Tuna Mornay

I was feeling like having some French food last night. So I browsed through my recipes books and found Tuna Mornay!! Looks easy and it was easy. We had Tuna Mornay with slices of bread but about 1 hr later, both of us were hungry again.. haha.. Instead of me messing the kitchen  again, we drove to Sonic for some junior burgers and fries.. Lol!!!

What is Mornay?? Mornay sauce is a classic French sauce, a cheese and milk sauce made combining a roux with milk and adding Parmesan or Gruyere cheese. When making Mornay sauce, it is best to use hard or semi-hard cheeses. You can get away with some jack cheeses or hard goat cheeses. Bad choices of cheeses would be brie, blue cheese, cream cheese and fresh mozzarella . French tend to avoid any but white  cheeses when making Mornay sauce. I used shredded mozzarella, still looks creamy consistency but of course not the authentically French.☻ Mornay sauce is often served with vegetables, seafood or poultry dishes. It can be mixed in with pasta to make variant macaroni or alfredo or even lasagna. 

Tuna Mornay 

recipe from Step-by-Step Comfort Food

Serves 4 

Ingredients

60g (2-/14 oz) butter

2 tbsp all-purpose flour

500ml (2 cups) milk

1/2 tsp dry mustard

90g (3/4 cup) grated cheese (I used shredded mozzarella cheese and Parmesan flakes)

600g (1 lb 5 oz) tin tuna in brine, drained

2 tbsp chopped parsley

2 hard boiled egg, chopped

25g (1/3 cup) breadcrumbs (I used the Kikkoman Panco Japanese style breadcrumbs)

paprika, to season

1. Preheat the oven to 350F (180C / Gas 4). Melt the butter in a pan, then add the flour and stir over low heat for 1 minute. Remove the pan from the heat and add the milk gradually, stirring until smooth between each addition.
2. Return the pan to the heat and stir constantly until the sauce boils and thickens. Reduce the heat and simmer for 2 minutes. Remove from the heat, whisk in the mustard and 60g (1/2 cup) cheese until smooth.
3. Flake the tuna with a fork, and mix into the sauce. Add the parsley and egg and season with salt and pepper. Spoon the mixture into 4 (250ml) (1 cup) ramekins (If you do not have these ramekins, you can use any other oven proof dish, like in the picture). Mix together the breadcrumbs and remaining cheese and sprinkle over the mornay. Dust with paprika. Bake for 15-20 minute, or until the topping is golden brown.

Notes:
Becareful when handling the ramekins when removing from the oven, they are very hot.