Sunday was a quiet day at home. We had a late breakfast, more brunch than breakfast, blueberry and chocolate chip pancakes with sausages. Given the late hour we pushed lunch back and supper up, eating a more substantial meal around three. While I was browsing for a recipe to make our "lupper" I found one I suggested to Emily might be a good one for her Monday night dinner. The lemon chicken piccata was a hit, although Emily found the sauce a bit tart.
Monday morning we regretted not marking the recipe I had suggested, it seem to have vanished, even though the stack of cook books was still where we had left them, on an unused corner of the dining room table, beside the stack of coffee table books providing weight to a recently glued craft project. Eventually we did find it again, and Emily agreed it seemed an excellent choice. We double checked the ingredient list; the only thing needed from the store was mayonnaise, I had (finally) used up the last of the jar in the refrigerator-mayo is not a much used condiment here. If fact it is more likely to appear as an ingredient than a condiment. But I digress.
I never made it to the store during the day, but once Emily was home I set her to boiling some baby potatoes for a side dish and hurried off the the grocery store. Much as she loves going to the store, she does like the freedom of staying home by herself too.
Once I was back at home I was pleased to see she had started her homework, music thumping from the speakers. I wasn't sure she had enough potatoes cooking, but no leftovers is not a terrible thing. I grated a good chunk of mozzarella and cheddar for her, mixing the two cheeses together, grating extra because I like having it ready in the fridge. Once that was done I suggested she make her tuna mixture as it needed to chill for 10 minutes before she started cooking. She blended tuna, boxed stuffing mix, mayonnaise and cheese together and went to put it in the fridge. I wanted to make sure it was thoroughly mixed, so I gave it a good stir, thinking it looked very dry. I glanced at the recipe and asked if she had added the water. As it turned out she had missed that ingredient. We also opted to omit the sweet pickle relish, as neither of us eat it, so it is not ever in the pantry & would be wasted if I bought it.
Finally the bowl went into the fridge and she diligently set the timer. The potatoes were tender so I drained them, and arranged them on a baking sheet. Emily brushed them with a mixture of olive oil, crushed garlic and thyme ("fresh" from the garden....ok, freeze-dried, but still. I never got around to harvesting it.) They went into the oven to crisp and finish cooking. That done it was time to begin the tuna cakes. I handed Emily a 1/4 cup measure and made sure the frying pan was hot enough, helping her press the mounds of fish mixture into patties that would brown quickly. While the final batch was cooking (the pan held 3 groups of four cakes) Emily heated a can of corn in the microwave. I tasted a few broken pieces of tuna from the plate, curious and pleased with the result.
Supper was done. I deterred Emily from plating my dinner, handing her a plate to fill for herself. She didn't like the thyme on the potatoes, but was enamoured with the tuna cakes, requesting a plate for lunch the following day.
When she returned home from school yesterday I was told she had offered a friend a taste of her creation, and was thrilled that it met with very good reviews. I suggested she give her friend the recipe, knowing the secret pleasure of sharing such things. The leftovers became both a bedtime snack and breakfast this morning, a sure sign a recipe will become a regular in the rotation. She will learn the value of a handful of recipes using basic pantry items, for those days you need fast and easy or forget to thaw meat out.
Copying the recipe out this morning, first for her own cook book, and a second time for sharing she discovered another missed ingredient, grated carrot. As the cakes were good without I told her she could mark that ingredient as optional, but that I though it would add a nice sweetness to the dish.
We don't discuss specifically the things she is learning, but I can see her confidence growing, and her trust you can omit and substitute as needed, and, hopefully, timing and patience.
Tuna Fish Cakes
2 cans (170g each) tuna, drained & flaked 1 carrot, shredded
1 package stuffing mix (chicken flavour) 1/4 cup salad dressing/mayonnaise
3/4 cup water 2 Tablespoons sweet pickle relish
1 cup shredded cheese (mozzarella/cheddar blend)
Mix all the ingredients, refrigerate 10 minutes. Heat a large skillet, sprayed with cooking oil spray on medium heat. Add 1/4 cup portions of tuna mixture, in batches to skillet. Flatten into patties, cook about 3 minutes a side, until golden.
Smashed Potatoes
3 pounds baby potatoes 1-2 garlic cloves, pressed or grated
1/4 cup olive oil 1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon chopped fresh rosemary (or thyme) 1/4 teaspoon pepper
Boil potatoes until tender, drain and arrange on a foil or parchment covered baking sheet. Press each potato with the bottom of a glass or a fork to flatten slightly. Combine remaining ingredients and brush over potatoes. Bake at 400F for about 30 minutes, until golden and crisp around the edges.
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