ILYS: Tuna Kani Canapés

2010 JULY 10. It is truly an I Love You Sabado for two reasons: I can try out another recipe. Second I'm sick. I really need to rest. =( I was supposed to spend the night at Danes's with Juligel. But as the weird heaviness in my head developed into full-fledged colds and a headache Friday, I had to pass.

With the modest success I had with Charlie Tsong, I decided to tackle a new recipe without asking the person I got it from if I recalled the ingredients correctly. I put my flavor memory to work. Anyway, the dish isn't as hard.

About the recipe. For some reason, I don't like crab sticks. Funny thing is, I haven't even tasted them, so I don't really know why I don't like them.

Until one Saturday night a few months ago. After choir band practice, the host brought out a chilled bowl of tuna kani. While everyone else was excited to dig in, I wasn't, seeing the telltale red strips all over the thing. There was an alternative, chili con carne. But, as I'm very known to be the "last man standing" in any meal and food trip, I gave the kani a shot and was glad I did. I was so surprised how the strange assortment of ingredients yielded such a nice flavor. I tried to memorize the ingredients as our host dictated them to one of our singers.

Fast forward to this last Thursday. My parents and I got groceries from Shopwise. However, the lettuce there were big heads, the cheapest costing around P70. Mangoes also cost like gold since it's not in season. So the next day, I bought a fat mango from a vendor at our village kanto and dropped by SM Supermarket for the lettuce. I also grabbed another can of tuna, which turned out to be a good idea.

I was greeted by a terrible headache when I woke up around 6:00 AM, so I spent another couple of hours of broken sleep to wear it down (which did to some extent). I got up a bit before 9:00 AM; the kitchen beckons.

The ingredients make the recipe seem elaborate.

Mom found me at the kitchen table preparing the ingredients. She wondered what I was planning to do, as the ingredients weren't my usual thing. She watched me chop, cube and throw everything together and finish in almost a flash (almost, as I had a lot to slice) like magic.

The tuna kani mixture. So easy to do!

For our breakfast, I first made 16 pieces and toasted them, which was both a good and not-so-good idea. The heat toasted the bread and made the mixture settle on the baguette slices, but it dried up and wilted the lettuce, which may look unattractive after some time.

The first batch. Mom already got one piece.

The recipe yielded 32 pieces (I made another batch after we annihilated the first). Sounds like a lot, right? That's what I thought, until I finished the leftovers from the second batch without realizing it.

I thought I was going to store leftover tuna kani in the
refrigerator so I whipped it up in a plastic container.

I so want to rave about the recipe, because it's easy, delicious and healthy, but I can't. Stupid colds. I have to stop here... I hope this entry made sense. LOL. Whether it did or not, feel free to try the recipe below.

Tuna Kani Canapés

Makes 32 pieces (serves 4 or less, hahaha!)

1 can tuna chunks (or solid) in water, drained

1 (or 2 if small) crab stick/s, sliced

half a small onion

1 cheek ripe mango, cubed

half of a small cucumber, cubed

lettuce, sliced

mayonnaise (Japanese mayo if you have, although I used Miracle Whip)

1 French baguette, cut into half-inch thick pieces

P.S. If you don't have a baguette, never fear! Serve on ordinary bread like pandesal, Skyflakes or even Fita!

Also made some to be brought by my mom to big bro's,
this one on pandesal halves.

*BB*