Isolation Afloat - Karen Oberg

Serves 4

Mackerel fillets cooked in miso flavoured sauce – this is a great way of cooking mackerel. Simmered Mackerel in Miso is full of flavour and goes so well with rice.

Ingredients

• 4 mackerel fillets
• 3-4 shallots (scallions), cut into 5cm long pieces
• 3 cm cubes ginger , diced
• Simmering Sauce
• 80 g Miso
• 200 ml water
• 200 ml sake
• 2 tbs sugar
• 1½ tbs mirin
• Garnish (optional)
• Julienned shallots (scallions)
• Diced ginger

To serve Boiled Rice

Let’s get cooking

Pat dry fish with kitchen paper. Take 2 tablespoons of water and mix with the miso in a bowl so that the miso becomes slightly watery (easy to dilute). Add shallots, ginger and the Simmering Sauce ingredients, excluding miso, to a shallow pot or a frying pan that can fit all the fish pieces snugly without overlapping. Bring it to a boil over high heat. Add fish pieces to the pot/pan without overlapping, place a drop lid or cover with Alfoil pressed down around fish and cook for 2½ minutes. Reduce the heat to medium and remove the drop lid. Add the miso to the pot/pan in swirling motion so that the miso spreads evenly. Cook for 5 minutes or until the sauce thickens slightly. Do not condense the sauce too much as it will become too salty. Use a ladle and pour the sauce over the fish few times while cooking. Turn the heat off and use a spatula to transfer the fish pieces to serving plates over rice. Pour some sauce over the fish pieces, sprinkle ginger and place julienned shallots on top.

Serves 2

Ingredients

• 300 g sashimi tuna - I used Bonito
• 2 bowls of cooked rice, about one cup of rice each
• Marinade
• 2 tbs sake
• 1 tbs mirin
• 3 tbs soy sauce
• Toppings and Garnish
• ½ sheet of yakinori (roasted seaweed), cut into 3cm long thin strips
• 1 tsp white sesame seeds
• 2 tbs shallots (scallions) finely chopped - I didn’t have any onboard so I dried fried finely diced onion
• Wasabi (optional)

Let’s get cooking

If sashimi tuna is not sliced, slice it to 7mm thick. Add sake and mirin to a pot and bring it to a boil. Boil for 10 seconds or so to let the alcohol evaporate. Turn the heat off, add soy sauce and let the marinade cool down to room temperature. Add a few drops of sesame oil if using. Add sliced tuna to the pot and marinate for about 10-15 minutes. Take a tablespoon of marinade and scatter over the rice in a bowl. Scatter half of the yakinori strips over the rice in a bowl, then cover the surface of the rice and yakinori with half of the marinated tuna pieces. Sprinkle half of sesame seeds and shallots over the tuna with a small amount of wasabi paste in the centre if using. Repeat steps 5 – 7 for the second bowl. Serve immediately.

Notes

Instead of tuna, you could use salmon, kingfish, bonito, deep sea bream, trevally, etc. But you do have to purchase a sashimi quality fish. A standard Japanese-style rice bowl would be too small as the tuna slices are placed on top of the rice. You could use a soup bowl or noodle soup bowl instead. The rice can be hot or room temperature. Instead of placing yakinori below the tuna slices, you can place the tuna first, then scatter yakinori, if you like.

Serves 2

Ingredients

• 350g linguine or Pasta of your choice
• 1 garlic clove
• 1½ dried red chilli
• 2 tbs of your favourite Italian herb mix
• 2 cups of crabmeat
• 3 tbsp lemon olive oil (1 tbs of lemon added to oil)
• 1/2 a glass of white wine for you and 1/2 for the recipe

Let’s get cooking

Bring a large pan of salted water to the boil, feed in the spaghetti and cook until just soft, stirring a couple of times to stop it sticking. Peel and finely chop the garlic; halve, finely chop the chilli. Roughly chop the parsley.  Heat 2 tbsp of the oil in a large frying pan, add the garlic, Italian herbs and chilli and fry for 1 minute. Tip the crab meat into the pan with the wine, season with salt and pepper and heat through for a minute or so, stirring. Drain the pasta, return it to the pan and tip in the crab mixture, the last tablespoon of oil and the parsley. Toss everything together and serve with grated Parmesan.

