Mouthwatering Boat Recipes (mainly plant based)

[Seaworthy Lass]

Curiosity got the better of me so I have just chewed the skin and seeds of a green cardamom pod. The flavour is distinctly different between the two. I have broken open pods before when cooking, mainly for a bigger hit of flavour, but will definitely do this more now.

The seeds are slightly menthol. I bet they would go really well with chocolate .

[Weyalan]

It is quite traditional to use whole cardamom pods in Indian cookery -usually bashed to make them part-open. Despite what the poster said on the previous page, they do not contain "hundreds" of seeds in a pod. I ten to break them open, remove the seeds and use them, but discard the "woody" pods. Ground cardamon can also be used if one doesn't like the little flavor bursts from chewing on a whole seed (or whole pod, haha)

[Weyalan]

Huevos Rancheros (Mexican for "Hangover Recovery"?)

Slightly modified from a recipe shamelessly stolen from Jamie Oliver (so probably not at all authentic). Sorry I'm not doing a very good job with the vegan thing...

Ingredients

3 tablespoons olive oil
1 onion, peeled and finely sliced
2-3 cloves of garlic, peeled and finely sliced
2 red capsicums (bell peppers), deseeded and finely sliced
2-3 fresh red or orange chillies, deseeded and finely sliced (use less chilli if you don't like "hot". leave seeds in if you want the extra chilli kick)
1 large dried chilli
3 fresh bay leaves
sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
2 x 400 g (2 x 14 oz) tins of chopped tomatoes
2 large tomatoes, sliced
6 large eggs, preferably free-range or organic
6 tortillas
150 g (5 oz) cheddar cheese (or any sharp cheese), grated

Method

Get a large frying pan (make sure you've got a lid to go with it) on a high heat and add the olive oil. Add the onion, garlic, peppers, fresh and dried chillies, bay leaves and a good pinch of salt and pepper. Stir and cook for 15 minutes to soften and caramelize the veg. Pour in tinned tomatoes and use a spoon or potato masher to break them up a bit. Bring to the boil, then turn down to a medium heat and cook for a further 6 minutes so the sauce starts to reduce down.

When you've got a nice thick tomato stew consistency, add a more salt and/or pepper to taste. Lay your sliced tomatoes over the top of the mixture, then use a spoon to make small wells in the tomato stew, and crack in your eggs so they can poach in the tomato stew. Try to crack them in as quickly as you can so they all get to cook for roughly the same amount of time. Reduce heat, then put the lid on and let the eggs cook for around 3 to 4 minutes. Warm your tortillas while this is happening. I like to heat them dry frying pan over a medium heat, but microwave, or oven, or even laying them on the lid of your eggs to warm will all work

Take the lid off and check the eggs. When they're done to your liking, turn the heat off, grate the cheese over the whole thing and serve with the warmed tortillas.

[NornaBiron]

Originally Posted by Weyalan

Huevos Rancheros (Mexican for "Hangover Recovery"?)

Slightly modified from a recipe shamelessly stolen from Jamie Oliver (so probably not at all authentic). Sorry I'm not doing a very good job with the vegan thing...

Huevas Rancheros is one of our favourite comfort foods, served with fresh from the oven crusty bread. I use an Ainsley Harriot recipe, I doubt that's authentic either!

[Sailor g]

I agree. Huevos Rancheros is so good...but I've been ruined for it. We had the most wonderful Huevos Rancheros in a Bahia Tortuga while cruising in Mexico and I can't look at any other now.

They had a small amount of beans on the bottom & used a tostada shell in place of the tortilla. They had the eggs (not vegan) on top and a Mexicana sauce (tomatoes, peppers and onions sauteed in a light sauce) over it all. It was a much lighter version and can easily be made vegan by just leaving off the eggs and adding some vegetables like chayote, potato, and squash.

Wish I had time to make this for breakfast today!

[Seaworthy Lass]

Originally Posted by Sailor g

I agree. Huevos Rancheros is so good...but I've been ruined for it. We had the most wonderful Huevos Rancheros in a Bahia Tortuga while cruising in Mexico and I can't look at any other now.

