Golden Chantie Tuna Goodness

   I Love Chanterelles. Their elegance, golden shimmer in the late afternoon summer sun,  subtle apricot scent and flavor...what's not to love, really? They pair especially well with eggs and cream sauces, both delicate flavors that compliment their floral nature well. I've even infused them in vodka which can be used in sauces or cocktails. Being mycorrhizal, chanterelles can be quite prolific when you find a patch in the woods. Little dots of gold everywhere you look. Such a thrill!
     This recipe is a slight adaptation of a basic, from scratch tuna casserole recipe from Epicurious.com. I prefer to stay away from wheat and dairy and found that brown rice pasta and flax seed milk did just fine as substitutes. I used Wild Planet, sustainably caught wild Albacore tuna in oil which had a nice tuna flavor without being overly fishy. The sherry in this recipe gives it a nice elegance without being fussy.
 
Ingredients
1 medium onion, finely chopped
4 1/2 tablespoons unsalted butter or coconut oil
Chanterelles (as many as you can find or want)
2 teaspoons soy sauce
1/4 cup Sherry
1/4 cup all-purpose flour (regular or gluten free)
2 cups low-sodium chicken broth
1 cup whole milk (or alternative milk such as almond or flax seed)
2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon thyme
1 (6-oz) can tuna in olive oil, drained
6 oz dried noodles (I prefer gluten free fusilli)
Crushed Potato Chips

Directions

Put oven rack in middle position and preheat oven to 375°F. Butter a shallow 2-quart baking dish.

Cook onion in 1 1/2 tablespoons butter with a pinch of salt in a 12-inch heavy skillet over moderately low heat, covered, stirring occasionally, until softened, about 5 minutes. Increase heat to moderately high and add chanterelle mushrooms, then sauté, stirring occasionally, until mushrooms begin to give off liquid, about 2 minutes. Add soy sauce and continue to sauté mushrooms, stirring, until liquid mushrooms give off is evaporated. Add Sherry and boil, stirring occasionally, until evaporated. Remove from heat.

Melt remaining 3 tablespoons butter in a 2- to 3-quart heavy saucepan over moderately low heat and whisk in flour, then cook roux, whisking, 3 minutes. Add broth in a stream, whisking, and bring to a boil, whisking. Whisk in milk and simmer sauce, whisking occasionally, 5 minutes. Stir in mushroom mixture, lemon juice, and salt. Flake tuna into sauce and stir gently. Season sauce with salt and pepper.

Cook noodles in a 5- to 6-quart pot of boiling salted water until al dente. Drain noodles in a colander and return to pot. Add sauce and stir gently to combine. Transfer mixture to baking dish, spreading evenly.

Sprinkle potato chips over casserole. Bake until topping is crisp and sauce is bubbling, 20 to 30 minutes.