Boating Cooks Sail Smooth with Easy Recipes

Blog copyright janet groene 2021. All rights reserved.

 

 

Galley Recipe of the Week
Batter-Spiced Catch of the Day
    Hot and tangy, this recipe really wakes up bland fish. Whatever your morning catch-- fresh or salt water, large or small fillets, spice it up with an all-day marinade. When cruising,  part of the fun is to sample local hot sauces. 

 6 to 8 generous servings of fresh-caught fish
½ cup well-shaken buttermilk
1/4 cup your favorite hot sauce
2 cups flour
2 teaspoons salt
½ teaspoon garlic powder
Vegetable oil for frying

    Mix hot sauce and buttermilk  in a plastic bag.  Add fish and marinate in the reefer, turning occasionally, for 8 to 12 hours. 

    Mix flour, salt and garlic powder and spread on a paper plate as needed.  Heat 1 ½ inches of oil in a deep skillet until it shimmers. Shake off buttermilk, dredge fish in flour mixture and fry fish in hot oil until crispy.  Discard leftover marinade. 

    Pass additional hot sauce and complete the meal with corn muffins and salad. 

 
    Cook’s note: buttermilk is best but you can also use a small can (2/3 cup)  of evaporated milk whisked with a tablespoon of vinegar or lemon juice and the hot sauce. 

Pantry Recipe of the Week

    Each week we present a recipe made entirely from stowed ingredients. Galley-tested by author Janet Groene.

 

Caramelized Chicken-Onion Soup

    With patience you can turn bland canned breast of chicken into a rich, brown, meaty soup. Liquids drained from the chicken and vegetables may be used as part of the water measurement. 

12- to 16-ounce jar or can of whole, small onions, also called Holland onions
10-ounce can chunk white meat chicken
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 teaspoon granular garlic
8 cups water*
15-ounce can diced carrots or 2 cups reconstituted carrots
6 teaspoons powdered chicken bouillon or chicken soup base
1 teaspoon celery seed
3/4 cup small pasta such as dilatini, orzo, small shells or macaroni

    Drain onions, cut in half and drain cut side down on paper towels. Drain chicken and vegetables.
    In a soup pot or saucepan, heat oil and sizzle chicken and onions, stirring constantly, until they are a rich, caramelized brown color with a syrupy glaze. Don’t rush this step.  You want to caramelize the onions’ natural sugar without burning them.
    Add water to liquids to make 8 cups and add to chicken mixture with the garlic, soup base and vegetables. Bring to a boil and add pasta. Cover and simmer over low burner until pasta and vegetables are tender. Serves 4.
    Cook’s note: this is a recipe that is easy to tweak or bulk up. to feed more sailors by increasing almost any of the ingredients. You might double up on the chicken or add color with a can of diced tomatoes, half a cup of freeze-dried green peas and/or a sprinkling of dried parsley.


Tips for the Galley Chef

    * Mix up brownie batter  and put half in a greased  pan. Cover completely with a layer of graham crackers. Using 2 spoons, place a teaspoon of marshmallow cream on each cracker. Press a few chocolate chips into each blob of marshmallow cream. Top with another layer of crackers and press gently to spread marshmallow cream.  Carefully add remaining batter. Bake as directed. Let cool at least 10 to 15 minutes before cutting. Use a sawtooth knife. 

    * How much is enough when you provision the boat for two people and three months? Four people and a one-week charter? A family of two adults and two children on a one-week vacation? Survival Food Handbook (Kindle or paperback) is written for sailors and campers. It’s filled with facts, hacks, precautions, substitutes, lists and useful information on feeding your family with shelf-staple foods in  emergencies of many kinds.  

* Make a faux liver pate by mixing two tablespoons of sherry and some freshly ground pepper into an 8-ounce tube of liverwurst. Pack into a bowl or crock Chill and serve as a spread.  

    * Here’s an easy way to serve sweetcorn. Put a couple of inches of water in a pan that’s wide enough to dip an ear of corn. Melt a stick of butter in the water. It will float to the top. Using tongs, quickly dip cooked corn in the pan. It will emerge coated with butter. Serve at once or roll in seasoned salt first. .


