Cruiser Potluck

[jackiepitts]

Great thread and great suggestions!
My new favorite recipe for potlucks is to take flour tortillas (plentiful here in Mexico) cut them in thirds....cut white fish (I use white bass at $65 pesos a kilo) and cut in strips the same length as the tortillas pieces. Roll the fish inside the tortillas and secure with toothpicks. Fry in a light oil until golden brown. Serve it with salsa, sour cream (or creama) and guacamole. People seem to love it and all the ingredients are easy to obtain at a reasonable price.
Cheers,
Jackie

[fishwife]

Originally Posted by MarkJ

Do Solo Sailors ever get invited? Do any of them (apart from me) cook well enough to be invited to a Pot Luck??

Do folks say stuff like: "Ohhhhh go invite Sunset Glory - Shes a GREAT cook! Oh theres Sea Life - he's on his own now - we don't need baked beans... Shhhhhhh"

Nooo, they wouldn't say that about you Mark I did hear that someone said they would have invited Mark but he'd only bring tinnies. He wouldn't share the good stuff that he makes himself

P.

[barnakiel]

Guacamole!

delicious,
b.

[svBeBe]

Originally Posted by Mimsy

If you could recommend ONE dish to perfect in order to bring it to a cruiser potluck in the tropics what would it be? What's the first item to go- protein, savory side or dessert?

We have now visited 37 countries as cruisers, and the one item that is always found is pumpkin (or hard squash of some sort). This recipe is best when prepared with butternut squash, but you can also use regular pumpkin or acorn squash or any type local hard squash. It is excellent for pot lucks because while it is best served very hot, it is also delicious at room temperature and does not spoil quickly. There are no specific measurements of ingredients. You can cook a tiny batch or a huge pan.

Baked Squash -- Pot Luck Style

Cut in half and peel and remove seeds and pulp from any type hard squash (preferably butternut).

Cut into 2" pieces, more or less; and place in pressure cooker with very small amount of water. If you do not have a pressure cooker, use a pot with tight-fitting lid and increase the amount of water appropriately. Cook briefly until soft. Drain.

Mash cooked squash with butter, as if making mashed potatoes. The squash will have absorbed enough liquid that you will not need to add any form of additional liquid, just butter to taste. Add cinnamon and nutmeg while mashing, or apple pie spice mixture, to taste. I add spices until smells right.

Place mashed mixture into food processor or blender, pulse while drizzling in maple syrup. Add syrup until mixture is slightly liquid-y (new word). If you do not have real maple syrup, use maple flavored pancake syrup. If you do not have a food processor or blender, you can use a wire whisk for this process; but the resulting mixture will not be as smooth and uniform.

Place the whipped mashed mixture into a buttered baking dish. Dot with bits of cold butter. Sprinkle with brown sugar, either light or dark. Place atop a cookie sheet and bake on medium heat for 30 minutes or until mixture is well set. Obviously larger pans need longer baking time.

Serve hot if possible, but also good at room temperature.

This is always a hit when I bring it to pot lucks.

Judy
S/V BeBe
currently Langkawi

[svBeBe]

Just read through the whole thread and realized you are looking for recipes that will not heat up the galley. So here is another recipe that fits that request. This is always a hit at pot lucks, even though it is really an appetizer. Many people are not familiar with liquid smoke, but if you are still in Kemah I know you will find it in almost any supermarket. Bring it with you as you might not find it again once you leave the USA.

Salmon or Tuna Spread

1 lb red salmon (large can) OR 2 large foil pouches tuna
8 oz cream cheese
1 TBSP lemon juice
2 tsp grated onion
1 tsp horseradish
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp liquid smoke (hickory flavor is best)
1/2 cup chopped pecans
Parsley for garnish on top (dried works fine)

Remove bones from salmon and flake (if using tuna, flake well with a fork). Using a fork, mash cream cheese into the flaked fish.

Add all other ingredients except pecans and parsley. Mash thoroughly. Taste and adjust seasonings to your liking. (I like a bit more horseradish and some freshly ground black pepper)

Toast chopped pecans in a small skillet, taking care not to scorch.

Place fish mixture into a serving dish. Top with thick uniform coating of toasted chopped pecans. Sprinkle with chopped parsley for color. (I also sometimes also sprinkle with paprika for additional color and taste boost). Chill several hours or overnight.

Serve with any type crackers. Plain water crackers are good with this spread, but any cracker will do--even plain saltines.

Note: We prefer this spread prepared with salmon, but usually end up making it with tuna since that is always stocked in our galley. When brought to pot lucks, people always ask what kind of smoked fish was used to prepare this spread. No one ever guesses it is just simple pouches of tuna. When we first started cruising, cream cheese was sometimes difficult to find and I did not like wasting fridge space for it. But now we find Kraft cream cheese in jars (non-refrigerated and last months).

