Cruising Cooks and Nautical Notes

Blog copyright Janet Groene 2023 To ask about placing your ad on all six Groene sites for one year, one low rate, email janetgroene at yahoo.com

These recipes are for cruising sailors with a small boat, small galley and small wallet. For ten years I lived on board a 29-foot sloop with a two-burner Primus stove  and a tiny, 110-V reefer for the rare times we were on shore power.  In summer I lived and traveled in a 21-foot RV that had a small fridge, propane stove and small oven. My recipes save space, water, cleanup time and cooking fuel.

 

 
Galley Recipe of the Week
Peachy Baked Oatmeal
    Serve it for breakfast or as a high-fiber dinner dessert that sticks to the ribs well into the night watch.

2 cups rolled oats (not instant, not steel cut)
1 teaspoon baking powder
½ teaspoon baking soda
1/3 cup brown sugar
2 teaspoons cinnamon
Pinch salt
About 3 cups sliced peaches, drained
2 cups milk
2 eggs
1/4 cup vegetable oil
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
½ cup to 1 cup chopped nuts (optional)
Pancake syrup (optional)

    Set the oven to 375 F. Combine dry ingredients in a big bowl and mix well. Grease a 9 X 13-inch baking dish and arrange half the peaches. Sprinkle with half the dry mixture. Add remaining peaches and remaining dry mixture.
    In the same bowl whisk milk, eggs, oil and vanilla and pour slowly and evenly over the oat mixture. Give it a few minutes for liquids to sink in. Sprinkle nuts on top. Bake 40 to 45 minutes at 375 degrees. It should be golden on top and chewy in the center. Serve warm, at “room” temperature or chilled. Serve plain or with pancake syrup. 

See Janet Groene's bio and a list of her books including  Survival Food Handbook, Creating Comfort Afloat and How to Live Board a Boat at https://janetgroene.blogspot.com
   
 Pantry Recipe of the Week
Pronto Paella

 

     To the cruising sailor, freedom means food independence at all times in all situations. Freezers fail. Island supply boats are delayed. Ice melts. Winds die or blow too hard. Funds run out. 

 Here is this week’s recipe using stowed foods from your stand-by locker before you have to delve into those awful  survival rations.

Small can hot and spicy Vienna sausages
2-3 tablespoons diced dried onions

1 tablespoon vegetable oil
1 cup rice
10-ounce can chunk chicken
1 or 2 cans shrimp, drained
Small can whole clams with juice
2 cups liquid
Canned mussels in shells (optional)
Dried parsley or chives

    Empty juice from sausages into a small cup and soak dried onions. Slice sausages and sizzle in hot oil in a large, nonstick skillet. Gradually stir in rice to coat. Drain any juice from the chicken and add water to make 2 cups. (If you also use juice from the seafood, strain it to remove bits of shell or cartilage).  Add liquid to the skillet and bring to a boil.
    Cover pan and cook over low heat without stirring until rice is tender. Stir in seafood heat through.
    If you have a can of  mussels in the shell, they make a nice garnish. Arrange them on top, cover and heat. Sprinkle with dried parsley or chives. Serves 4. 

  

 

 

Survival Food Handbook (International Marine Publishing)  is written for sailors and campers who have limited storage space. Using affordable, familiar supermarket staples, you can have an ample pantry of stand-by foods for brief emergencies.  See lists, nutritional information, recipes, storage tips.   Kindle or paperback. http://amzn.to/1WdYqbe

 

 

 

ONE POT RECIPE OF THE WEEK

Rainbow Spanish Rice
    This colorful, one-burner dish combines ethnic ingredients from America’s melting pot to make a main dish for a mixed crowd.  You might also throw in some black or red beans in addition to, or instead of the meat.  Serve it right out of the pot and pass a choice of ethnic hot sauces.  

 

 
24-ounce package Polish kielbasa or other cooked ethnic sausage
2 tablespoons canola oil
12-ounce package frozen onion and pepper mix, thawed and drained
3 cups diced vegetables (carrot, zucchini, jicama, turnip, rutabaga, plantain, what have you)
1 tablespoon minced garlic
5 cups water
28-ounce can diced tomatoes
2 ½ cups long-grain white rice
1 tablespoon sweet or smoked paprika
Small can sliced ripe olives, drained
Canned red or black beans (optional) 

Salt, pepper to taste

Hot sauce

1. Start with a big pot or Dutch oven. Cut kielbasa into small bites and stir-fry it in hot oil over high heat, gradually stirring in vegetables,  garlic and rice to coat.
2. Add water and tomatoes and bring to a boil. Stir in paprika, cover, reduce heat and cook over very low flame 25 to 30 minutes. Do not peek or stir during cooking. . Rice will be tender and liquids absorbed.  
3. Stir in olives (and beans if using). Serve warm. Serves 8 to 12. 

BONUS RECIPE

Corny Crab
    Serve this saucy concoction over cooked rice, pasta or noodles, crisp Asian noodles,  steamed carrot sticks or cabbage wedges,  toaster waffles,  pancakes or corn muffins. 

 
3-4 slices bacon, cut up
Medium onion, finely chopped
1 tablespoon dried parsley flakes
1 teaspoon dried thyme
16-ounce tub of fresh lump crabmeat, picked over
15-ounce can whole kernel corn*, drained
1 tablespoon cornstarch
2-ounce jar diced pimentos, drained

    Fry out bacon and spoon off excess fat, leaving about 2 tablespoons fat in the pan. Continue stirring over medium-high heat while adding parsley, thyme, crab and corn. Cover and cook over low heat while adding cornstarch to 2/3 cup liquid*. Stir into crab mixture over medium heat until it thickens. Stir in pimentos. Spoon over base of your choice. Serves 4 to 6.

* Water plus juice drained from corn
 

See nautical news, views and cues from Farley Halladay, author of the Yacht Yenta mysteries, at https://farleyhalladay.blogspot.com
 

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