SKILLET MEAL OF THE WEEK
Warm ‘n Sweet Bulgur
    
½ cup bulgur
3/4 cup boiling water

2 to 3 thick bacon slices, chopped
1 cup seedless grapes, halved
½ cup sliced celery
½ cup coarsely chopped pecans
2 or 3 firs  scallions, sliced
2 tablespoons raspberry vinegar
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 tablespoon maple flavor pancake syrup
Salt, pepper

    Put bulgar in a bowl, add boiling water, cover and let stand 30 minutes. Drain any water that hasn’t been absorbed.
    Fry out bacon until crisp and drain on paper toweling. Spoon off all but 2-3 tablespoons  of bacon fat. Quickly stir-fry grapes, celery, pecans and scallions to coat with flavor. Fold in bulgur and bacon bits and heat through.  
    Combine vinegar, oil and syrup fold into bulgur mixture.  Serves 2 as a main dish, 4 as a side dish. 

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Sailing, Cruising, Boating and Galley Meals

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GALLEY RECIPE OF THE WEEK
Tomato Pie
Make your own pastry or just roll out a sheet from the supermarket.

Pastry for one-crust pie
2-3 firm, red tomatoes, trimmed and sliced about 1/3 inch thick
About ½ cup flour, seasoned with garlic salt and black pepper
Small onion, finely minced
Small can mushroom slices, well drained
4-ounce package grated Cheddar cheese (about 1 cupful)
6 drained anchovies, more or less to taste
Whipping cream

    Using real butter, lightly butter pie plate. (Butter promotes browning.) Line a pie plate with pastry and flute the edges. Drain sliced tomatoes on paper toweling. 

    Mix flour, garlic salt and pepper. Dip tomato slices in seasoned flour and fill crust with alternate layers of tomato, mushrooms, cheese and onion. Top with chopped anchovies and add a little whipping cream  to about halfway up the crust. Bake at 400 degrees until crust is nicely browned and let stand at least 10 minutes. Cut in wedges. It’s traditionally served warm but is also good at room temperature or chilled.

Stove-top Method:  Do not use pre-made pastry. Melt 1 stick butter in a heavy skillet and stir in 1 cup (or more)  flour until it forms a ball. Using floured fingers, press crust to bottom and partway up sides of the skillet.  Cover skillet and pre-bake 5 minutes over medium heat.  Add fillings. Cover skillet and cook  over low-medium heat until crust is golden and tomato filling is bubbling. Let cool or chill to firm up before cutting.


Tips for the Galley Cook

* Make twice as many sandwiches as you need. Cut leftovers to fit in a buttered  skillet or casserole. Whisk eggs and milk to cover and soak sandwiches. Cook until eggs set

    * When shaking up large quantities of, say, gorp or parmesan popcorn, you need a BIG plastic bag. Just a reminder NOT to use a scented garbage bag for food.

    * Dump Soup: fry out a pound of ground beef, turkey or sausage and dump in 1 can each mixed vegetables, diced tomatoes, chicken gumbo soup, whole kernel corn, Rotel tomatoes and black beans, juices and all. Simmer. Serve as is or ladle it over split biscuits. I recommend stocking low-sodium canned foods. Then add salt and pepper to taste.    

    * Add an egg for firmer meatloaf or burgers. No egg? Soak 1 tablespoon flaxseed meal in 3 tablespoons water for 15 minutes. Then add to your favorite meat mixture.

 

     Survival Food Handbook is written for sailors and campers. It’s a guide to choosing, using and stowing affordable supermarket staples for emergencies and convenience. From day sails to voyaging, be ready when stuff happens. Food is the ultimate boating insurance. https://amzn.to/2PvOBbx
 

    
PANTRY RECIPE OF THE WEEK
               This weekly feature is always a recipe made entirely without fresh foods. In cruising and voyaging, emergencies happen. Do keep a good backup of shelf-stable foods. Real bacon bits come in jars, cans or packages.  Watch use-by dates. Your crew will ask about your secret ingredients. They are cloves and nutmeg and they add a subtle kick.

Kicky Dried Limas

  Soak beans in fresh water or 3 ½ cups fresh water and ½ cup clean sea water. 

