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Recipes anyone?

6K views 28 replies 12 participants last post by  wind_magic 
#1 ·
I love to cook, but I have a feeling that living aboard cooking is completly different. Do any of you have your faviorte recipes?
 
#2 ·
less "different" than you'd think (i hope!)

Hi Katejoy, if living aboard cooking was *really* different it would feel too much like camping out, and that would be no good! So if you already like to cook, use your favorite recipes. That said, here's a few thoughts I've had about the differences after 5-1/2 years aboard fulltime. Don't know what's in your galley, we have a fridge but no freezer, a stove & oven & broiler but no microwave. (And no grill CD! You'll have to provide advice on that :) ):

You're probably more constrained by fuel and water than you are on land. For example, boiling a big pot of water for pasta isn't as efficient as couscous, where all the water is absorbed.
We use a pressure cooker a lot, for various permutations on beans and rice plus whatever veggies are handy. Less water, and cooks faster. We do lots of one-pot meals, soups and stews. BTW, serve them in big deep bowls only half-full, so they have room to slosh if its rough and not spill on the unlucky diner. And nothing greasy or very spicy if anyone's prone to seasickness.

We don't use the oven as much as we did on land - especially in summer. It has less insulation than a home oven and really heats the cabin. If you've gotta bake, do it early morning or late evening. We substitute lots of stovetop things - an omelet uses about the same ingredients as a quiche, and fill the same niche on the brunch table without so much waste heat.

Revisit your appetizer recipe collection, you'll want a few on hand always for the many cruiser happy hours you'll enjoy with your fellow liveaboards; and your sandwich/wrap collection for when you're at the helm thru lunch.

I know this isn't exactly what you asked for, but hope it helps point you in a direction. Give us a few more specifics and maybe I or someone else can tailor a response a bit more - are you planning to be in a marina? cruising? what kind of boat and what part of the world?

Someone on the site, T37Chef?? was considering building a cooking class with categories like "things to eat while underway" and "things to bring to a raftup" perhaps s/he can also help?
 
#3 ·
We've lived aboard since the late 80's in a variety of boats and I totally agree with eryka. When we're dockside I cook pretty much the same way I would in a land based kitchen and we have a small galley. It's just a matter of organization and a little imagination.

Most of our dockside meals do tend to be 2 pot meals. Our galley is a little small to start sorting out three different pots, but if I want to cook say rice, vegetables and meat or another dish, I will often steam my vegetables along with the rice. ( I just lay them on the rice for the last few minuets of cooking and add a little more water to the pot from the start.) I stir fry in a deep frying pan (or pot if I need to stir fry for a group) rather than a wok because we don't have room to store one. I don't have a tea pot, but make herbal teas and other teas from loose leaves in a thermous with a tea bell....

Offshore is another thing. We go one pot meals unless it's dead calm.

And I'd be up for sharing some recipes. Where is T37Chef? Their idea sounds great.

Robyn
 
#4 ·
One of my staples is cut up some taters, green and red pepper, onion, toss it in a skillet with butter, and while that's frying, slice up some sausage (I usually use Hot Sausage) and toss that in. Stir it up occasionally until the taters are done.
 
#5 ·
One of my favorite cooking techniques is to quickly stir-fry veggies and various meats over the cooktop. The cooking portion takes little time - but preparation of the ingredients and sauces can be time-consuming. Not a problem when dockside of course, advance prep saves time when cruising.

Through the years, I've perfected different base sauces for beef, chicken or seafood and have them printed on index cards. I'll try to recall the beef stir-fry recipe, fairly simple anyway.

INGREDIENTS
  • Mince 3 cloves garlic and 2 tbsp fresh ginger root
  • Slice 1 lb of sirloin tips into 1-1/4" x 3/4" x 1/4" strips
  • 3 green onions, bias-cut in 3/4" pieces
  • 4-5 stalks bok choy - chop roughly, diagonal cut
  • Julienne 1/2 red pepper
  • 3/4 lb ****ake mushrooms (or button) - cut in bite size chunks
  • 1/4 cup light soy sauce
  • 3 tbsp peanut oil
  • 1 tbsp corn starch - mix w/1 tbsp water
  • fresh ground black pepper
  • 2 tbsp dry sherry
  • 2 tbsp butter
SAUCE (adjust quantities to taste)
  • 1/4 cup rich chicken stock (I reduce a can in saucepan)
  • 1/3 cup dark soy sauce
  • 1/4 cup oyster sauce
  • 1/4 cup sesame oil
  • 3 tbsp dry sherry
  • Chinese chili sauce (or chili oil)
  • ground black pepper
  • 2 tbsp corn starch - mixed with 2 tbsp water (add during cooking)
  • 1 tbsp sugar
PREPARATION