Fantastic whenever you can taste the authentic version of anything .

NornaBiron shared the recipe with me a while back. I've attached a photo below. I have not posted it here before because of the egg content.

I agree it would be great with additions such as beans and potatoes. I have committed the sacrilege of occasionally adding grated carrot with the capsicum and that works really well.

Rather than breakfast, I have only ever made this as a light dinner. The beauty for me is that the the tomato base is actually better being made several hours before and having time to sit. This leaves me free to do very little at dinner time when I prefer not to be spending all my time in the galley .

I use the Paprika app as a recipe manager and I try and snap a shot of most things I make to included with the recipe, so here is how it looks:

[Weyalan]

Originally Posted by Sailor g

I agree. Huevos Rancheros is so good...but I've been ruined for it. We had the most wonderful Huevos Rancheros in a Bahia Tortuga while cruising in Mexico and I can't look at any other now.

They had a small amount of beans on the bottom & used a tostada shell in place of the tortilla. They had the eggs (not vegan) on top and a Mexicana sauce (tomatoes, peppers and onions sauteed in a light sauce) over it all. It was a much lighter version and can easily be made vegan by just leaving off the eggs and adding some vegetables like chayote, potato, and squash.

Wish I had time to make this for breakfast today!

I spent several months in Mexico way back when Jesus was steering a 12m yacht for the Isrealites Americas Cup Challenge... spectacularly good huevos rancheros could be found in almost any small, out of the way village. The recipe, however, was never exactly the same.

I, too, like to experiment with recipes and would have no issue with introducing beans or potatoes or (cover your ears) chorizo sausage (or something of similar style but more Mexican origin).

I do prefer to post fairly basic recipes, because if you start from the basic recipe and "experiment" from their, I think you are likely to get the best results.

[NornaBiron]

Originally Posted by Weyalan

I, too, like to experiment with recipes and would have no issue with introducing beans or potatoes or (cover your ears) chorizo sausage (or something of similar style but more Mexican origin). .

We usually have Huevas Rancheros for dinner too, with added chorizo or smoked paprika salami (shock horror!).

I'm going to have to make this for dinner today, now that I'm thinking of it!

[Sailor g]

Originally Posted by Seaworthy Lass

Fantastic whenever you can taste the authentic version of anything .



I use the Paprika app as a recipe manager and I try and snap a shot of most things I make to included with the recipe, so here is how it looks:

I agree on authentic. Although, sometimes I like figuring the recipe out so I can tweak it to my preferences like you mentioned.

Paprika looks very good for a recipe manager. They want $4.99 now & I hate paying for apps unless I get to try it to see if I like it. I'm using 'My Recipes' which is well organized but they seemed to stop supporting it so it crashes a lot. I may get so tired of the crashes, I'll pay for Paprika

[NornaBiron]

Originally Posted by Sailor g

I agree on authentic. Although, sometimes I like figuring the recipe out so I can tweak it to my preferences like you mentioned.

Paprika looks very good for a recipe manager. They want $4.99 now & I hate paying for apps unless I get to try it to see if I like it. I'm using 'My Recipes' which is well organized but they seemed to stop supporting it so it crashes a lot. I may get so tired of the crashes, I'll pay for Paprika

I also use Paprika, it allows for easy sharing of recipes between myself and SWL!

[Seaworthy Lass]

Paprika review:

I did a thorough search before buying the app. I figured if I was going to all the trouble of storing my recipes I wanted a good format and Paprika was one of the highly recommended ones.

I have been using the app for nearly two years now on board and it has been fantastic. All my recipes are now loaded. Photos really help inspire me (I need that visual stimulation), so whenever I make something I snap a shot and attach it, even for old tried and true favourites. The index for each category shows a thumbnail of the photo along with the title, making it super easy to browse without clicking on each recipe.

The iPad is open while cooking and I love the simple feature that enables me to tap on the ingredient to cross it off as I am going along. In the past I would sometimes go over a list several times to make sure nothing had been missed (and still occasionally managed to skip things ).

An automatic timer is easily accessible. Whenever a time is specified in the recipe's directions, just click on it and a countdown starts.

