How to cook dog

What passes for paella Valenciana in the Philippines is rice with chicken, pork, shrimp, and shellfish. Even the “Chorizo de Bilbao” is locally sourced because it does not exist in Bilbao, like pancit canton can’t be had in Canton. Perhaps the only foreign ingredient in the Philippine paella is azafran or saffron which gives the dish its distinct color. Filipinos who know paella as a fiesta or sosyal food are surprised at its humble beginnings, as a country dish of wandering gypsies. Traditional paella Valenciana uses rabbit that Filipinos do not consider food but cute cuddly pets.

Republic Act No. 8485 or the Animal Welfare Act of 1998 enumerates the following as food animals: cattle pigs, goats, sheep, poultry, rabbits, carabaos, horses, deer, and crocodiles. Dog is allowed, under Section 6, in regions where it is consumed “as part of the religious rituals of an established religion or sect or a ritual required by tribal or ethnic custom of indigenous cultural communities.”

Going through the pre-martial law Asia-Philippines Leader magazine in search of Nick Joaquin’s unsigned Editor’s Notes, I found his “random jottings;” material interesting in themselves but could not be woven into a full article or column. Joaquin was a gourmand, a connoisseur of “asocena” rooted in the words aso/dog and cena/dinner:

“If food prices get any worse, the dog may indeed be man’s best friend—on the table…

“The best cooking dog is a tuta about a year old, which eats like a lechon de leche; but any dog not too old or bony can be turned into a fine dish with the proper preparation. Kill the dog by stunning (a sharp blow to the skull), hanging (strangling with rope), or butchering (slit at throat). Collect the blood, which is heavily peppered and mixed with gin (or vodka) and lime juice, makes a far out Blood Mary.

“Cut off head and set aside. Disembowel dog, scald inside and out, scrape off hair. Then with a sharp knife, or razor, peel off skin (Set aside for kilawin). As with any other food animal, the best meat is on rib and loin. Cube meat into large bite-size pieces, put into cauldron, or kawali, with two pieces of ginger and enough water to cover. Bring to a quick boil. Replace water and ginger and boil meat a second time. These two boilings will remove the gamey taste. Drain meat and set aside.”

Those who buy meat fresh from the market or frozen from the supermarket are spared the blood and gore of slaughter. The recipe that follows will not raise eyebrows if dog is substituted for beef, pork, or chicken:

“Sauté a head of crushed garlic with one chopped onion and a laurel leaf, add the meat, a large can of tomato sauce and three cups of gin. Salt and pepper. Cook until meat is tender; then add half a kilo of potatoes, quartered; a large can of peas; two or three sweet peppers, sliced into rings. Thicken sauce with two slices of bizcocho crumbled fine. Correct seasonings. When done, remove to a platter, garnish with pimiento strips, surround with croutons. Serve hot, with a green tossed salad and sticks of green mango. This is dog estofado.

“For dog caldereta: use vinegar instead of gin, and olives instead of peas; and add two or three buds, crushed, of red pepper. Garnish with camias chips rolled in salt.”

Joaquin provided detailed, easy-to-follow, recipes for dog kilawin, dog guinatan, and dog barbecue with serving instructions for garnish and side dishes. Dog kilawin is best served: “very cold as bar chow, with sticks of celery, or with green mango and bagoong.”

The head: “… can either be boiled or broiled. To serve: split skull and spoon out the brains, which, if properly cooked, should have the quality of a fine souffle or custard. Season with salt and pepper and serve either by itself, or as an appetizer, with the meat, as a topping for the estofado. Or beat in three eggs and cook as an omelet.

“When cooked right, dog meat has the pungency of game (e.g., venison or wild duck) and this may be the reason it tastes best al fresco. So, if you’re having asucena, set the table out in the garden or on the piazza; have lots of fire to keep the food hot, and lots of spicy sauces for those who want it even hotter, and lots of firewater to wash down all that heat. Serve with things green and sourish, like camias chips and mango sticks—and will the company be yelping for seconds!”

Comments are welcome at aocampo@ateneo.edu