pastry out on a lightly floured surface to a 9 inch circle.  Place on top of the filling of the  pie, crimping the edges all around.  Using a sharp knife, cut some slits in the top for venting.
6. Slide the baking tray into the oven and bake for 45 to 50  minutes until the pastry is crisp and golden brown and the filling is bubbling.  Remove from the oven and let stand for about 10 minutes.
7. Spoon out onto plates to serve.

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What is your favourite thing to do with tuna?   I have never had it in a burrito or anything Tex Mex and . . .  I confess I shudder at the thought of tuna on a pizza or  . . .  the dreaded Tuna and Sweetcorn sandwiches they offer in the shops.  I am a funny person when it comes to fish.  I likes what I likes and that's that. 

 

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Asian Glazed Salmon

 

Fish for Friday today with a delicious Asian Glazed Salmon!  You can't go wrong with a delicious boneless and skinless Salmon fillet.  I have never been fond of skin on my fish.  To me it is a bit of a turn off, so that is why I really love these boneless and skinless salmon fillets I get from Seafresh. 

 

Their fish is so amazing.  I have never had any fish from them that I didn't like.  Its frozen fresh at the source and so it is some of  the freshest fish that you can find.  Their salmon fillets are absolutely gorgeous. Boneless and skinless and individually frozen so that you can take out as many or as few as you want to cook at any given time.

  

At the moment when those of us who are self isolating are unable to get the shops and home delivery slots are really difficult to get, shopping at online shops like Seafresh is the way to go!  They make it so easy to shop.  Just log on to their easy to use shop, choose what you want, pop it into your cart and then pay.  There is same day dispatch on all orders place before 1 PM, and free delivery on order over £50.  I have been getting fish from them for a while now and I really can't fault them.  Everything has been impeccable, from the ordering, to the packaging, delivery, quality, etc.  And their customer service is examplary.

 

I love their Salmon fillets.  Being centre cut they are cut from the centre of the fish and not the tail.  This means that they are of a beautiful thickness and are not really "fishy" tasting if that makes sense.  Cuts of salmon closer to the tail have a much stronger flavour, which I am not overly fond of!

 

They are also sustainably sourced from the cold and clear waters of Scotland and the Faroe Islands.  Their salmon is some of the best I have ever eaten, and I confess, I have eaten a lot of Salmon in my lifetime!

 

One thing I love about Salmon is that with its slightly stronger flavour it lends itself beautifully to glazes and rubs and one of our favourite glazes is this beautiful Asian one. 

 

Its sticky and sweet from the use of brown sugar, which mixes very well with salty dark soy sauce.  A bit of lime juice adds some tartness to counteract the sweet.

 

Even more Asian flavours are injected into the glaze with the use of some Hoisin sauce and ground ginger.  I always have Hoisin sauce in my refrigerator.  For those of you not familiar with it, Hoisin sauce is a lovely thick and fragrant asian sauce which is a beautiful combination of salty and sweet.

 

This sauce also packs some heat with the use of crushed red chilli flakes and some ground black pepper. You can control how much heat you want or don't want.  I tend to go for less than the recipe calls for myself, although Todd is certainly not adversed to eating food that bites back.

 

The whole recipe itself is a very easy one.  Fish, I find, is very easy and quick to cook. 

 

For this you simply make the sauce, which is just a matter of combining the ingredients and bringing them to a boil.  (I like to do it in a measuring cup  in the  microwave.) Once made, the hot sauce is poured over the fish fillets in a baking dish.

 

The baking dish gets popped into a moderate oven and 12 to 15 minutes later you are rewarded with perfectly cooked and glazed delicious pieces of salmon!!

 

While it is baking you can cook some rice and a vegetable to enjoy along side, or even a salad if you are couting your carbs.  An asian coleslaw would be lovely!

  

Today I served it simply with some steamed long grain rise and honey lime carrots.  Just peel, slice and cook some carrots until crispy tender, drain well and then return to the saucepan along with a small knob of butter, some honey, some lime zest and a bit of lime juice, stiring and tossing them together until they are heated through and sweetly glazed.  Terribly yum! 

Yield: 4

Author: Marie Rayner

Asian Glazed Salmon

Perfectly cooked boneless, skinless salmon fillets with a sweet and spicy Asian glaze.  This simply delicious.

Ingredients:

• 4 (4 to 6 ounce) salmon fillets, boneless, skinless, thawed if frozen
• 100g soft light brown sugar (1/2 cup)
• 120ml asian soy sauce (1/2 cup)
• 2 TBS hoisin sauce
• 2 TBS ground ginger-root
• 2 tsp red pepper flakes (or to taste)
• 1 tsp ground black pepper
• 1 TBS fresh lime juice

Instructions:

How to cook Asian Glazed Salmon

1. Preheat the oven to 180*C/350*F. fas mark 4.  You will need a glass baking dish large enough to hold the fish fillets in a single layer with some room around each. Spray the dish with non-stick cooking spray.  Place the salmon into the dish in a single layer.
2. Place all of the remaining ingredients into a glass microwavable safe measure.  Whisk together to combine and then heat in the microwave on high until the  mixture comes to the boil, about 1 1/2 minutes.  Alternately measure the ingredients into a saucepan and cook over moderate heat until the mixture comes to the boil.
3. Pour the hot glaze over the salmon fillets in the baking dish.
4. Bake in the preheated oven for 10 to 12 minutes, or until the  fish flakes easily and is just cooked through.
5. Serve the fish fillets immediately, with some of the glaze spooned over top.

Did you make this recipe?

Tag @marierayner5530 on instagram and hashtag it #EnglishKitchen

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This recipe also lends itself perfectly to cutting in half to serve only two people. This is so tasty that I would serve it to company without blinking an eye.  The ease of preparation, and quick cook time, make it perfect for that, not to mention the beautiful combination of flavours. 

 

As with any fish dish, quality speaks for itself.  When you are starting with really good fish, you really don't or shouldnt' have to do very much to it to get the best from it.  The Salmon fillets from Seafresh are beautiful. I think they are the best I have ever eaten and that says a lot!  If you are looking for quality fish at a great price with a fabulous delivery service I can't recommend Seafresh highly enough!  Their product, delivery service, packaging and customer service are exemplary in my opinion and so is this recipe!! 

A few things about Seafresh:

• Same Day dispatch on orders received before 1 PM.
• All packages are carefully hand packed.
• Free delivery on orders above £50, £8 on orders below that amount. 
• Responsibly and sustainably sourced.
• Air Blast Frozen at source within 4 hours of being caught.
• Wide variety to choose from. 

Do check them out on their website to find out more.
Follow them on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.

Note - Although I was gifted with product free of charge for the purposes of review, I was not required to write a positive review in exchange, nor would my integrity allow me to recommend anything if I did not truly like it. Any and all my opinions are my own entirely.

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