New recipes can be downloaded straight to the app from a Google search via the app. Receiving recipes is easy via email from anyone using the app as well - just tap on the link and the recipe is automatically loaded in your Paprika. Both these save heaps of time and trouble transcribing.

No more bulky recipes files and scraps of paper with gems that are never made as they are forgotten about .

SWL

[NornaBiron]

Originally Posted by Seaworthy Lass

Paprika review:

I did a thorough search before buying the app. I figured if I was going to all the trouble of storing my recipes I wanted a good format and Paprika was one of the highly recommended ones.

I have been using the app for nearly two years now on board and it has been fantastic. All my recipes are now loaded. Photos really help inspire me (I need that visual stimulation), so whenever I make something I snap a shot and attach it, even for old tried and true favourites. The index for each category shows a thumbnail of the photo along with the title, making it super easy to browse without clicking on each recipe.

The iPad is open while cooking and I love the simple feature that enables me to tap on the ingredient to cross it off as I am going along. In the past I would sometimes go over a list several times to make sure nothing had been missed (and still occasionally managed to skip things ).

An automatic timer is easily accessible. Whenever a time is specified in the recipe's directions, just click on it and a countdown starts.

New recipes can be downloaded straight to the app from a Google search via the app. Receiving recipes is easy via email from anyone using the app as well - just tap on the link and the recipe is automatically loaded in your Paprika. Both these save heaps of time and trouble transcribing.

No more bulky recipes files and scraps of paper with gems that are never made as they are forgotten about .

SWL

I second all that and can vouch for it working just as well on Android too. I love the search feature which allows you to search your recipes (and the internet of course) by category, ingredient or source. Very handy when you just don't know what to do with that wrinkly aubergine!

[Sailor g]

Sold! I am going to get Paprika. The one I have keeps crashing every time I change recipes. I think they've stopped supporting the app too (emails w/no response). I have so many recipes though, it will take a while. I can't wait to start! Thanks for sharing this info.

[Seaworthy Lass]

The techniques used for Chinese cooking are quite different compared to soups and stews. No slow, gentle sautéing of onions and garlic with an occasional stir while other ingredients are being prepared. No frequent pauses to gaze out the window at the scenery . Nothing in fact is slow and timing is critical.

A few tips to success:
- Have all the ingredients ready and lined up.
- Cut the veg in different shapes for interest. An assortment of colours makes most dishes even more appetising. The quick cooking time means colours just sing .
- Have the pan hot, really hot, before adding anything else, including the oil.
- Use an oil with a high smoke point (I like refined avocado oil or if I can't get it, refined safflower oil).
- Don't overcrowd the cooking vessel or you end up steaming the veg. A huge wide wok is best. I make do on board with my 3 litre pressure cooker and cook the veg in two or three lots (with the ones requiring longest cooking time first). My stove top just isn't big enough to take a wok, even if I wanted to store such a bulky item.
- Add garlic along with the vegetables or it will burn.
- Don't overcook the veg, texture is vital
- Add ginger with the sauce if you want to maintain its fresh zing.
- Add any sesame oil with the sauce as well, otherwise it too loses its flavour.
- Serve immediately. The veg will continue cooking even if the heat is turned off and the quality of the dish deteriorates.


CHINESE STIR FRY

2 tblsp refined avocado or safflower oil

1 medium head broccoli
2 cloves garlic, crushed
1 red capsicum sliced in strips
1 yellow capsicum sliced in strips
1 onion cut in wedges
1 carrot cut in matchsticks

Blanched snow peas
Sliced tinned water chestnuts
Roasted cashews (or tossed in a hot pan)

Sauce:
2 tbl oyster sauce
1-2 tbl soy sauce
2 tsp sesame oil
1 tsp - 1 tblsp finely grated ginger
½ cup water
1 heaped tsp cornflour

- Mix sauce ingredients in a glass jar, shake well and let stand up to a few hours
- Have all the veggies prepared
- Heat oil and sauté garlic briefly
- Add broccoli and stir fry continually until it turns a bright green, adding garlic after a minute or two
- Add the rest of the vegetables and continue stir frying a few minutes (if not using a wok, tip out broccoli so the pan isn't crowded)
- Combine cooked veg
- Pour in the sauce and stir until thickened
- Add water chestnuts if using
- Toss in snow peas and serve immediately sprinkled with cashews

The recipe has been added to the index in post #1:

[Buzzman]

++1 re stir fry being *FAST* - you *MUST* have everything pre-prepped or it goes soggy.