Mix beef with light soy, 1 tbsp peanut oil and 1 tbsp corn starch mixture
(this could be done in advance, along with chopped veggies -refrigerate until ready to cook)

Heat a wok (or deep skillet) to highest flame on cooktop, add 1 tbsp peanut oil. When oil smokes, stir-fry beef until it just loses pinkness and transfer to a work platter.

Reheat wok, add remaining 2 tbsp peanut oil and butter, saute garlic and ginger a few seconds. Add all vegetables and stir-fry until bok choy brightens - about 2-3 minutes - then return beef to wok, stir-fry another minute. Add sauce, stir and thicken with cornstarch mixture.

This can be eaten as is, or served over rice or noodles. You could substitute veggies with whatever is on hand, since the sauce is what makes the dish - delicious!
 
#6 ·
You guys want my recipe for ramen noodle soup? (One of the "four food groups" for this sailor.) :)

I've been experimenting with foods that can be served at room temperature, inspired by a recipe in the Washington Post last summer for marinated swordfish steak with tomatoes & olives. Handy for potlucks.

Hey, I'm definitely up for trading recipes, but for now, I'm supposed to be working. Thought I'd give you-all some value for your tax dollar today so I'll post in over the weekend. (They're on my home computer anyways)
 
#7 ·
Do grill recipes count... I guess that's a moot question for CD... :) I'll dig up a grill recipe in a bit and post it.
 
#8 ·
After 2 years living aboard I finally got a used marine propane oven. I only had a 2 burner range prior that came with my boat. Finally I can bake a chicken using the free rosemary growing all around my marina. And COOKIES!!!

Easy peasy lemon and marina herb chicken:

-chop rosemary enough to slather all over the chicken. Leave a bunch un chopped to stuff bird
-chop 3 lemons, squeeze one lemon all over chicken, stuff with other 2 lemons and several bunchs of rosemary.
Bake till done in covered (foil) baking dish.
(btw...how come no one makes a 12x12 pan for boaters?! Or are odd size pans for marine ovens available somewhere?)

Also I've been playing around with a pressure cooker. Faster steaming/boiling = less propane used. Awesome for fast steaming veggies, or for super fast pasta. Also was attracted to pressure cookers after reading about the safety aspect of cooking in a self contained unit while under way...if it should happen to fly off of the stove, at least it stays closed and doesn't burn the hide off of the cook.
 
#9 ·
if it should happen to fly off of the stove, at least it stays closed and doesn't burn the hide off of the cook.
:eek:

You need pot holders. An absolute must for any cooking underway.
http://www.kuranda.co.uk/wallas_england.pdf
(scroll down the page and you'll see a picture of a pot being held by pot holders.)

Robyn
 
#10 ·
Pot Roast in the pressure cooker.
Season the pot roast. I use McCormick grill mates-garlic and onion or Mrs Dash grilling blends for steak. Brown on both sides. Add to the pot one sliced onion, a few cloves of garlic and one can of beef broth. Place lid on, bring up to steam and turn on low. Cook for about 45 minute to an hour. Quick release steam according to your pressure cookers directions. Be careful! Add small red potatoes, carrots-any root veggies. I often use peeled sweet potatoes. Replace lid, bring up to high steam again. Turn on low and cook another 10 minutes. Turn heat off and allow steam to escape until easy release. Usually another 15 minutes. The meat will be so tender, veggies cooked just right and if you like-you can use the drippings to make a killer gravy. This is like your Mom's pot roast that took half the time to cook. And you are not heating up the cabin using the oven. This same recipe is great for cooking pork roast or country style ribs. I use a bottle of beer instead of beef stock. Add your own bbq sauce for pulled pork.
A quick dessert recipe is to take a roll of Pillsbury sugar cookie dough and spread it in a cake pan. Bake about 12-15 minutes (you know your oven). Remove and spread orange marmalade on the warm cookie. Sprinkle with a few chocolate chips. The chocolate chips will melt just enough to swirl. Then sprinkle some chopped pecans on top. Let cool... A treat with tea or coffee or after dinner drinks.
I also keep the packages of chocolate chip cookie mix on board. You add butter and egg. Nothing keeps you going while on delivery like warm cookies.... and they smell SO good while baking. And so easy to do bread pudding in the pressure cooker. Follow a basic bread pudding recipe-adding any fruit that may be getting a bit ripe-along with raisens you've soaked in rum. Do this in a round pan that fits in your pressure cooker. I place a couple of baking ramikins upside down, so it raises my round pan up. So you can add your water. Bring to high steam-turn down and cook for 15 minutes-turn heat off-let cool-release and serve warm with a butter rum sauce.
 
