Tuna Stew on Cheddar-Dill Biscuits

Hot tuna is typically associated with the wondrous American Tuna Melt sandwich or Tuna Casserole (the good kind with potato chips), but there’s no reason canned tuna can’t be an ingredient in a soup, chowder, or pot pie filling. Here it's used in my creamy stew served over hot biscuits, which are best made first. Not a biscuit maker? Bake up frozen biscuit dough, grill some English muffins or even use thinly sliced hot or grilled cornbread.

Ingredients

1 tablespoon salted butter
Small yellow onion, chopped
2 EACH: medium peeled carrots and stalks celery, chopped
Small handful minced parsley plus extra for garnish
Kosher salt and fresh ground pepper
1 teaspoon dried thyme
1 bay leaf
1 clove garlic, minced
¼ cup white wine or water
2 (5)- ounce cans tuna, flaked, with liquid
1 ½ cups low-sodium chicken broth
1 cup milk
3 tablespoons all-purpose, unbleached flour
1-2 shakes hot sauce – or to taste
¼ cup EACH: frozen green peas and corn
½ cup frozen pearl onions cooked in butter until tender- optional
Cheddar-Dill Biscuits - recipe below
Grated Cheddar for garnish - included in the recipe below for the biscuits

Instructions

In a four-quart heavy sauce pan, heat the butter over medium flame until bubbling. Add the onion, carrots, celery, parsley, ½ teaspoon salt, ¼ teaspoon pepper, thyme, and bay leaf. Cover and cook, stirring often, for 7-8 minutes or until vegetables are softening adding garlic for the last minute. Pour in the wine or water, stirring to bring up the fond (brown bits) and let cook two minutes.
Pour in the tuna with its liquid and the broth. In a small bowl, whisk the flour into the milk until smooth and pour the slurry into the pot. Simmer, stirring, for perhaps 5 minutes or until thickened. Add hot sauce. Taste and adjust seasonings, adding more salt and pepper as needed. Stir in the peas, corn, and pearl onions, if using. Cook another two minutes until everything is hot.
To serve: Slice two biscuits in half and place in each of the bowls. Ladle hot stew over them and garnish with reserved parsley and grated cheddar.
Whoever gets the bay leaf does the dishes.
Storage: A day or two in the fridge, well-wrapped. I wouldn't freeze this.

Notes

Cheddar-Dill Biscuits 8-10 biscuits

2 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon fresh ground pepper
1 teaspoon EACH kosher salt and baking soda
2 teaspoon dried dill (or 2 tablespoons fresh dill)
1/2 cup (4 ounces/8 tablespoons) salted cold butter, diced
1/2 cup grated extra sharp Cheddar cheese (plus extra to garnish stew)
2/3 cup milk

Preheat oven to 425 degrees F (220C/Gas Mark 7) Set rack at center.

1. Stir together dry ingredients (flour, pepper, salt, soda, baking powder, and dill) in a medium bowl. Add cold butter and using a pastry blender or two knives (you can use just your fingers or even do the whole thing in a food processor), cut in the butter until the butter is mostly blended and the mixture appears sandy. Stir in cheese. Pour in milk and mix well without over-mixing.

2. Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured board and, if needed, knead a few times until dough comes together. Roll or pat out with fingers into a rectangle until it’s about ½-inch thick. Cut out biscuits with a 2 ½ -3-inch round cutter (or slice into squares with a knife) and place in a 10-inch pie plate or small baking pan. Bake about 15 minutes or until quite crispy and golden. Remove from oven and set aside until needed.