2 cups dried lima beans
4 cups water
1/3 cup real bacon bits
1 tablespoon curry powder
½ teaspoon ground nutmeg
½ teaspoon ground cloves

1 cup reconstituted mushroom slices, chopped
1 can condensed cream of tomato soup

    Wash and pick over beans and soak overnight in salted water. Drain. Add 4 cups fresh water and cook with the bacon bits, curry, mushrooms, nutmeg and cloves. In a solar oven this takes most of the day; in a saucepan several hours; in a pressure cooker use manufacturer directions.
    Stir in condensed soup, add water if necessary,  and heat through. Serves 4 to 6.
 
    Cook’s note: dried limas come in many sizes from small to jumbo and in green or white. See packages for cooking directions.
    Shortcut method: empty 3 cans, 15 ounces each, large limas (also called butter beans)  into a saucepan and heat with the other ingredients. Stir well.

 

Have you read all five of the Yacht Yenta mysteries, January Justice through May Misfire on Kindle? They’re cozy, unique, salty, poignant and a total hoot for boaters from widow/author Farley Halladay. Each book stands alone, so start anywhere in the series.   https://amzn.to/3gJPBF2 

 

 

BONUS RECIPE
Tortilla Soup Your Way

    Tortillas are one of the most compact and versatile food supplies for cruising short or long term. Make this soup different each time with leftover, canned or deli meat.  Strip a rotisserie chicken. Dice a can of Spam. Cut up a stack of deli roast turkey. Hack a canned ham. Use up the leftover roast. Or make this soup with no meat at all. You can also vary the type of chili powder, fine-tune seasonings and use different toppings. 

6 corn tortillas, 6 inch size
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
32-ounce carton chicken, vegetable or beef broth OR
4 cups water plus 4 bouillon cubes
1 teaspoon each dried oregano and  chili powder
1 can whole kernel corn, drained
1 can red, white or black beans, rinsed and drained
10-ounce can chunk chicken, ham, turkey or sliced beef in gravy
Garnish, one or more:
Crisp tortilla strips
Grated  cheese or crumbled queso
Bottled salsa
Sour cream
Minced cilantro

    Stack tortillas and cut in strips with scissors. Heat oil in a saucepan and sizzle tortilla strips until crisp. Set aside on paper towel. If you like,  brown meat in the hot oil after removing tortillas.
            Bring broth or water to a boil (stir in bouillon to dissolve) and heat with other ingredients. Ladle into bowls and top with tortilla strips and garnishes of choice. Serves 6.

Easy Meals for Cruising, Boating, Sailing

Blog copyright 2021 Janet Groene. Start the new year with a $5 voluntary, one-year subscription by using your Paypal account to janetgroene at yahoo.com

 HAPPY NEW YEAR and Happy Boating with Happy Galley Meals, wherever you are! 

 

 

 

 

 

Galley Recipe of the Week
Waffle Casserole

8-count package waffles
16-ounce package frozen green and red peppers and onion mixture
8-ounce package grated cheddar cheese
8 large eggs
1 cup milk
½ teaspoon each salt, pepper
8-ounce package grated cheddar cheese
8 large eggs
1 cup milk
½ teaspoon each salt, pepper

 

   Generously butter a 9 X 13-inch baking dish generous. Thaw, drain and dry onion mixture. Spread dish with half the onion mixture. Top with a layer of  waffles, cutting to fit as necessary. Save excess waffles for another use.

    Add half the cheese in an even layer. Whisk eggs and milk with salt and pepper and pour over cheese. Cover with plastic wrap and chill several hours or overnight. Sprinkle with remaining cheese and bake at 350 degrees 30 to 45 minutes (time will vary according to how much the dish was chilled) until eggs “set”.

     Let cool 5 to 10 minutes, then cut in squares. Serve with a pancake turner. Serves 6 to 8. 
    
Stove-top method: Proceed as above, using a large, well buttered skillet or Dutch oven. After adding egg mixture, let stand 30 minutes. Cook, covered, over low-medium flame until it’s set, as for custard, and toasty around the edges. Add last half of the cheese and cover for a few minutes while cheese melts. 