#11 ·
Visit Turkish Navy web page cooking ob board section (follow the link below and select "Route Taste English Version"...
"http://www.dzkk.tsk.mil.tr/turkce/RotaLezzet/ANASAYFA.htm"
Soups, main foods, sea foods, olive oil dishes, rice, pastiries, mezes, and deserts...
Hope you'll like them...
 
#13 ·
Merttan, the presentations of some of these are gorgeous! (Does everyone in the Turkish Navy eat this well, or only the officers?) Someone worked pretty hard to translate this and did a nice job. But how much is a "glass" of olive oil? And what is dovme?
 
#12 ·
Rice & Beans

Here's a few of our rice & bean recipes. I use canned beans when they're available; if you use dry, 1 cup of dry beans will make 2 cups cooked. Brown rice can sub for white rice in any of these, it will take 20 minutes in the pressure cooker with 1-1/2 cups water for one cup rice.

Yellow Rice and Pigeon Peas

2 Tbsp canola oil
2 tsp annatto seed
1 cup finely diced green bell pepper
½ cup finely diced mild chile pepper
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 cup finely chopped onion
½ cup finely diced fresh or canned tomato
¼ cup chopped green pimiento-stuffed olives
½ tsp dried oregano
1 cup medium-grain rice
2 cups cooked pigeon peas or crowder peas
1 ½ cups water
½ tsp salt
2 Tbsp chopped fresh cilantro

Heat oil in a large, heavy-bottomed saucepan. Add annatto seeds and cook over medium heat for 1 minute, until oil is orange-red and fragrant. Remove from heat. Use a spoon to scoop seeds from oil and discard them.

Add peppers, garlic, onion, tomato, olives, and oregano to oil in pan. Cook over medium heat, stirring, for 3 to 4 minutes, until onion softens. Add rice and stir to coat. Stir in peas, water, and salt. Bring to a simmer. Reduce heat to low, tightly cover pan, and cook for 18 to 20 minutes, or until liquid is absorbed and rice is tender. Stir in cilantro and serve to 4.

* * * * * * * *
Black Beans & Rice
1/4 cup olive oil
1 large onion, chopped
2 large garlic cloves, chopped
1 1/2 teaspoons chili powder
2 cans (15 to 16 oz each) black beans, well drained
3 cups water
1 bay leaf
1 Tbsp. red wine vinegar
1/2 tsp. hot pepper sauce (such as Tabasco)
pinch of sugar

1 cup rice
1/4 tsp ground annatto (if not available, you can substitute 1/2 tsp. turmeric, which will give you the golden color but won't taste quite the same)

3/4 cup chopped red onion
2 jalapeno chilies, seeded, minced
3-1/2 ounce jar roasted red peppers, drained, thinly sliced

Heat oil in heavy large saucepan over medium heat. Add onion and cook until softened, about 5 minutes. Add garlic and chili powder and cook 1 minute, stirring. Add beans, 1 cup water and bay leaf. Simmer until thick soup consistency, 20 minutes. Remove bay leaf. Add vinegar, pepper sauce and sugar. Season with salt and pepper.

Meanwhile, bring remaining 2 cups water to boil in heavy medium saucepan. Add rice, annatto or turmeric, and salt and stir. Cover and cook over low heat until all liquid is absorbed, 20 minutes for long-grain white rice; 45 minutes for brown rice, or 20 minutes in the pressure cooker for brown rice.

