Hotdish (for Sarah)

Though I never heard the term hotdish before 1996 when I saw the movie Manny & Lo, I had certainly had my share of casseroles that would qualify.  I prefer the term hotdish as it sounds much more rustic and plain than casserole which is what we called these things at my(parents’) house.  We didn’t eat a lot of them, but tuna-noodle casserole was a staple, and we also had the occasional turkey tetrazini.  I don’t know if the famous green-bean casserole with fried onions counts, but I never saw one of those until I was an adult!

My mom was a bit of a whiz with the Campbell’s ‘cream of’ soups, including her famous (at least to us) turkey curry which was a post-Thanksgiving treat that I have never quite mastered.  When I was living in my first apartment with my roommates Debbie and Julie, I would make tuna noodle casserole, making a real béchamel flavored with sherry, and fresh mushrooms.  It was a great treat on a cold winter night. 

When I was in college we used to go to a place called Shopsin’s on Bedford St. in Greenwich Village.  They were famous for their extensive menu offering over 900 items, but my favorite dish there was one I re-created at my diner, and again when I was working in food service.  It was a chicken and rice casserole hotdish and with a rich and creamy-garlicky sauce.  It is both simple and decadent, and it was so long ago that I am no longer sure how my version compares to Kenny Shopsin’s, all I know is that his was the inspiration for mine.  Whenever I served it I got raves, though I can’t recall the last time I made it.  Shopsin’s can now be found at the Market at 110 Essex Street on Manhattan’s lower east side.

Working in food service is essentially living in the  hotdish universe.  Most items need to stand up to the unforgiving heat of the steam table, and sit for some time, and still look appetizing.  Hotdishes and casseroles are perfect candidates and I had a repertoire than included the aforementioned dishes, as well as Shepherd’s Pie, Chicken and Biscuits, Tamale Pie, Moussaka, several varieties of lasagna, and pot pies.  People may say they want a salad, but show up with a bubbling chicken pot pie under a golden-brown puff pastry lid, and see what happens!

Winter is the time for these cozy comfort dishes, and you can skip the canned soup and bring them to a new level of culinary greatness.  I am a fan of using frozen veggies in these dishes.  If you want to chop up carrots potatoes and onions, I wouldn’t dream of stopping you, but a bag of frozen mixed vegetables, or even just frozen peas can add some nice color to your wintry mix.  I promise to post the creamy chicken-rice dish soon, but I need to do some recipe testing before it’s ready.  In the meantime, I hope this will do:

Tuna Noodle Hotdish

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Serves	6
Prep time	1 hour
Cook time	25 minutes
Total time	1 hour, 25 minutes
Meal type	Main Dish

Ingredients

• 14oz 2 Cans of Solid White Tuna (Drained)
• 1 Large Carrot 1/4 dice (about 12 oz)
• 1/2 Large Onion fine dice (about 12 oz)
• 1 cup Frozen Peas
• 4 tablespoons Butter
• 4 tablespoons Flour
• 2 tablespoons Sherry
• 2 1/2 cups Heavy Cream
• 12oz Egg Noodles (Whatever cut you like)
• 2 cups Fresh Bread Crumbs (Made from 2 slices of bread)
• 1/2 cup Grated Cheddar Cheese
• 1/2 cup Grated Parmesan Cheese

Directions

Step 1

Pre-heat oven to 350F Bring large pot of salted water to boil Butter a 9x12" Pyrex dish or Casserole

Step 2

Melt butter in large saute pan over medium heat Add onions and saute for 2-3 minutes until translucent then add mushrooms Continue cooking for another 3 minutes

Step 3

Add flour to pan and stir until well coated, cook another 3 minutes Add sherry and stir well Add cream and continue stirring until sauce thickens Remove from heat

Step 4

Put Tuna into colander to drain, and crumble by hand or with a fork, leave in colander Put dice carrots and noodles into boiling water and cook for 4 minutes then drain over tuna Add to sauce Stir in peas and onions and mix well

Step 5

Once all ingredients are cooked, add all of it to the baking dish

Step 6

Mix bread crumbs and cheeses, and sprinkle evenly on top of casserole Bake for 25 minutes, until filling is bubbling and top is golden brown Let sit for ten minutes before serving