Makes 1 loaf

Ingredients

• 3 cups all-purpose flour
• 2 tbs sugar
• 1 tbs baking powder
• 1 tsp salt
• 2 tbs honey or agave nectar
• 1 can / bottle beer
• 4 tbs unsalted butter melted

Let’s get cooking

Preheat the oven to 280°. Grease a loaf pan. In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar, baking powder and salt. Using a wooden spoon, stir the beer and honey into the dry ingredients until just mixed. I put my honey on the stove for a few minutes, so that it was easier to mix. I barely, barely mixed the dough. Just a few strokes to make sure all the ingredients had come together and all the dry ingredients were incooperated into beer. Pour half the melted butter into the loaf pan, this helps form the crusty base. Then spoon the batter into the pan, and pour the rest of the butter on top of the batter. Bake for 50 to 60 minutes, until top is golden brown and a toothpick/knife inserted in the middle comes out clean. This could be less time in a conventional oven. Set your time for 35 minutes to check, remember I am using a boat oven which isn’t always the most efficient.

Makes 1 loaf

Coconut flour is a great alternative for those looking for gluten-free and/or grain-free recipes. However it tends to soak up any moisture – so certain recipes it cannot be a direct substitute for all. This recipe is heavenly.

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup of Coconut Flour
• 1 cup of Pecans, roughly chopped extra for decoration
• 4 over ripe bananas roughly cut
• 4 room temp eggs
• 1/2 cup Almond Spread or peanut butter
• 3 tbs EV Coconut Oil, melted
• 2 tsp vanilla + 2 tbs Cinnamon
• 1 tsp Baking Powder
• 1 tsp baking soda

Optional add chunks of delicious bulk milk chocolate for a more indulgent treat, I didn’t in this bake but have in the past and the combo of Banana Coconut and Chocolate.... well just think Banana Split ... just sayin’

Let’s get cooking

Preheat your oven to 180 degrees + line a baking dish with coconut oil or baking paper. Add all the wet ingredients to large bowl and mix. Next add in the flour, baking powder, baking soda and cinnamon and continue to mix until well combined. Lastly stir through the chopped pecans – making them as chunky or fine as you like. Add mixture into the loaf dish and bake in the oven for 45 – 50 minutes or until a knife comes out clean. Allow to cool before removing from the dish.

This quantity is enough to coat 8 good sized fillets.

Ingredients

• 1 cup flour
• 2 tbs cornflour
• 1⁄2 tsp sea salt flakes
• 1 cup ice cold beer
• 1 egg yolk
• 2 egg whites, beaten until stiff

Let’s get cooking

Dry fish with paper towel before starting. Start heating oil as you want to start using batter as soon as it is ready. Stir together flour, cornstarch and salt. Make a well in the center. Combine icy cold beer and egg yolk, beating with a fork or whisk until frothy. Add all at once to dry ingredients. Slowly stir just until moistened; DO NOT over stir,a few lumps should remain. Fold in beaten egg whites. Use batter immediately. Heat oil 180. Add 1 teaspoon salt. Dip fish, shrimp or vegetables into batter, swirling to coat. Fry a few pieces at a time 2 to 3 minutes or until golden brown. Drain on paper towels.

Serves 2

Ideal with the Beer Battered Fish.

Ingredients

• 400 ml vegetable/chicken stock
• 150 g quick-cook polenta , plus 2 tbs for dusting
• 40 g Parmesan cheese , plus extra to serve
• olive oil
• sea salt flakes

Let’s get cooking

Bring the stock to the boil and slowly whisk in the polenta, stirring constantly. Add a pinch of sea salt and, after a few minutes, once thickened, finely grate in the Parmesan. If you would like extra herbs now is the time to add them. Pour into a greased and lined 20cm square tin. Cover with baking paper and place another baking tin on top and lightly weight it down. Now pop in the fridge to chill and firm up, about 1 hour. Preheat oven to 220ºC. Turn the polenta out on a cutting board and cut the polenta into chips and brush with 2 tbs of olive oil. Dust with the extra polenta. Arrange on a greased baking tray in a single layer and bake for 30 minutes, or until crisp and golden. This may take longer depending on your size of chips I like mine thick. Serve the hot polenta chips with some extra Parmesan grated and sea salt flakes on top. Enjoy a healthy alternative to fried potato chips.