 
 

In May Misfire, Book 5 of the Yacht Yenta “cozy” mystery series for Kindle, Farley Halladay returns to the ketch where her husband died. Get to know this salty widow as a cook, caregiver and kickass crime solver.   https://amzn.to/3gJPBF2


PANTRY RECIPE OF THE WEEK

    This weekly recipe feature is to suggest things made entirely from stowed food supplies. An ample pantry is one of your best insurance policies at sea or at the dock. Balsamic vinegar, honey and sugars are among those versatile foods that keep almost forever.

Balsamic Drizzle
    This is an all-purpose flavor enhancer to drizzle over almost any meal you can pull together.

 1 1/2 cups balsamic vinegar
1/3 cup brown sugar
1/3 cup honey
    Boil for 8 minutes, cool and use now or refrigerate for future use. Drizzle sparingly over meats, vegetables, omelets, fresh fruit.   A little goes a long way. Makes 1 ½ cups. 

Boat Cook Tips

    * Once or twice a year,  buy a small supply of dishwasher detergent and use it in very hot water to soak plastic food storage containers. This very caustic cleaner removes odors and discoloration. Rinse well. (Don’t put your bare hands in it.)

    * A good roach magnet is to sprinkle a little borax in damp sinks and the shower pan before turning in for the night. Roaches go for the mixture and die after touching borax.(They don't have to eat it.)

    * If you get an infestation of fleas on board, put out shallow, shiny pans of water with one drop liquid detergent added. (This breaks surface tension). Set pans in places where they’ll get a glint of light. Fleas dive in and drown.

    * For ants, mix equal amounts of sugar and borax and dip a wet sponge in it. Leave sponges in places where ants travel.

BONUS RECIPE
Pearl Harbor Pasta Salad

    This make-ahead salad is a main dish for easy entertaining on board. Assemble it up to two days ahead and keep it well chilled. Don’t over-cook the pasta. It should have room to absorb some of the tangy  dressing. Vary the fruits if you wish, using a total of 4 to 5 cups. Ham is a good substitute for the smoked turkey. 

20-ounce can pineapple tidbits in their own juice
10-ounce can mandarin oranges in juice or light syrup
10- or 12-ounce can mango or peach chunks in their own juice
1 ½ pounds deli smoked turkey*
16-ounce package medium pasta such as penne, cooked al dente
1 1/2 cups bottled citrus dressing
1 ½ cups whole pecans
1 cup shredded coconut (optional)

* Have it sliced very thick, then cut it in strips.
    
 Drain the fruit well, saving juices to make fruit punch. Combine everything but the coconut in a large plastic bag. Zip it shut and “work” the bag gently to mix everything well. Chill. To serve, put in a serving bowl and scatter with shredded coconut if you wish. Serves 8 to 12.

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Easy Galley Recipes for Boating, Sailing

Blog copyright Janet Groene 2020, all rights reserved. To donate $5 a year as a voluntary subscription, use your Paypal account to janetgroene at yahoo.com

 

 

 

 
GALLEY RECIPE

OF THE WEEK
Pumpkin Lasagna

15-ounce can pumpkin puree (not pumpkin pie filling)
1 teaspoon dried Italian mixed herbs (divided)
6 to 8 no-cook lasagna noodles
2 cups cottage cheese
2 eggs
½ teaspoon freshly ground pepper
1/3 cup grated Parmesan
15-ounce can French-cut green beans, well drained (optional)
1/3 cup grated Parmesan

    Set oven for 400 degrees. Generously grease a baking pan. Mix ½ teaspoon Italian seasoning into the pumpkin and “butter” each uncooked  lasagna noodle generously with it.

     Place a layer of  noodles in the pan, pumpkin side down. Whisk Parmesan into cottage cheese and fold in eggs,  green beans and the other ½ teaspoon herbs. Spread half over noodles and top with two more pumpkin-spread noodles.   Spread with remaining cottage cheese mixture and end with more noodles, pumpkin side up.

    Cover with nonstick or sprayed foil and bake at 400 degrees for 20 minutes o runtil eggs "set" at 160 degrees.  Uncover carefully (steam is hot). Sprinkle with remaining 1/3 cup Parmesan and bake another 8 to 10 minutes to brown and melt the cheese. Let stand 5 minutes and cut in squares. Serves 4. 

