The Galley: Easy Boating Recipes For Winter Cruising

January 4th, 2016

By Betha Merit

It’s the New Year and winter here in the South. That means we can still go out on the water, although temperatures might dictate wearing jackets, hats and gloves. What it also means, is that our galley menu ideas bounce from salads and grilled fish to the cold weather desire for comfort food.

The following are easy boating recipes. With ample use of potatoes, corn, and bacon, your guests and family will leave the table greatly satisfied in tummy and soul.

bakedpotatosoup The Galley: Easy Boating Recipes For Winter Cruising

Easy Baked Potato Soup

Ingredients

  • 1/4 cup butter
  • 1/2 cup chopped onion (frozen or fresh)
  • 1 TBSP freeze dried minced garlic, or one clove minced
  • 1/4 cup all purpose flour
  • 2 cubes chicken bouillon
  • 3 cups water
  • 1 (24-oz.) package frozen steam & mash cubed potatoes
  • 2 cups half and half
  • 2 teaspoons pepper
  • Toppings: cooked, crumbled bacon, shredded cheddar cheese, sliced chives or green onions

Directions

Melt butter in a large soup pan or Dutch oven over medium heat; add onion, garlic and stir often for 5 to 10 minutes until golden. Sprinkle flour over this mixture until coated. Stir in bouillon and water. Bring to a boil on medium heat while stirring often. Reduce heat to a simmer for ten minutes, stirring occasionally.

During this process, you can microwave the potatoes according to package, but do not add butter or milk. When cooked, stir the potatoes, half and half, and pepper into the onion mixture. Cook on medium, stirring occasionally until thickened. Garnish with bacon, cheese and chives.

tamalepie The Galley: Easy Boating Recipes For Winter Cruising

Tamale Pie

Ingredients

  • 1 onion, chopped
  • 1 pound ground beef
  • 1 can cream style corn
  • 1 can whole kernel corn, drained
  • 1 can kidney beans, drained
  • 1 small can tomato sauce
  • 1 large can tamales
  • 1 can black olives, drained
  • 1 TBSP chili powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
  • Optional Toppings: shredded cheese, sour cream, jalapeños

Directions

Brown onion and beef together. Drain excess fat. Stir chili powder, salt, and garlic powder into meat mixture. Open can of tamales, drain excess liquid, remove papers, then chop in bite size pieces. Combine all ingredients in a large baking dish.  Cover with foil, bake at 350 degrees for 1 hour. Serve with desired toppings.

clamchowder

New England Clam Chowder

Ingredients

  • 6 cups bottled clam juice
  • 2 10 oz. cans baby clams
  • 1 TBSP unsalted butter
  • 8 oz. bacon, cut into 1/2-inch pieces
  • 2 celery stalks, minced
  • 1 large onion, minced
  • 1 garlic clove, minced
  • 2 1/2 pounds Yukon Gold potatoes, peeled,
  • cut into 1/2-inch pieces
  • 1 TBSP chopped fresh thyme
  • 1 bay leaf
  • 2 TBSP cornstarch
  • 2 cups heavy cream
  • Kosher salt, freshly ground pepper
  • Chopped fresh chives

Directions

Melt butter in a large heavy pot over medium heat. Add bacon and cook, stirring occasionally, until fat is rendered and bacon begins to brown, about 8 minutes. Add celery, onion, and garlic and cook, stirring often, about 10 minutes. Add 6 cups bottled clam juice, potatoes, thyme, and bay leaf. Bring chowder base to a simmer; cook until potatoes are tender, 20-25 minutes. Whisk cornstarch and 2 tablespoons water in a small bowl. Stir into chowder base; return to a boil to thicken.

Remove base from heat. Discard bay leaf. Stir in two 10-ounce cans baby clams and cream. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Divide chowder among bowls. Garnish with chives.

The Galley: One Pot Meals

April 24th, 2014

illustrationsail The Galley: One Pot MealsOne Pot Meals are a Boon To Sailors

By Betha Merit

 

One-pot cooking, a boon for sailors, has an appealing flexibility. When the ice in the box is gone after about five days, and you’ve depleted your fresh meat and poultry, but you still have a good store of vegetables that keep well, you then turn to the canned meats.  For vessels with refrigeration, if you pack well, you have the option of fresh meat and veggies for longer.

The more hardy vegetables do not require long-term refrigeration (carrots, celery, cabbage, potatoes and onions) and can be combined with canned corn beef, chicken, tuna and beef with interesting results. White sauces and mushroom soup provide tasty bases. Wine, spices and garlic should be on hand in every galley.

Fresh tomatoes and parsley keep well. You can make a good marinara sauce with tomatoes, diced onions, fresh parsley, garlic and dried basil.

The following recipes are basics that can be adapted by substituting or adding more veggies and spices on hand.

Home Style Beef Stew

Serves 4 hungry sailors

  • 1 T. vegetable oil
  • 1 lb. boneless beef chuck, tip, or round roast cut into 1-inch cubes
  • 3 cups cold water (may substitute dry red wine for part of liquid)
  • salt and pepper to taste
  • 2 medium carrots, cut into bite sized pieces
  • large unpeeled potato, cut into bite 1½-inch pieces
  • 1 medium stalk celery, cut into 1-inch pieces
  • small onion, chopped
  • 1 dried bay leaf
  • ½ cup cold water
  • 2 T. all-purpose flour

In large skillet or 4-quart Dutch oven or large pot, heat oil over medium heat one to two minutes.  Add meat; cook about 15 minutes, stirring occasionally until browned.

Add water, ½ tea. salt and pepper.  Heat to boiling.  Reduce heat to low.  Cover; simmer two hours or more until beef is almost tender.

Stir in remaining ingredients except cold water and flour.  Cover and cook about 30 minutes or until veggies are tender.  Remove bay leaf.

Stir cold water and flour together to make a paste; gradually stir into beef mixture.  Heat to boiling, stirring constantly.  Boil and stir one minute, until thickened.

chickenstew The Galley: One Pot Meals

Quick Chicken Stew

Serves 4 hungry sailors

  • 3 T. olive oil
  • 1 T. unsalted butter
  • 1 lb. thin chicken breast slices, cut into ½-inch pieces
  • 4 carrots, peeled and cut into ½-inch pieces
  • 2 minced garlic cloves
  • 1 t. ground ginger or 1 T. fresh grated ginger
  • 1 t. paprika (may use smoked paprika)
  • ¾ t. salt and pepper, each
  • 2 T. tomato paste
  • 3 T. red wine vinegar
  • ½ cup water
  • 1-15 oz. can chickpeas (or any firm bean), drained and rinsed
  • 1 cup packed spinach leaves, stems cut off
  • 1 cup pre-cooked angel hair pasta, optional

Melt the olive oil and butter in large skillet over medium-heat.  Add the chicken, carrots, garlic, ginger, paprika, salt and pepper.  Turn occasionally, for about 15 minutes.  Stir in tomato paste.  Add the vinegar, water, chickpeas and spinach.  Cook for another 5 minutes.  Cooked angel hair pasta may be stirred in at the end and heated through.

 

 

Gulf Coast Mariner Magazine