Planning overnight or much longer passages, it doesn’t always go to plan!
(Here's what should have happened, either read or scroll to the end for the reality).
Well there's currently five of us onboard, three adults and two children so more planning needed to ensure everyone's comfortable and happy. It's a 25 hour or so trip, 163nm calculated at 6.5 kts.
From a galley perspective.
I always make sure I've stocked up, got extra milk etc and cooked the evening meal plus snacks in advance. I don't often get seasick but you never know so at the very least I make ...
Lamb Quarter Pounders
One food we're truly going to miss from Greece is the incredible lamb, if I could I'd stock my freezer up but alas no room.
These burgers were so tender and delicious that I'm making them again tonight with, sob, the last of my lamb mince.
Ingredients:
500g minced lamb
1 onion, diced very finely
1 clove of garlic, grated
1 tsp ground cumin and hot paprika
1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
2 tsp oregano
1 egg yolk
Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
Just combine everything ...
Stuffed Portobello Mushrooms
Beautiful fresh portobello mushrooms paired with tangy blue cheese and oven baked. So delicious, to be honest the tiny lamb skewers weren't needed but the meat needed eating. Gluttony and very full, happy tummies!
Just give the mushrooms a wipe. Finely chop the stalks, a diced onion and some garlic then sauté for a few minutes in a little olive oil.
As the mushrooms were so big I pan fried them for a few minutes in a little butter.
Spoon the onion mixture, top with blue cheese of ...
Mini Lunch Meze and the evolution of meatballs…
On the menu, Spetzofai but this time just with green peppers and onions. Crunchy Fried Courgettes, dredged in coconut flour (by all means use plain flour). Whipped Feta Dip, so simple and delicious - please try it! Simple lettuce and onion salad, dressed with good olive oil and apple cider vinegar. Simplicity itself.
For the courgettes:
Slice them thinly, sprinkle with salt and leave for an hour. Pat dry then coat in a mixture of coconut (substitute plain if you wish) flour, ...
Crispy Tender Chicken Strips
Chicken breasts, marinated overnight in a simple Greek yoghurt, lemon and herb marinade. Coated in a yoghurt batter then dredged in flour, sesame seeds, seasoning and oven baked. Moist meets crunchy, leftovers would've been good! I could've called them goujons but it's a bit pretentious considering how simple this is.
Start off with good quality chicken breasts, none of that water injected rubbish :). Cut them into strips or chunks (but then reduce cooking time). Marinate for at least 3 ...
“Real Men don’t eat quiche”? Nuts!
Silly introduction but I've lost count how many times this has been said to me, anyhow this walnut crust version was gobbled up within 2 days!
I wanted a crumbly but firm crust without too much hassle, this is easier than normal pastry :-)
For the crust:
2 1/2 cups walnuts blitzed finely in your processor
2 tblsp butter
1 tblsp coconut oil
A generous pinch of salt and freshly ground black pepper
Just whizz it all together until combined then press, using your hands, into ...
Man Overboard Proceedures
http://www.yachtingmonthly.com/sailing-skills/how-an-8st-crew-can-recover-a-20st-mob-31075
Someone asked me recently if I get scared when sailing. I answered no, not scared as such..twitched perhaps in new (to me) situations usually based on the "heck, can I do this properly" factor.
I have been in scary situations but not on our boat. Several years ago on a night watch mid Atlantic I was trying to alter course during a squall. My hand hit standby rather than the plus / minus buttons, ...
Zakynthos first impressions and concerns, happy to be proven wrong!
Admitting neither of us were looking forward to coming to Zakynthos town and, on arriving, I wasn't initially impressed. Busy town wall, noisy Main Street with busy traffic, Med mooring, being glared at by the people on neighbouring cat who then asked us to move. Why? Oh our fenders were touching theirs...what???? We didn't move and I did explain to him what fenders were designed to do.
There's a chap called Dennis who offers to sort the paperwork out, it costs 15 euro per day to be ...
Spetzofai, a spicy Greek sausage and vegetable casserole.
I just love the name, sounds like something Hermione would say whilst pointing her wand! It's delicious, I got so excited when the very lovely Spyridoula (from the fantastic butcher in Ay Eufimia) me how to make and then even more so to eat :)
I don't know what it'll taste like for those of you who can't get Greek sausages though.. These sausages are the same thickness as regular "bangers", but have the texture of good frankfurters, very rustic and oh so delicious!
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