Chefs at Sea

Comment

Comment by Richard on June 5, 2008 at 3:58pm

Read your article and will be looking for that immersion blender for sure.

Your mention of a Chinese cleaver for "dismembering chicken carcasses" reminds me of a funny incident regarding the same that happened in Fronteras, Guatemala, on the Rio Dulce. I had met a young British couple in Isla Mujeres and we both met up again on the Rio Dulce. Chris decided he would make a chicken curry for us one day and we went to the market to buy the essential ingredients, namely a scrawny chicken. He didn't have the all-important cleaver on his boat so he asked the butcher if he could chop it up for us.

"No problema, senor," the butcher said pulling out a machete. WHACK! WHACK! WHACK! and the bird was in pieces. Not how WE envision a cut up chicken to be, i.e. wings, drumsticks, thighs and breasts, but simply hacked at ninety degree angles to the midline of the birds keel line!

It really didn't matter, because after we picked ourselves up off the ground with tears streaming down our cheeks from laughter the final result of the curry was delicious.

Comment by Robbie Johnson on June 5, 2008 at 2:53pm

Fellow sailors:

For my part, I think the galley is the heart and soul of a sailboat.

I saw this old Irish proverb recently and thought it right on:

"Laughter is brightest in the place where the food is."

Something else to think about: This from Dr. Robert Zubrin, President of the Mars Society, speaking about the long voyage through space to Mars:

"The art of cooking seems to help people get along with each other, especially when they are in slightly dire, less than luxurious and more than stressful circumstances."

I believe that description of Dr. Zubrin's is quite apt for the wet, restricted spaces and sometimes scary circumstances incurred while voyaging.

There's nothing quite like a hot meal after coming down from a watch on a stormy deck. The trick is to know how to put together a satisfying meal quickly (10-20 minutes) under all conditions, and without refrigeration. Nothing to it, just a matter of practice and planning.

Check out my new cookbook for sailors, then ask away. www.gourmetunderway.com

Be happy to swap recipes and tips with my fellow chefs.

Best regards,

Robbie Johnson

Comment by carole lowry on May 28, 2008 at 7:17pm

For the not so ambitious chef.
1. I found bisquick pancake mix in a container where you just add water and shake. Great (fast) breakfast and it is hard to go wrong. The containers store easily in small places and keep for an extended period (before you add the water). I added blueberries to the container, after the mix had been shaken. Lovely treat.
2. Salmon, tuna and chicken come in easy to open (without the can opener) 3 ounce packages. Able to store several in small places without refridgeration and always ready when a quick lunch is needed. Much lighter than cans and space efficient.
Enjoy
Carole

Comment by Richard on May 16, 2008 at 6:41pm

Hopefully the members of the group will add some nice recipies we'll all want to try, but I'm interested in knowing what your galley's like where these culinary treats will be whipped up.

I have run and worked on boats from 41' to 176' with galleys that rival most homes. At the other end of the spectrum I also lived for six years on a 26' sailboat. My primary stove was a two-burner propane stove top that I bought at an RV dealership. It was much more substantial than a Coleman camper stove. It was fueled by two five pound propane bottles. They looked to be miniatures of the 20 pound bottles used for BBQ grills. They were both filled when I left Key West and I spent the next six months in Mexico, Belize, and the Rio Dulce. I had one of the bottles filled in Guatemala. It worked out that each bottle would last me nearly 3 months. And I did a lot of cooking. At least breakfast and dinner every day. The stove sat on the chart table when in use and under the quarter berth when not. Of course it was useless when under way but my single burner Sea Swinging gimbaled stove did admirable duty. When it anchor or dockside I could also put the Sea Swing to use as a third burner when needed.

One of the best meals I've ever cooked on that boat was at anchor off of Garbutt Caye in Belize. I traded with the fishermen there on the tiny island two cans of Chef Boyardee ravioli, two cans of Bush's Boston baked beans, an onion and two very small Taster's Choice instant coffees and received 13 fresh lobster tails and 3 conch. Since I had no refrigeration on my small boat and hadn't even had ice for my cooler in about a week it was necessary to cook and eat the lobsters as soon as possible. As I watched the sun set behind the mountains in Belize I whipped up a lobster Newberg that I devoured in the cockpit.

Lobster Newberg (or shrimp or seafood)

First prepare a basic white sauce:
two tablespoons butter
two tablespoons flour
1 cup milk
salt and pepper to taste

Melt the butter in a saucepan. Mix in the flour to make a roux. Slowly add the milk to the roux until completely blended. Stir constantly over medium heat until sauce starts to thicken.

Cut the lobster tails into chunks. Melt some more artery clogging butter in a deep frying pan. Shake in a half teaspoon or so of paprika for color. Sauté the lobster (or whatever other seafood you desire) in the butter until almost cooked. Add about six or seven good glugs of sherry from that bottle you keep hidden away. When the lobster is completely cooked stir in the white sauce which now, because of the paprika, should take on a nice pink color. You can also throw in a cup of peas for some added color and your veggies.

Comment by Gianni Starace on April 23, 2008 at 10:06am

FRIED POLENTA AS SNACK.
4 CUPS WATER
1 TBS UNSALTED BUTTER
1 BAY LEAF
2 TBS COURSE SALT
1 1/2 CUP COARSE YELLOW CORN MEAL
OLIVE OIL FOR FRYING

DIRECTIONS
In heavy pot bring all ingredients except corn meal and oil tosimmer over medium heat.
Very slowly sift in corn meal through your fingers, stir constantly and sift all cornmeal into pan. Reduce heat and stir constantly until polenta is smooth and pulls away from sides of pot.
Discard bay leaf.
Pour into pie plates and let stand until cool.
When cool cut into wedges and place into pan with hot olive oil.
Fry until crisp and serve.
Makes great afternoon snack.
Enjoy!

You can add chopped cooked broccoli flowers while cooking polenta or
even some cooked sausage and onions for breakfast.

Comment by Freedom on April 20, 2008 at 8:04pm

Ever thought what cooking a barbecue at 17kts is like? Check out this video:

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