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As an avid hobby cook, I enjoy the challenge of cooking on a sailboat. Part of the challenge is the limited space onboard – Lulu is an older sailboat and only 10 feet wide at her widest point, the galley is not very big.
We are vegetarians who also eat fish, so the fact that Lulu only has a fridge and no freezer isn’t a problem for us. Most people who have freezers have them full of meat. While ice would be awesome, a freezer also draws a lot of power. With our power capability, the fridge is adequate for the two of us and we can provision easily for 1-2 months.
Good tools for the small kitchen:
- Pressure Cooker – cook beans, rice, potatoes, risotto, etc in a fraction of the time – less electricity or propane!
- Vacuum sealer – for keeping food a bit longer in the fridge, also good for sealing spare motor parts that shouldn’t dry out / get wet. We also seal dry goods like flour and sugar when we buy in bulk.
- Pastry Cutter – simple tool that I use not only to make biscuits and scones but also to mash beans for black bean hamburger patties, homemade hummus, and more.
- Silicone doily for your induction hotplate, to keep the pots and pans from sliding. And the induction hotplate is a given!
- Salt water pump in the galley – great for saving water by rinsing all your dishes in salt water first. Of course you can just fetch a pail of salt water and do it in the sink, but it really is helpful.
Some of the things that I always have on hand in my pantry:
- Seletion of carbohydrates – instant mashed potatoes, rice, pastas, tortillas, pita / naan bread – preferably items that are kept in the cupboard and not in the fridge. By using quick cooking pastas and pre-cooked rice in pouches, we cut down significantly on the energy requirements when necessary; and when we do have time and energy to spare, we use the longer cooking varieties to save on money. By using the pressure cooker or shutting off the burner and letting pastas and rice cook slowly under a lid, we can also cut down on the energy usage. Tortillas and naan can be used for a multitude of recipes and in place of regular bread and often come in long-life packaging.
- Lots of canned items – I have spent a lot of time testing out which items do well, and we buy tomatoes in all forms, corn, potatoes, carrots, beans, fish and more. Fresh vegetables are horribly expensive in the Caribbean, and wherever possible I use canned versions to meet our veggie requirements. Things like olives, sun dried tomatoes, roasted paprika and eggplant make excellent additions without too much cost if not used in excess.
- A variety of spies and sauces. Valuable fridge space is given to these, because spices and sauces can make it possible to eat the same 3-4 basic ingredients several meals in a row, without feeling like it is the same food.
- Cabbage & Onions – my most versatile go-to ingredients and champions of seafaring vegetables. They can be the base of a salad with grains and a vinaigrette, stir fried with noodles for an asian flair, sauteed then added to vegetable soups to give them an extra fresh flair – the possibilities are endless!
- A stash of comfort food, because we all have those days.
- Foods which can be made with little or no prep, for those really difficult times on passage. We have eaten pasta dishes straight from the pouch without heating, PB&J, tuna salad on crakers or bread or anything, instant noodles / instant meals that include their own cups/bowls so you can just pour in hot water and eat, and of course good meals that you have made in advance that you can heat with minimal attention in a saucepan, frying pan or in the oven. Curries, chilli, soups, risotto, lasagne, pasta dishes – all re-heat very well on the boat.
- UHT milk and cream, and powdered milk, plus dried yoghurt culture. We only have one liter of milk in the fridge at a time, but milk is important to make pancakes, crepes, on cereal and oatmeal, in sauces, soups, yoghurt etc.
Some easy recipes that I use under passage:
- Burritos/quesadillas – I almost always have refried beans and tortillas onboard, and I also often buy pre-shredded cheese. No matter how much the boat rolls, it is pretty easy to smear some beans on a tortilla and throw on some cheese. Chopped onion & salsa if available, and my personal favorite – a splash of sriracha mayonnaise! Can be eaten cold if required, but doesn’t require much energy to heat in a frying pan; or fill an oven form and warm a batch in the oven.
- Pasta that starts with sauteed onions and zucchini / eggplant, then add in some vegetable bullion and a small container of UHT (long-shelf-life) cream. Sometimes I throw in a can of fire roasted tomatoes, or sundried tomatoes, or olives – and then a quick cooking pasta that cooks in the creamy sauce.
- Quick cooking Asian noodles – start by placing the noodles into individual bowls and boiling enough water to cover, then put a plate over each of the bowls. Then, wok up chunks of cabbage, onion, bok choy, corn – whatever is available. If you are really hungry, scramble an egg per person after the veggies are done. Lift the lids off the noodles and stir in the seasoning packages, then mix in the veggies / eggs.
- Thinly slice onion and pour olive oil, vinegar and salt and pepper on top. After marinating a while, add in lots of thinly sliced cabbage and mix. Blend in a package of cooked grains (quinoa, couscous, bulgur, etc.) and then other veggies to taste for a great mealtime salad. Suggestions include: canned tuna, corn, beans, olives, sun-dried tomatoes.