New old recipe: Scalloped Tuna and Potato Casserole

Okay okay I know this sounds really nasty, but for some reason I was craving tuna casserole. I decided to look up a recipe in one of my many old cookbooks. I decided upon The Good Housekeeping Cook Book circa 1942. This is a great old cookbook with lots of WWII/Depression influences such food stretchers, tips on not wasting food, an interesting take on weight loss and fat teens, use of the word cookery (which always makes me giggle), and lots and lots of recipes involving lard and evaporated milk. This is a great book I would recommend you buy if you see it in a thrift store or at a garage sale for under $5. Mine came with all sorts of neat cutouts from old newspapers and a few hand written recipes as well (Gram Whit's Lemon Pie sounds particularly tasty).

Anyway, I had this unholy craving for tuna (which is odd because I hate tuna). So plucked the 1942 GH from the shelf and looked up tuna. On page 305 was a whole myriad of tuna recipes, including Club Tuna Loaf, Tuna and Mushroom Casserole, Tuna Stuffed Peppers, and Scalloped Tuna and Potato Casserole. Although the Tuna and Mushroom Casserole seems the most likely candidate, I had neither the required mushrooms (surprisingly the recipe calls for fresh sauteed ones) nor the required bag of crushed potato chips (how wonderful is that?). Frankly, the Tuna Loaf sounded gross (and funny enough also required crushed potato chips), and the Stuff Peppers were also out of questions as I had no peppers. Turns out that I had everything for the Tuna and Potato casserole (except parsley but who needs parsley). I didn't even need milk as this version has an option for evaporated milk which I did have.

Scalloped Tuna and Potato Casserole

4 c. thinly sliced pared potatoes
2 Tblsp. butter or margarine
1 Tblsp. fat or salad oil
4 Tblsp. flour
2 c. bottled milk or 1 c. evaporated milk and 1 cup water
1 medium onion, minced
3/4 tsp. salt
1/8 tsp. peper
1 Tblsp. minced parsley
1 7 oz. can tuna fish, flaked

Cook the sliced potatoes in boiling salted water for 10 min., drain. Meanwhile, melt butter and fat in top of a double boiler over direct heat. Stir in the flour, then add the milk, onion, salt, and pepper, and cook over hot water while stirring until smooth and thickened. Add minced parsley. Arrange potatoes and tuna fish in alternating layers in a greased or oiled 2 qt. casserole, pour sauce over all and bake in a moderate oven of 350 degree F for 45 mins. Serves 6. Salmon may be substituted for the tuna.

Now it is not the most appetizing looking thing in the world, but, like many a casserole, this dish much better than it looks. It basically tastes like scalloped potatoes, but with this interesting flavor added from the tuna which isn't the fishy nastiness that tuna usually gives off. The tuna also gives it some protein so it is hardy enough for a main dish (though I would suggest a salad or something to go along with it as this probably has very little nutritional value). I used only butter (no fat or oil), used thyme and some garlic pepper instead of parsley, and only boiled the potatoes for seven mins not ten but otherwise stuck to the recipe. I was worried that it would be too sloppy but the potatoes help thicken the entire thing so it was more the consistency of very thick mashed potatoes. This took a fair amount of dishes for casserole (double boiler, pot for boiling potatoes, knives, cutting boards, and a casserole), but at least I got to use my super cute double boiler. This also can be pretty messy with the tuna and white sauce.

All and all I'd say I would try this recipe again and perhaps even serve it to friends, provided any were willing to try it.