A Couple of Recipes on the House
If you have any doubts about how important the galley is to the success of a sailing trip, just watch the annual scramble among the fancy charter boat skippers throughout the Caribbean as they try to grab the best galley chefs for the upcoming season. There are never enough professionally trained chefs available, and the charter boat skippers know that no matter how, big, beautiful and comfortable their boats may be, all will be for nothing if the meals coming out of their galleys are anything less than spectacular.
Making sure everyone is well fed and having fun on the family sailboat is no less important. I wanted GOURMET UNDERWAY to be loaded with ideas and techniques for preparing delicious meals with a minimum of cooking time. I especially wanted to show how easy it can be with a bit of planning and knowing how to use the four cooking methods. But when the book reached 480 pages, I realized I had to stop writing. So, here are a couple of recipes that didn’t make it into print, but are real winners nevertheless!
Galley Power
How about a 3-minute skillet sauté that you can serve as an appetizer, or partner with a grilled entrée like pork chops or a lean fish filet? Hard to beat that combination! Serves 4 salty sailors.
2 bags (10 oz. ea.) fresh spinach, smooth or crinkled 2-3 tablespoons chicken broth (bouillon okay, too)
1 small clove garlic, finely minced 4-5 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
2-3 tablespoons Gorgonzola cheese Pinch of red pepper flakes, salt/black pepper to taste
Combine olive oil and pepper flakes in high-sided skillet over high heat for about 30 seconds until oil is hot. Add spinach and cook for about 1 minute, or until it begins to wilt. Add garlic and sauté about 15 seconds or until it begins to turn brown. Now, add chicken broth and cook for 1 minute more. Season with salt and black pepper, transfer to a warm plate and top with the Gorgonzola.
Chilean Cazuela (Chicken, Corn & Pumpkin)
Cazuela is Spanish for “casserole,” and is a classic one-pot meal perfect for sailboat chefs who want to get in and out of the galley as quickly as possible! This is an extremely versatile meal: if you don’t have corn, use squash; if you’re out of green beans, use peas. Got the idea? And it’s easy to adjust for more or fewer diners. This recipe serves 4-6 hungry sailors.
8 chicken drumsticks (or a whole chicken cut into 8 pieces) 1 medium onion, sliced
4 medium potatoes (about 1 1/2 lbs.), quartered 3/4 cup long grain white rice
4 ears yellow corn, cut across into 3 pieces 2 cups fresh green beans, trimmed and halved
1 lb. piece pumpkin, peeled and cut into large chunks 2 tablespoons fresh cilantro, chopped
Salt and black pepper to taste
Start your one-pot magic by putting the chicken pieces into the pot along with the onion and covering with water then seasoning with the salt and pepper, Cover with a tight fitting lid, bring to a boil, then simmer for 30 minutes. Next, add the potatoes, corn, pumpkin and rice, adding a bit more water and stirring to mix well. Cover once again and simmer for 15-20 minutes more until chicken, rice and vegetables are nearly tender. Finally, add the green beans and continue to simmer for 7-10 minutes or until beans are tender. Finish by stirring in the chopped cilantro. Adjust seasoning to you taste. Serve in individual soup bowls with spoons and forks.
Skipper/Chef Robbie Johnson
Sautéed Spinach w/Gorgonzola