"Don't want to argue, I don't want to debate
Don't want to hear about what kind of food you hate
You won't get no dessert 'till you clean off your plate
So eat it!"
~ Eat It, "Weird Al" Yankovic
Project: Eat
I grew up in a home where being a picky eater is a big no-no. We kids would shun at the thought of eating green leafy vegetables sometimes, but we have no choice but to eat even a little portion of it than starve for the rest of the day.
Pappy cooked only Dinuguan for lunch one day when I was little. While this dish wasn't new to me and Kris back then, the mere sight of cooked blood was bizarre! We literally cringed when Pappy yelled, "Kainin niyo yan, wala nang ibang ulam!" My eyes met Kris' with grossly looks, took a spoonful of the Dinuguan, and ate a slice of the chocolate-colored glazed meat. To my surprise, I came to love the Chocolate Meat and became one of my most favorite dish.
On my two year stay in Ilocos however, I had to pack canned goods the most; mostly meat loaves, corned beef, or canned tuna. With the working habits I had back then and being independently alone, there was barely time to cook! If I did, I would resort to opening a can of tuna sometimes and mix in some easy vegetable finds in San Nicolas' little quaint market and prep up simple dishes for the night, or the weekends that I stayed there.
Canned tuna was my staple food, if not comfort food, in Ilocos. And if I were being picky back then, I would defend myself and say, "At least it's not pork fat!"
I opened a can of tuna again tonight and reminisced the good old cooking days in Ilocos. Oh boy, I miss independence again.
Tuna in Herbed Butter Trivelle
Pasta Trivelle
half a block of butter
olive oil
cloves of garlic, chopped
a bunch of parsley, chopped
a handful of basil leaves, chopped
2 whole peeled tomatoes, wedged
a can of flaked tuna in oil
pitted olives
juice of half a lemon
garlic powder
salt n' pepper
grated Parmesan cheese
Cook pasta according to package directions.
On a skillet, melt in butter and olive oil combined. Saute in garlic til lightly browned. Add in chopped herbs til fragrant. Mix in tomato wedges, tuna, olives and lemon juice and simmer for a few minutes. Season with garlic powder, salt and pepper.
Toss in cooked pasta, plate, and garnish with grated cheese.
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