Mix chopped red onion and chilies in small bowl. Mound rice in center of platter. Spoon beans around rice. Arrange roasted pepper slices atop beans. Pass red onion relish separately.
* * * * * * * *
Easy Black Beans
1 cup chopped onions
2 garlic cloves, minced or pressed
2 Tbsp olive oil
2 tsp grated fresh ginger root
1/2 tsp dried thyme (1 tsp fresh)
1/2 tsp ground allspice
3 cups cooked black beans (two 14-ounce cans)
1/2 cup orange juice
salt and ground black pepper to taste

Sauté the onions and garlic in the oil for about 5 minutes, until the onions begin to soften. Add the ginger, thyme, and allspice and sauté, stirring often to prevent sticking, until the onions are very soft, for about 5 more minutes. Stir in the beans and orange juice and cook on low heat for about 15 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the mixture thickens slightly. Mash a few of the beans with the back of a spoon for a thicker consistency. Add salt and pepper to taste, and serve. Serves 4.
* * * * * * *
Red Beans and Rice

1 ½ cups dry red kidney beans
1 rib celery, including leaves, chopped
1 cup chopped onion
2 cloves garlic, minced
3 bay leaves
½ tsp Tabasco
½ tsp salt
2 cups cooked long-grain brown or white rice

Pick over and rinse beans. Place beans in a heavy pot and cover with 2 inches of water. Bring to boil and cook for 2 minutes. Reduce heat to medium-low. Stir in celery, onion, garlic, bay leaves, and Tabasco.

Continue cooking until beans are tender, 2 to 3 hours depending on the age of the beans. Stir occasionally because they tend to stick to the bottom of the pan. Keep beans covered with water, adding hot water as necessary. When beans are cooked, season with salt and discard bay leaves.

To serve, spoon ½ cup rice in the center of each plate. Ladle beans and sauce over rice to 4.
* * * * * * * * *
Bean & Rice Salad
1 cup brown rice, cooked
1-1/2 cups corn kernels (11-oz "vacuum-pack"can)
1-1/2 cups cooked black beans (14-oz can)
1 red bell pepper, finely diced
1 green bell pepper, finely diced
2 Hungarian banana peppers, finely diced
½ cup chopped scallions
½ cup chopped fresh cilantro
1/3 cup chopped green pimiento-stuffed olives
1 Tbsp olive oil
1 Tbsp lime juice
about 1/4 cup commercial bottled Lemon-Pepper Vinaigrette dressing (if not available, use 3 Tbsp lime juice total and 2 Tbsp olive oil)
Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

Combine all ingredients in a large salad bowl, toss to mix. Combine olive oil, lime juice, and vinaigrette (if using), whisk thoroughly. Pour over salad, toss to mix. Season with salt and pepper. Serve at once or refrigerate for a few hours, then bring to room temperature before serving. Garnish with tomato wedges (optional).
* * * * * * * *
 
#15 ·
The pity soup...
Fill the pot with water, then add crackers, crotons, beefjerky, and whatever spices you may have on board... Cook it for 5 minutes and serve in cups...

That's something I had to invent on an evening of heavy fog, anchored and hungry... :( It ended up pretty good, but what doesn't when you are hungry :D
Since then, I started carrying pasta and rice with canned tomato paste on board on my small 22 footer... It's a daysailer but sometimes the day doesn't end when you want it to be...
I don't want to steal the thread so I'll be quiet now... :)
 
#16 ·
I find it interesting that here, we advise "no spicy or greasy foods" to help reduce seasickness. I guess it's all about what you're used to - I've never seen a section on "olive oils" in a recipe list before!
 
#17 ·
It's all about substitution.
Underway buffalo wings = saltine crackers, a dab of butter and a couple shakes of Texas Pete hot sauce. Surprize yourself and try it.
Underway Pizza = Thomas's English Muffins, tomato sauce, spices and cheese, throw a salted herring on it for flavor and protein.
Stir-fry - Anything you can cut up small and throw in a pot with a little oil followed by practically anything you can dig up as a sauce. I've used everything from peanut butter to a-1, and yes - at the same time.

