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Post by Deleted on May 18, 2009 14:22:10 GMT
Can't get much more American than tuna casserole! Ingredients:- 3/4 cup elbow macaroni
- 1 cup sour cream
- 1/4 teaspoon ground oregano
- 2 cans (approximately 7 ounces each) tuna, drained and flaked
- 1/4 cup sliced black olives
- 1/4 cup chopped green bell pepper
- 1/2 cup unsalted cashews
- 1 1/2 teaspoons seasoned salt
- 1/4 teaspoon pepper
- 1 cup shredded sharp cheddar cheese
Preparation:Cook macaroni according to package instructions; drain and rinse. In a large bowl, combine macaroni, sour cream, ground oregano, tuna, sliced olives, bell pepper, cashews, seasoned salt and pepper; mix well. Transfer to a shallow 1 1/2-quart to 2-quart baking dish. Sprinkle with shredded cheese. Bake at 180°C / 350°F for 25 minutes. |
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Post by bixaorellana on May 18, 2009 15:34:54 GMT
That sounds like a particularly nice version of the homey dish. I'd be tempted to saute the bell pepper first, perhaps with a little garlic and hot pepper as well, before mixing and baking.
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Post by lagatta on May 18, 2009 23:15:18 GMT
Mmm cashews. Sounds delicious, and doesn't contain any of the strange things one finds is too many internet tuna casserole recipes. Have you served it to any friends in France?
It would be too far from the original American recipe, but I've been wondering whether a tuna-spinach casserole wouldn't be nice. Think Mediterranean baked dishes, not dreary health food.
kerouac, there are no onions (or garlic) in the recipe. I've never in my life made a fishy carrerole without those. Could be very mild onion, such as Vidalias or Spanish onions, for people who don't like strong alium flavours.
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Post by bixaorellana on May 18, 2009 23:31:58 GMT
Oooo ~~ I like the idea of the spinach. Maybe with that, use spiral macaroni instead of elbows, add a touch of feta, then toasted almonds or pistachios instead of cashews?
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Post by tillystar on May 20, 2009 8:14:03 GMT
I might make this tonight, I have all I need except sour cream. I am not going far so if I can't get it in the local corner shop what can I use - cream/creme fraiche?
If they have spinach I will try that as its my favorite veg.
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Post by Deleted on May 20, 2009 8:38:13 GMT
Sour cream and crème fraîche are the same thing, even though the name makes them sound contradictory. I didn't even know they were the same for ages.
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Post by tillystar on May 20, 2009 8:41:24 GMT
Ha! I have spent a few occasions worrying about possible substitution!
Well thank you for that new and useful piece of info.
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Post by Deleted on May 20, 2009 8:44:58 GMT
Actually, I just Googled and saw that there is theoretically a slight difference.
Crème fraiche is a delicious, thinner form of sour cream first developed by the French. It has a slight hold and tanginess because it contains bacterial cultures. But the amounts of cultures are minimal as compared to those in sour cream. Crème fraiche can be used as a topping, in sauces, or in a variety of other applications, and many prefer it to the standard and more commonly available sour cream because of its creamy texture.
One of the advantages of crème fraiche is that it doesn’t “break” or become unstable when added to sauces. This is due to its high fat content. If you’re making thick cream soups, Hungarian Goulash or any type of sauce that you want thickened with cultured cream, crème fraiche is a great choice, and a much better choice than sour cream. Crème fraiche is additionally delicious when you whip it with a little powdered sugar and vanilla. It can be ladled over fresh berries, or any kind of fruit, or can make up a sweet filling for crepes.
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Post by lagatta on May 20, 2009 10:03:02 GMT
Yeah, I was just going to add that crème fraîche is much higher in butterfat than sour cream. Here is what you want in Goulasch: smetana (or Tejföl in Hungarian). en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Smetana_(dairy_product) Practically butter, like fermented Devon cream! |
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Post by bixaorellana on May 20, 2009 15:44:30 GMT
Creme Fraiche is the same as Mexican crema. Two recipes below. (If you google "creme fraiche recipe" you'll get the same recipes as for crema)
The tuna casserole could use either, but it's nice to have creme fraiche for certain things.
Crema I
* 1 C Whipping cream
* 2 T Cultured buttermilk (2% or 4%)
Gently stir together the whipping cream and buttermilk in a small non-reactive bowl. Loosely cover the bowl, and allow it to sit at room temperature between 8 and 24 hours until thickened and tangy. Stir well, cover and refrigerate. Crema will keep for at least one week. Makes just over 1 cup.
A word of caution: This is not the time to try out the vinegar/milk buttermilk substitution. If you don't have any buttermilk in the house, I'm afraid you're just going to have to make trip to the store.
Crema II
A bit more pourable, this version is excellent with fresh fruit, your favorite poundcake, and fruit pies and cobblers.
* 1 C Whipping cream
* 1 C Sour cream
Again, gently stir together the whipping cream and sour cream in a small non-reactive bowl. Cover the bowl, and allow it to sit at room temperature for 4 to 5 hours until thickened and tangy. Stir well, cover and refrigerate. Makes 2 cups.
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Post by Don Cuevas on May 23, 2009 17:28:24 GMT
Aquí no hay buttermilk, pero hay mucha crema.
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Post by tillystar on May 24, 2009 17:35:26 GMT
Finally made this, did it with the spinach and with red peppers as fat girl spits out green ones... Really nice and took no time, will make it again  Oh I would have sauted the peppers fist like Bix said but was too lazy. Glad I didn't as it makes it fresher. |
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