This can also be packed into a pretty mold (pecans in first), then frozen. Invert onto plate to defrost before serving. Used to do that at home when preparing lots of dishes days ahead for a big gathering, but cannot imagine one would need/want to do that on a boat.

Judy
S/V BeBe

[svBeBe]

Originally Posted by jackiepitts

Great thread and great suggestions!
My new favorite recipe for potlucks is to take flour tortillas (plentiful here in Mexico) cut them in thirds....cut white fish (I use white bass at $65 pesos a kilo) and cut in strips the same length as the tortillas pieces. Roll the fish inside the tortillas and secure with toothpicks. Fry in a light oil until golden brown. Serve it with salsa, sour cream (or creama) and guacamole. People seem to love it and all the ingredients are easy to obtain at a reasonable price.
Cheers,
Jackie

Are you making these roll-ups with raw fish? Does it cook thoroughly when fried inside the tortillas? This sounds delicious.

Judy
S/V BeBe

[Mimsy]

Judy, I love anything with salmon. Can't wait to try it!

[SimonV]

I just looked at some of the offerings here and the first thing I noted was the expense required by some. In the French Polynesian Islands, eggs were anything from 80c to $1 EACH!! And legs off pork well, I will say no more.

As a single hander you seem to be on everyone’s dinner list. Don’t forget you need to reciprocate at some stage, my favourite spaghetti bolognaise( fresh not canned).

My offering for the pot lucks was always Mars Bars (chock and thick Caramel with a nougat base) cut into squares put on a paper plate then placed in the sun till they start to melt then into the fridge to get nice and cold. The adults use to beat off the kids to get at them. Chocolates in the Pacific islands are always a hit.

[Chef Mike]

I have never had this...I found it at galleyswap

Conch (“konk”) is a mainstay of the Bahamian diet; served as salad, fritters, chowder or simply cracked.

Beat 2 conchs with a meat mallet until pieces are almost falling apart.
Whisk together: 1 egg (beaten); ¼ cup milk, Lime Juice, Salt and Pepper

Dip pieces of conch in egg mixture, coat with flour, and fry in hot oil until golden brown.

[boatman61]

Originally Posted by SimonV

My offering for the pot lucks was always Mars Bars (chock and thick Caramel with a nougat base) cut into squares put on a paper plate then placed in the sun till they start to melt then into the fridge to get nice and cold. The adults use to beat off the kids to get at them. Chocolates in the Pacific islands are always a hit.

Simon..... try splitting bananas lengthways (leaving skin on) and laying slices of Mars Bar along the length of the exposed fruit... then either bang in the oven for 5-10 mins or.. as I often prefer... blast from above with propane blow torch till bubbling and gooey.. dont get to close tho'...... if you wanna go fancy... drizzle a bitta rum on b4 the Choc..... DEEELISH

[Arch Stanton]

There are never Caprese salad leftovers, and it's stupidly easy:

Get some good tomatoes, fresh mozzarella, a long stick of bread, slice it all up, toast the bread, make bread-cheese-tomato stacks topped with fresh basil, drizzle a syrupy balsamic over the top.

[Arch Stanton]

Originally Posted by Hannah on 'Rita T'

Everyone brings rice dishes to potlucks. Bring anything with protein, preferably with a lot of broth/gravy to soak up all that rice that everyone else brings. And bring lots of it, as someone said, the good stuff goes first. Put the boat's name on the bottom of any dish you use with indelible magic marker and on tape on any spoon. Utensils grow legs.

If my rice dish doesn't go over well, I look for the spoon with "Rita T" taped on it and put it in my dish.

[svBeBe]

Originally Posted by Arch Stanton

There are never Caprese salad leftovers, and it's stupidly easy:

Get some good tomatoes, fresh mozzarella, a long stick of bread, slice it all up, toast the bread, make bread-cheese-tomato stacks topped with fresh basil, drizzle a syrupy balsamic over the top.

Sounds delicious. But none of those ingredients are available in the Caribbean, which is where I think Mimsy is heading. Maybe she can find tomatoes and the bread will be available in the French Islands, but fresh mozzarella and fresh basil are things only to be wished for.

Judy
S/V BeBe

[Reality Check]

Originally Posted by svBeBe

Sounds delicious. But none of those ingredients are available in the Caribbean, which is where I think Mimsy is heading. Maybe she can find tomatoes and the bread will be available in the French Islands, but fresh mozzarella and fresh basil are things only to be wished for.

Judy
S/V BeBe

Not sure which islands you are having problem finding fresh basil and mozzarella but you can generally get them anywhere in the Spanish, US, and British Virgin Islands.

Would be very surprised if you could not get same almost where if your near a major town with a supermarket and the Caribbean is getting full of those... Price may be a different story... but not for items such as these

[MarkJ]

Originally Posted by Reality Check

mozzarella

Theres a world of difference between mozzarella and FRESH mozzarella. It comes immersed in water either in a little plastic bag or tray. Its quite white. We went ape over it in Europe. Wonderful