I suspect you mean real recipes. I don't work from cook books I work by feel and imagination; and do 75% of the cooking to a constantly appreciate crowd.
 
#19 ·
Here's my favorite 'cabbage' dish. For some really weird reason this sits well on my tummy...if I'm queezy/I want something greezy.....:p

1 package of turkey kielbasa (I view this as more heart-smart) dice 1 C and then slice the rest in bite sized pieces

1 head green cabbage, about 1 ½ to 2 lbs. Quartered, cored and thick sliced.

1 C coarse chopped yellow onion

1 ½ to 2 lbs red potatoes, quartered and sliced

1 C chicken broth, I use bullion cube and water

2 Tab Dijon mustard or regular if you don’t have Dijon

Salt and pepper to taste



Get out your pressure cooker and don’t use the rack. Put the chicken broth in cooker; add onion, cabbage, diced kielbasa (save remaining for later), mustard, potatoes. Cabbage will cook down and shrink quickly so don’t worry if it takes up more than the 2/3’s. Just be sure you’re not packing it down with the lid. If you are, cook it a bit until it wilts down.



Lock the lid in place and bring to high pressure (15 lbs.) cook at pressure for 3 minutes. Turn off the heat and run cold water over lid to drop pressure (cold water from bucket thrown over side if you can). Or, once you can open the pot add the remaining kielbasa and heat uncovered until heated through. Serve with a really chewy dark bread and butter if you can. Serves 4
 
#22 ·
As far as my search on that goes, some uses fine grade bulgur some say rice... So, I think bulgur is the closest substitude...
 
#23 ·
This takes a little prep, but it sure taste good; seafood kabobs and the
ingredients can vary; scallops, salmon, swordfish, tuna, shrimp, peppers, onions, zucchini, squash, grape tomatoes and the list goes on. Brush on a little olive oil, toss on the Magma grill for eight-ten minutes and dinner is served.

 
#24 ·
Looks like the way we prepare seafood kabobs - delicious and simple.

I usually vary seasonings, but like to mix lemon juice, seasalt, crushed pepper corns and fresh rosemary leaves to the extra virgin olive oil - basting during grilling
 
#25 · (Edited)
I usually don't have the right ingredients for a paella, so I've come up with a dirivation of Arroz con Pollo that I can make underway, takes a bit of time, but doesn't have to be watched too closely.

chicken cut into little parts, skinless
onion, sliced or diced
garlic,
paprika
salt and pepper
4 chicken bullion cubes
1 can chicken broth
rice to fill in the holes
bay leaves
tomato diced
celery, peas, or any other green stuff
enough water with the broth to cover

I use a 12" iron pan with lid, brown the chicken, add paprika, and all the other stuff, add rice and let simmer til rice is done.

If you have shrimp, clams or any other seafood, toss it in. feeds 6
 
#27 ·
Let's see, favorite recipes...

Margarita Pie
- 4 egg yokes
- 1 can sweetened condensed milk (14oz)
- 1 gram cracker pie crust (9in/6oz)
- 1/3 cup fresh squeezed lime juice
- 4 teaspoons lime zest
- 2 tablespoons tequila oro (gold)
- 1 tablespoon triple sec

1. Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees.
2. Combine the egg yokes and sweetened condensed milk.
3. Add the lime juice and whisk for one minute.
4. Add the lime zest, tequila and triple sec, whisking until combined.
5. Pour into pie crust.
6. Bake for 12 to 14 minutes
7. Let stand for two hours.
8. Refrigerate.
 
#28 ·
Wow! Rick those seafood kabobs have me drooling. :p

I said I'd like to share recipes so here goes.
If you are cruising or living aboard in an area where you can get fennel, this is a great way to use canned sardines and fresh ones are even better. You can also substitute celery for fennel in a pinch.

Pasta con le Sarde
1 large-ish yellow onion, minced
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 medium sized bulb of fresh fennel
1 can sardines
1/4 cup walnuts, chopped fine
a good handful of fresh parsely, chopped fine
freshly ground pepper
olive oil
whole wheat spaghetti

Fill large pot with enough water to cook pasta and bring to a boil. Drop in fennel and simmer for 5 to 6 minutes. Remove fennel bulb with slotted spoon and drain in colander. Turn off heat and Reserve water.