Serves 4

Ingredients

• 2 tbs olive oil
• 2 tbd butter
• 1 medium onion chopped
• 2 cloves garlic finely chopped or 1/2 tsp of minced garlic from jar
• 2 cups risotto rice
• 1 cup dry white wine
• 4 cups chicken stock or fish stock
• ½ preserved lemon diced
• 2 tbs lemon juice
• 1 cup frozen peas
• 1 large can of Pink Salmon
•  
• To serve:
• ¼ cup grated Parmesan cheese or Romano cheese plus more for serving (optional)
• 2 tbs butter
• a good handful of fresh dill chopped or 1 tbs dried dill

Let’s get cooking

In a large pan, saute the onions in oil until and butter they are cooked and soft but not browned. Add the garlic and cook for another minute. Add all the rice and stir it around with the other ingredients to toast the grains thoroughly without browning. Raise the heat to high, add the wine and reduce it until nearly all of the liquid is absorbed into the rice. Stir in the stock, lemon, and lemon juice. reduce the heat, stir and leave to cook covered 15-18 until the rice is just undercooked (Checking after about 15 minutes to make sure no additional stock is needed. If the risotto looks dry, add some of the remaining stock). Drain the can on salmon, break up the salmon to your liking. When the rice is just undercooked, add the peas, stir and cook until the rice is done. Add the chopped dill, the butter, and grated Parmesan cheese. Mix together. Add the salmon and season to taste before serving.

Ingredients

• Apple cake
• 1 and ½ cups plain flour
• 2 tsp baking powder
• ½ tsp baking soda
• ¾ cup castor sugar
• 1 cup (approximately 1 large) red apple, peeled and roughly chopped
• 2 large eggs
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• ½ cup vegetable oil
• ½ cup Greek yogurt
• Cinnamon topping
• ¼ cup castor sugar
• 1 tsp ground cinnamon
• 1 tbs unsalted butter, melted

Let’s get cooking

Preheat oven to 180 C . Grease and line an 8 or 9 inch round cake tin with baking paper. In a large mixing bowl, add flour, baking powder, baking soda and sugar. Add chopped apple and stir briefly to combine. In a separate bowl, add eggs, vanilla, oil and yoghurt. Whisk briefly just to break up the egg yolks. Add wet ingredients to dry ingredients and gently mix with a wooden spoon until combined – but be careful not to over mix. Spoon batter into prepared tin. To make cinnamon topping, combine cinnamon, sugar and butter. Mix together until lumpy and wet. Sprinkle over cake batter. Bake cake for approximately 30-35 minutes or until a skewer inserted into the middle comes out clean. Transfer cake to a wire rack to cool completely.

Serves 4

Ingredients

• 500 g roast pork leftovers cut into 2cm cubes

Batter

• 1/2 cup plain flour
• 1/4 cup cornflour
• 1/2 cup cold water
• 1 egg
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 1 L Sunflower oil

Sauce

1/2 red capsicum

1/2 onion, sliced into wedges

1 carrot cooked sliced (I use my pickled carrots)

Sauce

• 300 g canned pineapple
• 2 tbs pineapple juice reserve liquid
• 3 tbs oil
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 2 tbs soy sauce
• 2 tbs white vinegar
• 1/2 cup tomato sauce
• 1 tbs cornflour
• 1 cup water

(This makes a lot of Sauce, I cryovac the extra sauce and freeze for next time).