Stove Top Method
    Start with a greased skillet and proceed as above. Drizzle with 1/3 cup water. Cover tightly and cook over low-medium heat, allowing noodles to steam, until noodles are tender and eggs are set. Cheese will melt, but will not brown. Cut in wedges.

PANTRY RECIPE OF THE WEEK
Any-Port-in-a-Storm Fig Sauce
    Vary the flavor next time by using another fruity liqueur such as Cherry Heering or apple schnapps.

  

8 dried figs, cut up fine
1 cup each port wine and water
2 tablespoons “minute” tapioca
1/2 teaspoon dried rosemary
1 tablespoon (or more to taste) Triple Sec or other orange liqueur

    Bring water, wine and figs to a boil and stir in tapioca and rosemary. Cover, reduce heat, and simmer 20 minutes, stirring occasionally,  until figs are plump and sauce thick. Remove from heat, stir in liqueur and spoon over cooked meat or fish , fluffy scrambled eggs, warm Brie or steamed  rice.

Tips for the Galley Cook

    * Fold fruit flavor gelatin dessert mix (cherry or orange are good)  into cottage cheese to taste and serve as a dessert.

    * Make-ahead cookie mix. In a bag place 1 cup each flour, oat flakes, chocolate chips, and sugar plus  1 teaspoon each baking soda and cinnamon and ½ cup chopped nuts or shredded coconut. Seal and keep in a cool place. To proceed beat 1 stick butter and 2 eggs with 1 teaspoon vanilla. Fold in dry mix and bake as for drop cookies. 

 

    * Instead of  mulled wine, try a cranberry toddy for the holidays. Heat 8 cups water with 1 ½ cups sugar, 5 cups cranberry juice and 1 teaspoon each cloves and cinnamon. Stir well and serve steaming, with or without a tot of rum. Garnish with sliced orange.

    * Put a golden glow on bottled Alfredo sauce by stirring in pumpkin puree to taste.
    

 

 

    * Are you onto Farley Halladay, the Yacht Yenta yet? In March Malice, Book 3 of the series, she has to get her captive sister out of the Mediterranean with the help of a nun and an olive merchant's freight boat. Such fun at sea and on shore with this salty, spunky widow. Each e-book is also peppered with easy galley recipes. Order now in time for Christmas on your Kindle.    https://amzn.to/30CJRY3


SKILLET MEAL OF THE WEEK
SPANISH TORTILLA

2 tablespoons olive oil
½ stick butter

3 cups canned or fresh sliced potatoes
Medium onion, diced

6 eggs
½ teaspoon each salt, pepper
½ teaspoon dried thyme (optional) OR
½ teaspoon smoked paprika

2 small Roma tomatoes, diced
About ½ cup shredded aged Manchego cheese

    In a large skillet melt butter with olive oil. Swirl it around to coat the pan and pour out excess.  Put potatoes and onion in the skillet in a tight layer.  Drizzle with remaining butter mixture.  Cover and cook over reduced heat until potatoes are tender.
    Whisk eggs with seasonings and pour over potato layer. Cover and cook just until eggs set. Sprinkle with diced tomato. Top with cheese and cover for a few minutes until cheese melts. Serves 6.

Quick Meals for the Small Boat Galley

Blog copyright Janet Groene, all rights reserved. Start now for 2021? To donate $5 once a year as a voluntary subscription, use your PayPal account to janetgroene at yahoo.com

 

GALLEY RECIPE OF THE WEEK
Salad Pie

2 cups crumbs made from soda crackers, Ritz or potato chips
½ stick butter, melted
½ teaspoon dried herb such as parsley, basil, tarragon or thyme

3 to 4 cups  egg, chicken or tuna salad, homemade or from the deli
Optional garnish: Sliced scallions, sunflower “nuts” or minced cilantro

"Frost" with a swirl of sour cream

Mix melted butter into crumb and herb mixture and press into a pie plate to form a crust. Optional: Chill now or bake 5 minutes at 350 degrees, then  cool and chill. (Baking develops the taste and makes for a crustier crust, but the crust can also be chilled without baking.)  Just before serving, pack crust with salad, slice and serve at once. Serves 6. 

