I’ve been a fan of San Marino’s Corned Tuna since day one. I especially like the Chili version because I’m a fan of spicy food. Whenever it’s my turn to do the grocery shopping for the family, I never leave the supermarket without at least two cans of the stuff. I’m being completely honest right now.
When I saw that they had come out with their San Marino Tuna Laing, I was immediately game to try it. Apart from the fact that I’ve grown to like San Marino as a brand, I wanted to try it because laing, you guys. It just happens to be one of my favourite Filipino dishes. No big deal.
Laing is basically a dish where you simmer taro leaves in a tasty and spicy coconut milk concoction, but it takes over an hour to finish so it’s definitely not something you can do in a pinch. Luckily, San Marino has come up with an alternative that can satisfy laing cravings just by popping open a can! (No can openers even needed. Seriously, can it get any easier?)
San Marino Tuna Laing is made with real taro leaves, flavourful coconut milk, and then topped with San Marino tuna flakes. The proof is in the can. Now we all know that tuna has Omega-3 that’s good for the heart. Add to that the fact that taro leaves are naturally rich in Vitamins A & C, as well as fiber and protein, and you’ve got yourself ready-to-eat yuminess in a can that has health benefits to boot!
At just Php32 per can of 180 grams, you can have yourself a perfect-with-rice viand that definitely packs a punch in flavour and spice. And honestly, with spicy food like this one, your appetite tends to go into overdrive so you might want to get yourself a can or more. Just in case. Because if you’ve got some extra cans in your kitchen, then maybe you’ll want to try making these San Marino Tuna Laing Bread Boats!
This recipe is super easy. All you’ll need are three ingredients: First is some demi-baguettes (or any crusty bread or even a ciabatta will do); second, you’ll need some grated cheese. I picked mozzarella because of its light flavour that will allow the San Marino Tuna Laing to shine through, and at the same time it will still give that melty cheesy feel to the bread. The final ingredient of course is your San Marino Tuna Laing.
Cut out the top portion of the baguette in a sort of rounded diamond shape. The goal here is to create a hollow in the middle of the baguette that will make it resemble a boat. Don’t go too deep that you’ll poke a hole through the bottom!
Now just sprinkle on your cheese and then scoop in the San Marino Tuna Laing. The quantity of the cheese and the tuna laing will depend entirely on you, but be careful not to overdo it as you don’t want the stuffing to fall out of the bread as it bakes. I actually piled on the San Marino Tuna Laing and used just a little bit of cheese, but if you’re not up for anything too spicy, use less than what I’ve used here and maybe add more cheese, if you wish.
Place your baguette on a lined baking sheet and pop into a preheated 350°F (180°C) oven for about 15 to 20 minutes, until the cheese is melted and the crusty bread crunches up. (You can also do the same to the cut out portion of the bread.) Boy, I am reliving eating this bread as I write about it all right now!
Once the breads are out of the oven, slice into bite-sized pieces and serve immediately. As in while the bread is hot and toasty! The best part is biting into the soft, melty San Marino Tuna Laing-cheese topping on top and the crunchy bread on the bottom. What a contrast in textures! And just look at that oozing cheese!
Not really a bread-eater? Then I’ve got an alternative for you. Replace the bread with zucchini! It ups the health factor by quite a bit, doesn’t it? I recommend using medium zucchinis so you can serve one zucchini half per person. They don’t slice as cleanly as the bread because the zucchinis soften.
What you’ll need to do is slice off both ends of your zucchini, then cut in half. Scrape out the seeds to create a hollow in the middle of the zucchini, then just repeat the process of sprinkling of cheese and scooping in of San Marino Tuna Laing– Again, how much will be up to your taste.
These zucchinis take just slightly longer than the bread as you need them to cook through until soft. They take about 20 to 25 minutes, also in a preheated 350°F (180°C) oven.
Now all you’ll need is a spoon so you can go ahead and dig into that! And I do recommend some juice or milk on the side to put out the fire. I personally love how spicy this is though!
San Marino Tuna Laing Baked Bread Boats
Ingredients
- Demi-Baguettes, or other crusty bread of choice
- Shredded mozarella cheese
- San Marino Tuna Laing
Instructions
- 1. Preheat oven to 350°F (180°C). Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- 2. Cut out the middle portion of the baguettes in the shape of a rounded diamond. Make sure not to go all the way to the bottom and through the sides as the goal is simply to create a hollow in the center of the baguette to make it resemble a boat.
- 3. Sprinkle as much or as little shredded cheese as desired into the hollowed part of the baguette. Scoop as much of the San Marino Tuna Laing as desired on top of the cheese, making sure to keep the topping inside the hollowed out portion.
- 4. Bake the breads for about 15 to 20 minutes, or until cheese has melted and the baguette has become nice and crunchy.
- 5. Slice into bite-sized pieces and serve immediately while hot.
Notes
The recipe and tips I’ve shared today are just some ideas on how else to enjoy San Marino Tuna Laing. For more information and recipes using San Marino Tuna, you can check out the San Marino Facebook page!
Full disclosure: This post is sponsored by San Marino Corned Tuna, but all thoughts and opinions stated above are my own.