Let’s get cooking

Sauce: Heat oil and sauté chopped vegetables for 5 minutes. Set aside. Mix sugar, soy sauce, pineapple juice, vinegar and tomato sauce together then add to the vegetables. Add the pineapple pieces and bring to the boil. Once the sauce is boiling, add the cornflour which has been blended with the water. Continue stirring until mixture boils and thickens. Keep hot while preparing pork. Heat oil for deep-frying pork. Whisk batter ingredients together until smooth. Add pork and stir to coat well. Fry pork in batches until cooked, about 4 - 5 minutes. Drain on paper towels and keep warm while cooking the rest of the pork. Once all the pork is cooked, add vegetables and top with sauce, serve with the sauce and some plain or fried rice.

Granola is one of the most expensive packaged staple foods and it’s much more economical to make it at home. By using a range of spices, natural sweeteners, nuts, seeds and dried fruit, you can create endless variations of homemade granola and never get bored. Once you try homemade granola, you won’t go back to store-bought granola. It’s so much better! Plus, homemade granola is super easy to make. You’ll only need one bowl and some basic pantry ingredients. Ready to make some? Do you love granola? Me, too! Today, I’m sharing my “basic” granola recipe, which is also the best granola recipe. Granted, I’m partial, but it really is the best and I use that term sparingly. Serves four, buy in bulk at your Bulk Food Source shops and you will save a bundle of sailing kitty. I usually make three or four times this quantity as it’s our regular ‘go to’ breakfast.

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup each of the following
• Macadamias
• Pecans
• Walnuts
• Sunflower seeds
• Pumpkin seeds
• 2 tbs of the following
• Linseeds
• Chia seeds white
• Chia seeds black
• Sesame seeds
• 1 tsp of cinnamon
• 1 tsp of allspice
• 2 cups of Coconut flakes
• 2-3 tbs of coconut oil
• 1 tbs of honey

If you have other favourites add them in. To serve fresh berries or frozen. 1 cup of coconut yoghurt or unsweetened yoghurt of your choice.

Let’s get Cooking

Heat oven to 180. Line baking trays with baking paper. In a large bowl mix all ingredients together.  Spread mixture onto trays not overly thick. Bake for 15 minutes or until toasty, the scent in the Galley whilst baking this is wonderful. Allow to cool and store in airtight container. Serve with suggested toppings ..... a quick breakfast has never been so yummy ...

Ingredients

• 1 litre of milk
• Optional: + 1/3 cup instant dry milk (use to make the yogurt creamier and boost the protein content)
• 1/4 cup of quality plain yogurt
• 2 capsules of probiotic

Let’s get Cooking

Mix the instant dry milk with the fresh milk with a whisk until well combined. Heat 1 litre of milk on the stove for five minutes brining to a simmer. Stirring constantly so it doesn’t burn or stick. Remove the milk from heat and let cool to baby-warm. You know what I mean by this test it on the inside of your wrist. It should not burn you, it should be lukewarm. Heat 2 litres of water in a large pot on the stove. Get it as hot as you can and still put your hand in it. Turn off heat. “Starter” ... In a small cup, spoon a 1/4 cup of plain yogurt (that you should have in the fridge leftover from the last time you made or from the yoghurt you bought) and break open two capsules of probiotic supplements into the yoghurt. Mix well. Add a little of the lukewarm milk to the “starter” mix and stir. Add this mixture back into the warm milk and stir well until all the starter mix is mixed in with the 1 litre of warm milk. Put your probiotic milk into a sterile container and set inside the pot of hot water. (Or use your yoghurt maker at this stage).  Let it sit undisturbed for a couple hours. Do not stir the yogurt. Ever. If you are using a stove top pot to incubate. Remove the yoghurt container after a couple hours and reheat the water. Place the yogurt container back into the hot water. The culturing process will take five to six hours (you may have to re-heat the water one more time, if the weather is cool I place a lid on the pot and then place the pot into the sink surrounded by hot water this helps maintain the right temperature of between 35-45C). If using a Yoghurt maker pot. Seal the lid and leave overnight for 8 hours, with the quantity of boiling water recommended by the manufacturer. I find the longer I leave the incubation the more “Tart” in taste.