The reason a wok is superior is that the heat rises up around the sides of the pan, so it gets *very* hot underneath, which is why you have to keep tossing the ingredients. With the sides hot as well it cooks all the way round so it's important to spread the ingredients around and up the sides, not leave them in a soggy heap in the bottom.

I make a Thai-style Green Ginger Curry that packs a punch.

Thai Green Ginger Curry

Ingredients:
1 medium onion, roughly chopped
1 bunch shallots/spring onions; cut the hard stalks into pieces 1cm long, the hollow green stalks into pieces 3-6cm long
1 small bunch of bok choy or baby bok choy, about 3 bulbs; cut the very end off the bulb and break all the leaves off, then separate the fleshy part of the leaves from the green leaf. I chop the end and the middle up and add it in also, but YMMV
4 chicken thigh fillets, or two breasts (substitute mushrooms or bean curd for the vegan version) [NB: Can also be made with fish if you have it.]
1 knob of ginger, approx a man's thumb, peeled and thinly sliced or coarsely grated, roughly three heaped tbspns. Opt for more rather than less.
3 tbspns safflower oil (or rice bran oil, takes higher heat)
1 bunch coriander/cilantro coarsely chopped to garnish at end
1 green lime or preserved lime leaves. Grate the lime rind and add to sauce, or add a tbsn of leaves after bok choy. Juice the lime and add with coriander at end just before serving. Decent squirt of bottled lime juice can substitute.

Sauce:
1 tbspn Oyster sauce
2 tbspns Thai fish sauce
1 tbspn prawn paste
1 tspn Turmeric
1 medium red chili, finely sliced, or 2 tbspns Sweet Chili Sauce (or the non-sweet version if you have it).
1 tbspn ground lemongrass

[Chilli heat varies, so you can use milder green chillies, or add axtra red chillies, or jalapenos or whatever suits your taste. I like it mild, hence the small qty of chilli. If you like chilli it's great to add a finely sliced small red chilli as a garnish before serving, adds that dash of colour, and heat.
I don't eat capsicum/bell peppers, but by all means add them if you do. The red especially adds a splash of colour.
And julienned carrots are a good alternative for a splash of colour. I sometimes cut carrots into 5cm rounds, then halve and slice the halves into 2mm slices, which are the right size for a fork to pick up. You can also add bamboo shoots and/or water chestnuts, depending on what you have in the pantry. I also use home dried chillis, as they pack better and last longer.]

Preparation:

Prep all the ingredients into small bowls. This is time consuming and takes up a lot of bench space, but it's OK to stack them on top of each other in order of use.

I generally put the sauce ingredients into a bowl with the ginger and lime rind and marinate the meat or bean curd for a half hour before cooking to infuse the flavours.

Starting with a hot and smoking wok (you can buy flat-bottomed woks now that work much better on a normal stove, so you don't need a special wok-burner and round-bottomed wok).

Add the oil and as soon as it starts to smoke add the onion, toss to cover in the oil then add the marinated meat/curd and toss. Once coloured a bit add the fleshy ends of the bok choy, then add the solid stalks of the shallots and toss a few times.

If the sauce is drying, add a splash of water, but only a splash so it steams and doesn't go soggy. Just enough to stop the igredients sticking to the base.

Add the leaves off the bok choy and sweat for a minute or so, once they go glossy, toss, then add the shallot stems and sweat in turn, then toss again and finally add the chopped coriander, toss, and serve immediately.

it goes well with steamed jasmine rice or egg noodles, or even rice vermicelli if that's all you have.

Use rice/noodles as an extender in order to feed more people. The above qty feeds three without rice and six with.

Experiment..!! And enjoy.