Deconstructed Tuna Casserole with Avocado Salad

Or if you prefer, tuna steaks with mac and cheese. The point is, it was delicious. I made it for late lunch today, and both Chris and I enjoyed it a lot.

I started by boiling water to cook 1/2 lb egg noodles. At the same time, boiled 1 1/2 cups milk with dried herbs (thyme, rosemary, parsley, red pepper flakes and oregano), 1 teaspoon ground mustard, salt, and a dash of ground cayenne pepper. Beaten two eggs, tempered them by adding hot milk mixture 1 tablespoon at a time and beating with a fork. Mixed tempered eggs into milk mixture, and over low heat added a tablespoon of butter and about a cup of grated cheese -- I used Romano and Parmesan.

Mixed cooked egg noodles with cheese sauce in a glass oven-proof dish, topped with a mixture of Panko bread crumbs and Parmesan, and baked at 350F until the casserole was set and the topping had turned golden brown.

While the casserole was baking, made avocado and bean salad (recipe is here):

Finally, tuna steaks: I got a couple of nice thick steaks, marinated them in 2 tbsp lemon juice, 1/4 cup olive oil, and dry herbs (thyme, rosemary, parsley, red pepper flakes and oregano), 15 min per side, then seasoned with salt. The steaks were then seared in olive oil, in a skillet over high heat, 2-3 min per side. Then I transferred them to an oven-safe dish, and finished at 350F for 10 minutes (less, if you prefer your tuna medium-rare to medium).

The tuna worked really well with the cheesy noodles, and fresh avocado salad made the whole meal fresh and summery.