Wanted: recipes to make tuna fish pretend to be prime rib.
If you’re a Catholic, that’s what you need. Ninety-nine ways to trick tuna fish into masquerading as a gourmet feast instead of a ho-hum Friday meal during Lent. I wish I could help, but thanks to my Norwegian mother, I was never exposed to any fish dishes you might care to cook, unless you’re crazy about pickled herring. Just kidding, My mother would have starved before she’d face a herring on her dinner plate. For a very good reason.
According to Mother, she was put to work in a sardine cannery when she was a little kid in Stavanger, Norway. It must have been around 1905. Her job – and those of the other children who worked there – was to thread a needle through the eyes of the sardines before they took their places in the little sardine tins, heads and all. Today though, “modern” canned sardines arrive at your table with all their bones and organs still fully intact (Ahem!) for your eating enjoyment – but with their heads missing . . . . Are you still with me? . . . . I can wait till you get back from the bathroom.
Apparently, sardines with heads – no matter how beautifully the children could align them in the can – are no longer popular as a delectable dining experience. . . . or else, today’s sardine eaters are sissies who don’t want to look their victims in the eye. . . . or else, today’s labor laws are preventing children from sweating over needles in sardine canneries. And perhaps, most Norwegians adults today wouldn’t be caught dead listing the craft of aligning sardines with heads together in a can as a major item on their resumes.
All of which is to explain why I have never eaten a sardine. In spite of her Nordic heritage, Mother didn’t seem to favor cooking or consuming much fish. When I was growing up in Iowa, we thought salmon was a nice fish that swam only in cans, and sometimes on Fridays, Mother would get out the can opener and make salmon patties. Mostly though, Fridays meant we’d be having beans or lentils.
Since the first century, Christians have fasted in repentance for their sins on Fridays to commemorate the death of Jesus on that day. They try to eat less, and it became common practice to abstain from eating meat. But, technically, it’s the flesh of warm-blooded animals that’s off limits. Cold-blooded animals were acceptable for some reason. Today, fasting is mostly only required on Fridays of Lent, but if you don’t crave dining on decapitated sardines, you could still look forward to many other kinds of fish – or even turtles, crocodiles, worms, or snakes. Yum.
But now that we’re into Lent, let’s get back to menu planning. There’s still five more Fridays till Easter!
One of my grandchildren – Arden – is a vegan. He says he doesn’t eat anything that has eyes (unless they’re potatoes). I’d be leaning in that direction myself, except vegans don’t eat any animal by-products either, such as cheese or eggs. Dang it! I was just thinking that a grilled cheese sandwich with cream of tomato soup would be a perfect Lenten meal on Friday. One could always wash it down with a glass of chardonnay. Oh, well. So much for my lofty new career as a vegan.
For each of the next 5 Fridays – unless you can give me better suggestions, the main course here at Kartar Ridge Ranch will probably be: (1) Macaroni and cheese, or (2) Tuna fish salad, or (3) Chow mein with tofu), or (4) “Battered” fish, or (5) Scrambled eggs. But we’ll try to make every effort to be devoutly fasting from having sardines on the menu.
Oh my gosh, don’t get me started. In the time Arden has been staying with us, I have had a culinary epiphany. Vegan foods aren’t just tofu and alfalfa sprouts anymore. I could give you recipies to feed you through lent… how about “meat”loaf with “buttered” potatoes and “parmesan” green beans, or pizza, or “chicken” pot pie, or “brats” with cabbage and potatoes, fritattas for high-protein snacks… For dessert, how about Black Forest Cake, or “cheese”cake, or the many versions of vegan ice “cream?” But here’s the thing. Lent is a time when we deprive ourselves of luxuries for at least one day a week. So the magical delights of veganism might not quite fit the bill!
I did not know anything about grandma working with sardines!! It seems my parents must not have been put off by the little guys though because I have memories of them enjoying the little delicacies on saltines. Well at least my dad, maybe mom didn’t partake. I love your stories!! I learn something each time!
Living in Wisconsin for 30 years, give or take, with a respite in Iowa and Illinois for a year or two in there, I’ve been lucky enough to have Friday Night Fish Fry on the menu every week of the year if I so desire. Maybe you didn’t hear me right. Every Friday YEAR ROUND.
Wisconsin has also been honored with the title of Drunkest State in America. And ain’t it just. There’s a pub on every corner, but the savviest of owners know what else to serve on Friday nights…those sober and drunk alike come straight from their tractors, farms, homes, mobile homes, campers and condos just for a taste of battered, baked, or fried fish, with a side of potato pancakes, and if they don’t serve apple sauce with them, then they’re not worth their salt. After filling up on your fish and potatoes and washing it down with a nice cold one, we all go home and look forward to next Friday. And don’t forget the clam chowder to go! Wow!!
I’m not much of a drinker, so the husband and I get ours to go, so he and Josie and I enjoy it at home and eat the left overs during the week. We try to make it last until at least Tues, so we don’t have many days to wait until the next Friday.
**stretch** Going on 3pm here, think I’ll go check and see what’s in the fridge….
Mom!
I would have been so sad to put needles through Sardines eyes. How old would your mom have been. That sounds awful that she and other kids had to work in Sardine factories.
My kids love Tuna “Burgers”! We just toast English muffins, place tuna salad on top and sprinkle sharp cheddar cheese and broil! I’m sure that you have made these before. It’s just a good reminder of a yummy way to use Tuna!
I pray that everyone experiences a meaningful Lent!
Gretchen