When fennel cools, dice.

Heat olive oil in pan and saute onions and garlic on medium low heat. When they begin to soften add fennel and continue to saute. After 2 or 3 minutes add sardines and walnuts.

Meanwhile bring pasta water back to a boil and cook pasta till al dente.

Break up sardines with the back of spoon while they saute. Add 1 cup of pasta water and stir. Add a generous amount of freshly ground pepper and parsely. Saute and stir for a couple of more minutes and the sauce is done.

Drain pasta and mix with sauce. Serves 2.

Robyn
 
#29 ·
I don't have refrigeration on my boat so that cuts down on the ingredients I can use. I am also constantly trying to do more with less in an effort to cut expenses to maximize the kitty, so again that means more simple ingredients that store well. For the past months and even year or more I have been working on recipes that I can make with simple ingredients, simple methods, etc, that taste great and I have a few favorites. Another requirement for me as a single person is that if I open a can I either have to eat what's in it, re-can it (steam canner), or find another way to preserve it until I can use the rest of it, so that too limits what I can do with ingredients. Having said all of that, here is one of my favorites, I eat this VERY OFTEN, I even made it this afternoon for lunch. This meal costs approximately 0.45$us.

Whole wheat pizza slabs

Ingredients
Wheat (kernels/wheat berries is what some people call them)
6oz can of tomato paste
Fresh water
Honey, sugar, or other sweetener
Dried oregano, basil, & garlic (fresh if you have it)​

Tools/Equipment
Grain mill
Can opener (I prefer p38)
Bowl (for mixing)
Spoon (for mixing)
Clean flat stone (for oven)
Oven of some kind - dutch oven with campfire coals, real oven, earth oven, etc.​

Process

Grind a few handfuls of wheat into flour, as much as you feel like eating plus some extra to keep as leftovers, I prefer a course grind. With the flour in the bowl, open up a small area in the middle to pool some water, then add fresh water and let it soak in pretty well. Don't add too much, too little is better than too much. After it sits a minute or so mix with the spoon until you end up with clumps of dough, then start mixing together with hand and adding dried flour from the bowl until you have a ball of dough. Add small amount of water to whatever flour is left in the bowl and add that dough to your dough ball and continue to squish the ball in your hands making a good dough ball.

Put dough ball aside.

Using same bowl, use can opener to open 6oz can of tomato paste. Wipe spoon clean then use it to take out approximately 1/3rd of the paste. Put the rest of the paste aside, it won't go bad for a day or two if you cover it, and if you need it longer than that you can dry it in the sun until it is dense enough to roll into tomato paste balls which store very well. Mix tomato paste in bowl with an equal amount of water to make a sauce. Mix in a good amount of honey, or other sweetener to make a sweet sauce. Mix in oregano, basil, and garlic to taste. Allowing the sauce to sit for a few hours makes it taste better, but it is great even without the wait.

Take dough ball and divide into equal sized pieces, then squish them out with your fingers into flat circles the size of your hand or less. Put circles on your cooking stone, on aluminum foil, or what have you, and spread sauce out on top. Cook in oven until the sauce is very pasty and the dough firms up or begins to brown, as desired. Strictly speaking it doesn't have to be cooked at all, eating it without cooking is almost as tasty, but cooking it does make it a bit easier to eat. It can also be left in a sunny window to simply dry and be eaten as is without cooking.​

I know this sounds a little weird, but believe me this is a meal you can eat every single day and never get tired of it. It also takes about 5 minutes to prepare once you get used to preparing it. It is very versatile, inexpensive, easy to store, even the left overs can be eaten the next day without any special handling. The finished product is something like a pizza except that it has a much more wholesome taste of whole wheat and is very satisfying. This is also a very good camp food so long as the grain is milled before you go out on the trail and you dry your paste before you leave. Honey is my preferred sweetener.

If you don't have tomato paste you can skip the sauce and just tear up your finished dough and dip it in honey, tastes fantastic that way. It's a very versatile basic meal that you can do a lot of variations on. Sounds too simple to be good, I know, but trust me ... it's great. You can also use a combination of oven and drying to make long lasting crackers which are tough and easy to transport and store.

Enjoy. :)
 
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