Making Pasta

I decided to start this blog up again after a couple of neighbors asked how do you make that on your boat.  So here it goes and hopefully someone will actually read this. 

This last weekend I decided to make pasta.  I don't keep a pasta maker on board, I don't have a Kitchen-aid mixer hiding in the dinghy.  I however have the internet and found a recipe that didn't require either of those. 

Pici style pasta is just what I wanted.  Mix up the dough, pinch off (or cut off) a section of the dough, roll out with your fingers. Easy peasy. 

The dough:
1 shot glass of hot water (or 2 T)
1 pinch saffron
1¾ cups whole wheat flour

3 eggs

Place the saffron in the hot water and let sit at least 15 min.  It will be a brilliant hew of yellow.  Place the flour in a large bowl.  Make an well in the center of the flour and break the eggs into this.  Add the saffron water.  Mix till the the dough is completely incorporated.  Knead for 10-15 mins and then let it rest for 15 mins covered. 

This pasta could easily be made without the eggs.  Just add a tablespoon of olive oil and more water.  

Now the fun begins.  Since it was just the two of us. I cut the dough in half and wrapped one half in plastic and placed in the icebox for later.  The rest of the dough I rolled into a log and then I cut it into quarter.  Each of the quarters I rolled out to the size of my cutting board and cut those into half inch pieces.  With the small pieces I rolled them out as long as I could.  Some broke so I ended up with shorted pieces. Some I actually managed to roll out completely and those ended up about two feet long. They all cooked the same.  The main goal is to keep the noodles the same width so they cook at the same rate.

After I finished the noodles I made up a white wine sauce with peas, mushrooms and sauted onions.

Sauce:
2 cups white wine
1 bag frozen peas
10 mushrooms, sliced
1 small sweet onion, diced
2 T olive oil
Salt to taste
Parmesan and Parsley to serve

Saute the onions and mushrooms in the olive oil with a pinch of salt til the onions are golden and the mushrooms are dry.  Add the white wine and reduce by half, about 5 mins.  Add the peas and stir in the cooked pasta. Cook for one more min. Serve with parmesan and parsly. 

Baking on the stovetop.

I am working up two recipes. I really miss baking. So I am going to trying out cookies and some little cakes. I will post the results here later this week or early next week.

Roasted Pepper Salsa

Since summer is finally starting here I decided to make a salsa for one of my weekly sailings.  We are not anywhere close to tomato season so I went with peppers and corn.  Both of which I can get now without too much compromise on the flavor.  To prepare the peppers I charred them over my little stove.  When the BBQ arrives I will be just throwing them on there.

The rest of the salsa was very easy with just a little bit of chopping and the opening of a can.  I hope that you enjoy this as much as my crew did.  Later in the year I would recommend using fresh corn that you have also grilled. 

Roasted Pepper Salsa

3 poblano chiles

1-2 jalapeno chile

9 baby bell peppers or 3 full sized peppers (any color but green)

1/2 sweet onion, diced small

2 limes, juiced

1 can of corn, drained

2 T chipotle hot sauce

1 t salt

Char the peppers and chiles over a flame.  Place in a bag and allow to steam until cooled.  When cooled peel off the charred skin from the peppers and chiles.  Seed and chop the peppers and chiles.  If you want a spicier salsa you can leave in some of the seeds from the jalapeno.  

Mix the corn, peppers, chiles, and sweet onion together.  Pour the hot sauce and lime juice over the corn and pepper mixture.  Sprinkle with the salt and mix.  Allow to sit for at least 4 hours for best flavor.

Home-made Aioli

Well sort of...

I cooked an artichoke last night.  Since I didn't have any pre-made sauces around I decided to throw something together.  I pulled together preserved lemons, oil, and a flavored vinegar.  The vinegar was flavored with cranberry and shallot, so I included a few of the pickled cranberries.  What I created was so close to an aioli I was surprised.  With no egg I managed to make a stable creamy sauce.

Cranberry Aioli

3 slices of preserved lemon

2 T olive oil

2 T cranberry vinegar

5 pickled cranberries

Place all ingredients is a high sided container (I used a canning jar). Blend until creamy, about 3 mins.

Lemon Poppy Slaw

I made this simple and light slaw to go with some BBQ seitan that I made. It was a quick to put together since it uses packaged coleslaw mix.  It is better the next day and actually I would say that it would be best to make it the day before to allow the cabbage to soften a bit and the flavors to meld.

Lemon Poppy Slaw

1 package coleslaw vegetables

1 shallot, diced

1/2 of a preserved lemon, diced
2 T vinegar
2 T olive oil
1-2 T poppy seeds

Mix all of the ingredients together and the set aside for at least an hour and preferably overnight.  Enjoy. 

New Beginnings and Hazelnut Gremolata

In the last few months I have moved to a different boat that I was on before.  While it is smaller that the boat I was on before I believe that it has more usable space including a completely functional galley.  There are two differences in the galley that I am having to adjust to.  The alcohol stove - need to use a defuser with it - and a icebox instead of a small fridge.  Combining all of this with a goal to not eat out as much this year and well here I am.  I hope that you like my first recipe.

Hazelnut Gremolata

1 cup hazelnuts
1/4 c oil
2 large cloves of garlic
1 bunch of parsley
3 chunks of preserved lemons   
1 t salt

Place the hazelnuts, oil, and salt in a small cuisinart.  Grind until the hazelnuts are in small pieces.  Add the garlic, lemon and parsley.  Grind until it reaches a pesto like texture.  Serve over pasta.  Makes about 1 1/2 cups. Enjoy

p.s. my batch of preserved lemons this year were made with meyer lemons. still amazing.