Sunday 29 November 2009

Tarte Tatin














There are many variations on the classic tart tatin and here is one way of creating a tasty tart on board. Everything is prepared in one pan which should be suitable for putting in the oven. I use a 24cm non-stick frying pan with a metal handle for this.

Ingredients

For the tart
1 pack pre-made puff pastry (thaw if frozen)
Some plain flour for rolling out
6 large eating apples (Cox's are good) peeled, cored and cut into halves
10g unsalted butter
1 tbsp caster sugar

For the caramel

50ml water
100g caster sugar
25g unsalted butter

Method
* Heat the oven (190C / mark 5 at home, high on the boat)
* Dust a clean smooth chopping board with flour and roll out the pastry until it is about 2-3mm thick, and wide enough to cover your pan, using an unopened wine bottle if no rolling pin is on board
* cover the pastry with cling film and leave somewhere cool for about 30 mins

* To make the caramel, add the sugar and water to the frying pan and let the sugar absorb the water
* Put the frying pan on the hob, bring to a rolling boil then simmer until it turns golden brown
* Stir in the butter and take off the heat

* Arrange the apple halves cut side down in the pan and fill in the gaps with any left over wedges of apple, leaving as little space as possible
* Cut the butter into cubes and dot over the apples
* Place in the oven for 5 mins then take out and spread the melting butter over the apples with a flat knife then sprinkle over some caster sugar
* Return to the oven for another 30 mins or until the apples are partly cooked

* Take the pan out of the oven and place the pastry over the top of the apples
* With a knife, cut around the rim so that the pastry becomes round, then tuck the edges in at the side of the pan
* brush wih a little milk and return to the oven for about 30 mins or until the pastry is golden brown
* Once cooked, remove from oven and leave under the sprayhood until barely warm so that the caramel can set.














* To release the tart, use a knife and go round the side of the pan to release the pastry.
* Put a large dinner plate over the pan and turn upside down, holding the plate and pan together

* Slice and serve with double cream or creme fraiche

Serves 6-8 people
Suitable for in harbour or flat calm sea

Wednesday 25 November 2009

Cooking on board - the Clipper Round the World Race

If you think provisioning for a week's cruising and cooking at sea is tough, spare a thought for the galley on the yachts in the Clipper Round the World Race. Here are some food-related extracts from their blogs.

Dawn Evans on Sprit of Australia says

"Steal your pets eating bowl. All meals are consumed out of lovely green plastic dog bowls. Next time you prepare your favourite pets’ meal swap your lovely porcelain for their bowl. Try eating your first course then swill it out and have some pudding. Lovely."

"Visit your local supermarket, buy high quantity of chocolate bars, heat in oven, in wrapper, attempt to eat when cool. Chocolate snacks are in abundance aboard Spirit of Australia. How lovely you may think. A cup of tea and something sweet. However no matter how carefully and nicely packed penguin cake bars, fudge bars and Crunchies may be when it comes to eating them they have been reduced to a pile of sticky mush. We have taken to sucking chocolate out of wrappers - not a good look but one that needs practice."

Orla Mellett on Cork took charge of provisioning in Rio...

"A fresh fruit and veg run is the last run we do before we hit for sea and having learned from our experiences on Leg 1, we stocked up on loads of citrus fruits, melons, apples, cabbages, onions, garlic, carrots – anything that we think will go the distance. With the galley rammed full of all this fresh produce, the last couple of days have seen us enjoy fresh veggie soup (yes, that’s the rustic unblended homemade variety Mama!) and pineapple and melon desserts – Not too shabby, eh!"

"Cork’s crew are feeling extremely detoxed and healthy at the minute as a result. Long may it continue!"

"Regardless of how prepared you feel, you will inevitably forget something or fail to meet everyone’s expectations. Thankfully, we have a crew here on Cork that seem to eat pretty much anything that’s put in front of them, without a grumble (well, at least not in my ear shot!), which makes what could be a thankless and soul destroying job, one of the most rewarding on the boat."

Friday 13 November 2009

Award! The Alexander Catering Rose Bowl

howtocookonaboat.com has been awarded the Alexander Catering Rose Bowl for creating and publishing "Recipes from the Little Ship Club Galley". After being presented with this beautiful silver trophy by Commodore Rupert Wallace(Royal Navy), we only had the trophy in our grasp for a couple of hours during the prize-giving dinner at the Little Ship Club. Sadly, when dinner ended, we had to give it up to the trophy cabinet but Julie & Caroline will have their names engraved for posterity. And we get to keep a medallion as a souvenir.

It was a total surprise to us and we just hope that "Recipes from the Little Ship Club Galley" continues to sell well.