July 4th Boat Galley Cooking [RECIPES]
Cooking for a hungry crowd is always a challenge. Cooking for a hungry crowd on a boat is an even bigger challenge!
This July 4th holiday we're out to make your role as Chef just a tad bit (okay, a whole lot!) easier. For your hungry passengers we've got a three-course meal that hits the spot.
The best thing about these 3 boat-friendly recipes? They offer no-muss/no fuss. Plus, served together they bring all the big flavor of a celebratory meal (complete with ingredients that infuse beer and firecracker heat) with just a little prep time.
All of which adds up to a whole lot more time for you to kick back, enjoy the boat and savor just how good life on the water truly is.
The following 3 boat-friendly recipes come from one of our favorite go-to galley cooking cookbooks by Carolyn Shearlock and Jan Irons. (Don't know these two sailing friends? Check out The Boat Galley Cookbook story.) And then...
Mangia!
FIRECRACKER SALAD
Serves: 6 – 8
Total Time: 1 hour, including time for dressing to cool
Prep Time: 20 minutes
Cook Time: 5 minutes
Ingredients…
Dressing:
¾ cup white vinegar or other vinegar
½ teaspoon celery salt
1 ½ teaspoons mustard see OR 2 teaspoons prepared mustard
½ teaspoon salt
1 ½ tablespoons sugar
1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper, or to taste (optional)
1/8 teaspoon ground pepper
¼ cup water
Salad:
6 large tomatoes, cut into chunks
1 green bell pepper, seeded and diced
1 medium onion, diced
1 cucumber, peeled and sliced, each slice cut into quarters
Preparation...
Combine all the dressing ingredients in a small pan. Warm over medium heat, stirring often, until the sugar dissolves. Allow to cool to room temperature (or refrigerate to hasten the process).
Combine the salad ingredients in a large bowl. Add the dressing and toss well.
If you wish to make the salad for a smaller number of people, the extra dressing will last several days in the refrigerator. It’s also good on cabbage, pasta, or rice salads.
BEER GARLIC GRILLED STEAK
This is not a tenderizing marinade, so choose a fairly good cut of beef. Flank steak is a good choice.
Serves: 2
Total Time: 20 minutes plus overnight to marinate
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Grill Time: 10 minutes, depending on size
Ingredients…
2 steaks (not necessarily the highest quality but at least decent)
2 cups beef broth (may be made from bouillon) or stock
2/3 cup soy sauce
½ cup chopped green onion or onion
1/3 cup lime juice
¼ cup brown sugar or white sugar
2 cloves garlic, minced, OR ¼ teaspoon garlic powder
1 can (12 ounces) beer
Preparation...
Place the steaks in a leakproof freezer bag.
Combine the broth, soy sauce, green onion, live juice, brown sugar, and garlic and pour over the steaks. Pour the beer over all and let marinate for 12 to 24 hours (more is better).
Remove the steaks and discard the marinade. Grill the steaks to the desired doneness. To serve, slice thinly across the grain.
SOFT SNICKERDOODLE COOKIES
Yields: 2 dozen cookies
Total Time: 1 hour
Prep Time: 20 minutes
Bake Time: 10 minutes per batch, plus time to let the cookie sheet cool between batches
Ingredients…
1 cup butter or margarine, softened 1 ½ cups sugar 2 eggs 2 ¾ cups flour 2 teaspoons cream of tartar 1 teaspoon baking soda ¼ teaspoon salt 3 tablespoons sugar 3 teaspoons ground cinnamon
Preparation...
Preheat oven to 350 degrees
Cream the butter and the 1 ½ cups sugar in a large bowl. Add the eggs and beat well to blend. Combine the flour, cream of tartar, baking soda, and salt on a small bowl. Add the flour mixture to the butter mixture, stirring until well combined.
If possible, chill the dough in the refrigerator for about 10 minutes. This will make the dough much easier to work with, but it is not strictly necessary.
While the dough is chilling, mix the 3 tablespoons sugar and the cinnamon in a small flat dish.
Shape the dough into 1-inch balls and roll them in the cinnamon sugar, then place them on an ungreased cookie sheet. Place the remaining dough in the refrigerator while the first batch bakes.
Bake the cookies for about 10 minutes and then transfer them to a wire rack immediately. Allow the pan to cool to room temperature before making another batch.