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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
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:
- 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.
- 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.
- 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.
- Preheat the oven to 200*C/400*F/ gas mark 6.
- 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.
- 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.
- Spoon out onto plates to serve.
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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