Tips for the Galley Cook

* Toss 2 cups of cauliflower “rice” with 2 tablespoons flour and ½ t. salt. Add  beaten egg. Fry as for pancakes. Serves two.

    * Make a different icebox pie crust each time. Make crumbs from different cookies, wafers, graham crackers, pretzels. To  2 cups crumbs add 1/4 cup each melted butter and brown sugar.   Press tightly into pie plate and chill. Add filling. Chill. 

    * In a skillet, melt butter and toast bread crumbs with a touch of herbs or poppy seeds. Bake biscuits and dip in buttered crumbs before baking.

    * Powdered bouillons and pastes are a good choice to save space, but for cruising,  bouillon cubes are individually measured and wrapped. Keep cool and well sealed. Just plop into very hot water and stir. 

 

Who is Farley Halladay? Janet Groene’s fictional, 50-ish widow is a salt-cured veteran of the sea now stuck ashore and operating an online charterboat booking business while caring for her late husband’s elderly, seadog friend. In her series of cozy mysteries she takes readers to the seven seas while sharing galley recipes and solving nasty little crimes. Laugh and cry with this unique character in books one through five, starting with January Justice through May Misfire. Each book stands alone, so start anywhere. February Felony  https://amzn.to/31uR1wr

 

PANTRY MEAL OF THE WEEK
    This weekly feature needs no fresh ingredients unless, of course, you have them on hand.

Bulgur Hot Pot

1/3 cup olive oil   
2 cups bulgur
3 to 4 tablespoons dried onion bits
3 cups water
3 chicken bouillon cubes
1 to 2 cans, 10 ounces each, chunk chicken
1 can condensed cream of chicken, mushroom or celery soup
1 soup can water, milk or light cream
Dried parsley flakes

     In a pan, heat oil and lightly toast bulgur and onion bits, watching carefully until they are lightly browned. Stir in 3 cups water and bouillon.  Bring to boiling. Stir to dissolve bouillon and break up  chicken.  Cover, reduce heat and cook over low heat until bulgur is tender. Whisk soup and additional liquid and stir in with the chicken. Heat through. Sprinkle with parsley flakes. Serves 6 to 8.
 

SKILLET MEAL OF THE WEEK
Skillet Beef Taco Casserole

3 cups crushed corn chips
1 cup (or more to taste)  shredded Monterey Jack cheese
1 pound ground meat, chicken or turkey
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
15-ounce can tomato sauce
1 packet taco seasoning
1 to 2 cans pinto or red beans, rinsed and drained

    Crush corn chips and toss with shredded cheese. Set aside. Fry out meat in hot oil, breaking it up. Spoon off any excess fat.  Stir in seasoning, beans and tomato sauce Fold in half the corn chips and put remaining corn chip on top. Cover and cook over low-medium heat until cheese melts. Serves 4-6.
Alternate plan: for a crisper dish, save some of the corn chips and cheese to sprinkle on at serving time. 

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Sailing, Cruising Meals for the Small Galley

Blog copyright Janet Groene, all rights reserved. To ask about placing one ad, one link for one year on all six Groene sites for one low rate, email janetgroene at yahoo.com

 

Galley Recipe of the Week
Carrot Cake Biscuits
 

1 ½ cups biscuit mix
1 teaspoon sugar
½ teaspoon cinnamon
Small jar strained carrots baby food
Milk or water
Flour
1/4 cup finely chopped nuts or pecan meal
1/4 cup golden raisins

 

    Mix biscuit mix, sugar and cinnamon. Stir in strained carrots and milk or water if needed to make a thick dough. Turn out on a floured paper towel and knead only enough to combine well. Pat to about ½ inch thick and cut in rounds or wedges. Bake at 400 degrees until brown and crusty. Makes 8.

Tips for the Boat Cook

    * To make a Dijon cream to dollop atop sliced ham, combine 1/2 cup each mayonnaise and whipped topping plus a tablespoon or two of Dijon mustard. 

    * Make pickled pea poppers to eat as snacks or put in salads. Trim two cups of snap peas or pea pods. Put them in a non-reactive container with two cloves garlic and 1 tablespoon dried dill seed. Boil together 1 cup each water and vinegar with 1 tablespoon each sugar and non-iodized salt. Pour over peas. Cool, chill overnight.

