Fast food for the boat.

[Ross]

we don't need to buy a quick meal from the local burger joint. Today I fixed a turkey and pasta salad from empty bowl to clean plate finish in 45 minutes.
Proceedure is simple but planned.
Put a quart of water on to boil.
Cut up a small onion and twice as much celery and a handful of green olives.
open and drain (save the stock for a gravy later) pint jar of turkey that was put up last time turkeys were on sale cheap and add to the onions,celery and olives. By now the water is boiling so add a cup and a half of mixed pasta shapes( you can use elbows but the many shapes are more fun) 8-9 minutes and the pasta is done, drain it and salt it lightly allow it to cool a little and add it to the turkey etc. Mix very lightly as the meat is fragile add mayonaise and just a dash of lemon and some dried celantro. Enjoy.
This recipe was for home and we have a refrigerator, on the boat I would have made half as much and opened a half pint jar.

 

[BobT]

Sounds tasty, Ross. We should all eat a lot less factory food!!
I've come to enjoy cooking simple on the boat. And this time of year is just about my favorite. My indulgence last spring, before I had spent too much money on repairs to rationalize it, was the littlest round propane grill. That is now my favorite way to cook sweet corn! No prep! Pick up a few ears and a tomato at the roadside stand on the way to the marina. All I need is some good bread & a block of cheddar. Mustard, mayo, onion as you prefer. A hot skillet on the Origo, and in about 20 minutes, the freshest grilled cheese/tomato & sweet corn combo around.
I was surprised to find the corn silk comes off more easily when it's steamed inside the husks. I just thow them in the grill on the lowest setting and turn them every 4-5 minutes. 15 minutes seems to do it.

 

[Ross]

One thing I have been concerned about is finding a substitute for fat and eggs on a passage. Then I had an idea and googled "mayonaise muffins". Mayonaise is an emulsion of eggs and oil with a bit of vinigar. Try that search and put mayonaise on your list of stores.

 

[Tim R.]

Why a substitute for eggs? Why not just take eggs with you?

 

[Ross]

Why a substitute for eggs? Why not just take eggs with you?

If you can get eggs that have not been washed and not been chilled and if you turn the cartons every day they will last for several weeks unless you eat them for breakfast. Then they tend to disappear rather quickly.

 

[Tim R.]

We have lots of chickens around here so we always get them fresh and unwashed. Washing the eggs removes a protective enzyme. They last a long time unrefrigerated.

 

[Ross]

Tim the mayonaise is/was for if you run out of eggs. It is nice to be able to substitute when cookin.

 

[Tim R.]

Not trying to be argumentative Ross. I just wanted to make sure readers would know that you can take eggs on long passages.

 

[Ross]

Not trying to be argumentative Ross. I just wanted to make sure readers would know that you can take eggs on long passages.

That is true and very important. Eggs are vital for much of the cooking and baking that we do. It is hard to make cookies, cakes, muffins or pancakes without eggs. Sometimes it is nice to have eggs for a treat as in deviled eggs to enjoy with what may otherwise be a kinda just ok meal. Like a sprinkle of paprika to brighten a dish and add a touch of flavor.
It is worth the effort to find an egg producer and buy the very freshest eggs and be certain that they haven't been wash or chilled.

 

[Brian D]

...
Cut up a small onion and twice as much celery and a handful of green olives.
...

I find that once the small onion, celery and olives have been prepared, take them topside and throw them overboard to honor the sea gods that allow us to stay afloat. LOL :dance:

 

[Ross]

I find that once the small onion, celery and olives have been prepared, take them topside and throw them overboard to honor the sea gods that allow us to stay afloat. LOL :dance:

But don't let the Coasties see you, unless you can convence them that you are chumming.

 

[FroggyAZ]

My 10 cents: I have read or been told quite sometime ago, that some sailors would dip the eggs into liquid bee wax. I guess any wax would do. From www.ehow.com you also may find:

Coat the eggs with oil.

Egg shells are porous and allow air in and out through the shell. This is great for baby chicks, but not so much when you're trying to keep eggs in eating condition.
Dampen a paper towel with vegetable oil, olive oil, or whatever other type of edible oil you have on hand and apply it to the surface of the egg shell.

 

[Ross]

Experience has taught long distance cruisers to get perfectly fresh eggs and to turn them every day just a the hen would and does. the hen lays one egg each day until the nest is full and then she starts setting that way the chicks all hatch on the same day. If she doesn't turn the eggs they spoil and won't hatch. If you have a ship you just take a small flock of hens along.