 

 

 

Survival Food Handbook, written just for sailors and campers, is a guide to emergency eats, compact foods, shelf-stable supermarket supplies rather than pricey survival rations, how much is enough, how to choose, stow and use canned and packaged provisions. Kindle or paperback,  http://amzn.to/1WdYqbe

   * Leftover rice and wild rice mix? Add it to scrambled eggs.

    * Need a gluten-free pie crust? Crush rice cereal, mix with melted butter, a little sugar and cinnamon and press into the pie pan. Use as you would a graham cracker crust. 

    * Rehydrate couscous in a bowl according to package directions. In a skillet, stir-fry spring  vegetables (pea pods, scallions, cut asparagus, what have you) alone or with tofu or meat. Fold into warm couscous and serve at once. 

    * For serious cruising it’s always smart to remove labels from canned goods and re-label them with a grease pencil. (Other markers wash off.) In a flood emergency, paper labels float off and clog the bilge pump.

Pantry Recipe of the Week
    Your crew won’t believe this dish can be made 100% from pantry staples. Find polenta in tubes in the grocer’s shelf. Watch use-by dates.  Of course you can always make it from scratch if time allows.

Creole Shrimp Gravy

Small can of chunk ham, drained
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
2 tablespoons diced dried onions
½ teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon Creole or Cajun seasoning
Small can of diced chilies, drained
3 ½ cups water
3 tablespoons cornstarch
2 fish or chicken flavor bouillon cubes
1 or 2 cans of shrimp, drained OR
2 cups frozen salad shrimp,  thawed and drained
I tube of polenta,  sliced

 

    Drain ham juice into a small container with dried onions and let them soak. Heat oil and sizzle ham to brown it, breaking it up as you go. When it’s thorough browned, stir in seasonings, chilies, bouillon, onions  and three cups water. Bring to a boil and stir to dissolve bouillon.
    Stir cornstarch into remaining half cup of water and add to the pot. When gravy thickens fold in shrimp gently to avoid breaking it up. Heat well and spoon over sliced polenta. 
Cook’s note: polenta can be heated, fried, grilled or just plated as is, counting on the hot gravy to warm it up. 

    
Skillet Recipe of the Week
Grits, Greens ‘n Gruyére
3 packets instant grits
Boiling water
½ stick butter
1 teaspoon minced garlic
6 eggs
4 cups baby spinach, cut up
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
10-ounce package Gruyére or Swiss cheese, shredded

   In a large bowl mix hot water into grits until creamy. Cover and set aside to steep. In a skillet melt butter and sizzle garlic to soften it but watch so it doesn’t burn. Mix eggs and spinach into warm grits with salt and nutmeg. Fold in most of the cheese, saving some to sprinkle on top.

    Swirl butter to coat skillet.  Put grits mixture in the skillet and top with remaining cheese. Cover and cook over low/medium heat until it’s firm.  Cut in wedges. Serves 4-6. 
    Cook’s note: If you have a broiler or a kitchen torch, it’s a nice  final touch to brown the top. 
    

Galley Ready Recipes to Cook on a Boat

 Blog copyright Janet Groene, all rights reserved. To donate $5 a year as a voluntary subscription to this weekly 'zine, use Paypal to pay to janetgroene at yahoo.com

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I bought some canned peaches in a Florida supermarket today and noted on the label that they are from South Africa. That reminded me of my friends who circumnavigated and raved about the fruit they stocked up on there. 

 Pantry Recipe of the Week
    Each we present a recipe that can be made entirely from shelf-stable provisions. Whether you’re voyaging, provisioning for a long haul or just want to be prepared for the next emergency, these recipes are handy to have, delicious to eat.

Your Secret Rice Pilaf Mix For
Yourself and For Gifts
    This shelf-ready, homemade  mix is quick and tasty. Save time later by making a huge batch all at once. Then package it in sizes for yourself and for  gifts to marina neighbors. Don’t forget to include instructions for completing the pilaf. 

 Make it your own by using a specialty rice such as red rice, jasmine, black rice, brown rice or a mixture. You might also put specialty peppercorns in your pepper grinder.  Note that the soup mixes contain all the salt needed.  Each bag makes 3 to 5 servings.

Start with 12 cups raw rice. In each sandwich size zip-top bag place one cup rice.

In a bowl mix:

2 tablespoons garlic powder (not garlic salt)
1/3 cup dried parsley flakes
1 teaspoon dry mustard
1 tablespoon coarsely ground pepper
1 packet Lipton onion soup mix and 1 packet Knorr spring vegetable soup mix
1 cup freeze-dried sliced mushrooms (optional)
    
Mix well and divide mixture 12 ways into zip-top snack bags.  You now have sets of two bags,  keeping rice separate so it can be rinsed before cooking. Place each set in another plastic or gift bag with preparation instructions.

    Saucepan method: Rinse rice well. Bring 2 ½ cups water to a boil, stir in rice and bag of  seasoning mix. Cook,  covered over low heat until rice and dried vegetables are tender. .
    Pressure cooker method: Rinse rice well. Bring water to a boil, add rice and seasoning mix and cook 5 minutes at full pressure. Let pressure normalize naturally.   

Serving suggestions: Serve as a side dish OR add broth, a can of chicken. canned tomatoes and other ingredients to turn it into a soup OR add scrambled eggs and make fried rice.  

Tips for the Galley Cook

    * Planning a potluck at your sailing club or marina? See  galley-easy, affordable potluck ideas each week at https://CampAndRVCook.blogspot.com

    * Put hot dogs in five to six  8-inch  buns and line them up in a greased, 8 X 8 baking dish or  pan.  An 8 X 8-inch square pan will hold 4 to 6. Whisk 4 eggs, 2 cups milk and 2 tablespoons yellow mustard, pour over hot dogs and refrigerate for several hours until liquid soaks in. Sprinkle with shredded cheese if you like. Bake or microwave  until set, as for custard. Cut into portions. Pass the ketchup.

    * No bacon? Make your favorite chowder recipe with torn bits of dried, chipped beef, frazzled in a little butter or oil.

    * When stocking up on canned salmon for a long cruise,  note that the redder the fish, the higher the price. Salmon is high on my list of items for the emergency larder.

Skillet Meal of the Week
Sausage ‘n Sweets
    When cruising I love to try the different sausages in different regions. Food shopping is part of the fun of travel. 

    The finer you cut the sweet potatoes, the faster they cook. 

2 teaspoons sugar
1 tablespoon flour
1/4 teaspoon cinnamon

1 pound lean bulk sausage
2 to 3 cups peeled, diced sweet potato
½ cup water
3 tart apples, peeled and diced

In a small container, mix sugar, flour and cinnamon. Set aside.

Fry out sausage, breaking it up into fine crumbles. Spoon off any excess fat but do leave some for flavor. Stir in sweet potato and apples to coat. Add water, cover and cook until potatoes are tender.

Stir flour mixture into 1/4 cup cold water and stir into skillet. Stir until sauce thickens. Serves 4 to 6.  

Cook’s note: To add extra sweetness, garnish with bits of diced banana

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Galley Recipe of the Week
Frizzy Frigate  Soup
    Escarole is sometimes called curly endive, which is sometimes called frisée. Although the three greens have small differences they are all tangy and delicious in this main-dish soup.  If you make your own meatballs for this soup, make them small and bite size.  

1 bunch (about 1 pound) curly endive, washed and well drained
8 cups water
8 bouillon cubes (vegetable, chicken, beef or a mixture)
15-ounce can diced tomatoes
½ cup small pasta or spaghetti broken in small pieces
1 tablespoon mixed Italian seasoning
14- to 16-ounce package fully cooked small meatballs, thawed
Salt, pepper
Shaker of Parmesan cheese

    Roll escarole in a towel to dry it well, then chop it in bite size. Combine water  and tomatoes, bring to a boil and add escarole, bouillon and Italian seasoning. When mixture comes back to a boil, add pasta.
    When  escarole and pasta are tender, begin dropping in meatballs while keeping soup at a simmer. When everything is heated through, season to taste. Ladle into soup bowls and pass the Parmesan cheese. Serves 6 to 8.