Galley Gear Review: Nice Nesting Pots and Pans

"You see your dreams come true, this I promise you..."
                                                             -Rick Ross





 No matter how big the boat, every boat is too small.

 Especially the galley.

 When it comes to boat galleys, to paraphrase James T. Kirk...

 Space is the final frontier.


  NextBoat*'s galley has more storage capacity than Whiskeyjack's  galley, but "more storage capacity" is a relative term.  That is like saying that your humble scribbler here is taller than the average 9 year old child.

 That doesn't make me a giant.

  Ergo, maximizing space is paramount.  The more stuff you can fit into the existing space, the more comfortable your life in aforementioned space.

  Hence my interest in a set of nesting cookware.

   Every year at the boat show I look for a deal on cookware. I like the quality of the Magma set...

                                                                                                        -image courtesy of  Magma


...but I don't like the inventory-  there are four pots, but only one pan, in the 10 piece set.  Those of you who have read any of the Two-Burner Tastiness recipes understand that I'd rather have two pans, and one less pot, but that isn't an option.

   So, my search continued.

   Until early this summer.


    Wandering through the camping department of my local Canadian Tire, last June, I made an impulse buy.

    (why am I not surprised? - ed.) 

    I had just picked up the bottle of lamp oil I needed,  and on the shelf right beside the lamp oil was the camp cooking gear.  There were the usual speckled enamel suspects, the stuff that looks rustic and rugged, right up until the moment you actually use it, but in the midst of the sea of stamped-in-China-great outdoors-nostalgia-ware  was a  SALE ! tag, under a carton of cookware that looked...different.



   So I bought it.

  Yeah, I'd never heard of "Lagostina" either.

No, those not-shrimp, not-prawns, not-crawfish, not-lobster things?  Those are LaNgostinOs.

Which can be cooked in a Lagostina pot.




 Here's the deal:   Lagostina is an Italian firm that has been manufacturing stainless steel cookware for decades.  Their "Campeggio" line is their, as the name implies, line of camping cookware, but while it is compact in size, it is not compact on quality.
    These pots and pans are constructed of 18/10 stainless, with three ply (stainless steel/ aluminum/ stainless steel) bottoms for even heating. fold down the handle on the large stock pot and ...

    Keep going and in rapid succession you get...

Two, count 'em, TWO pans...

...Two stock pots...

...Two lids that fit both pots and pans....

  ... and a grip-anywhere, go-anywhere insulated pot/pan handle that is both ambidextrous and has hooks for removing hot pot lids, like when you are steaming Langostinos.

Both pots are graduated, which is a nice touch...

  ...for measuring the exact amount of liquid for boiling langstinos


   Also included is a mesh carrying bag... that was promptly repurposed forother uses aboard.

   After 5 months of use, both SWMBO and I can confirm,  we LOVE this stuff.

   All pieces heat evenly, the bottoms don't warp when warm, the handle is substantial, the construction is solid,  the non-stick is real non-stick, and, mosti importantly...

  ... These were the ONLY pots and pans we have used for the last 5 months, and we haven't needed to buy more.  Cooking for 2-4 on a 2 burner  stove?  This is all you will likely ever need.  It is all we have needed.


     Here's an example:

      Cracker crusted pork chops, "Booker T"  mashed potatoes and peaches and cream corn- two burners, three pots, from one nesting cookware set.

Oh, and a bottle of Ramblin' Road DPA. 




      Surprisingly, although less than half the price of the smaller one-pan Magma nesting set, the Lagostina cookware comes with a 10 year warranty, compared to the Magma's I year warranty.  I am impressed. Retail price at our local Canadian Tire Store  was $119.99 cdn.

      The only challenge is where to find it outside of the Canada.

     Or Italy.
 
     If anyone wants a set, let me know.   I'll pick it up for you and ship it out- for actual cost.


Thanks for checking in, and please,
"Talk the Dock!"



 

     

Two Burner Tastiness: Tossed Greens and Tenderloin

    "I can't stop pushing it..."
           -General Public

  

       As it so often does in life, once again, size matters.

       An unavoidable limitation of cooking in a small space is the very fact that one is cooking in a small space.  Everything, by necessity, is smaller- smaller burners mean smaller pots and pans,  which can, and does limit one’s ability to cook beef.

  A 16 oz ribeye steak for example, would overwhelm our hand-span – wide “big” skillet.

      Thus, when the crew of Whiskeyjack has a  hankering for bovine protein that doesn't come wrapped in a bun, we turn to tenderloin.

       Tenderloin is a small oblong roast, ideal for two-burner cooking.

        Here's our recipe for Tenderloin in a Red Wine Reduction

        1 2 lb-ish beef tenerloin, cut in half to fit pan.
        1 shallot diced
        1 clove garlic peeled and minced
        1 vidalia onion, peeled and diced
        1 carrot, sliced
        1 stalk of celery, sliced
         Handfull of sliced mushrooms (optional)
         1 zucchini, sliced into 1/4" thick slices.
        1 tsp olive oil or 1 dollop of butter
         2 tsp worcestershire sauce
         1 dash balsamic vinegar
         1 bottle of red wine
          Spices- I like rosemary, tarragon a little salt and pepper.



          Pour a glass of wine.
          Cut tenderloin to fit skillet.
           Put tenderloin on plate, pat on some spices and a little worcestershire sauce.
         Warm up your skillet-  you want your pan to be HOT before introducing the beef.
          Add dollop of butter or olive oil  to pan.  (Because of the lack of temperature control on our crude stove, I prefer to use olive oil when searing.)
          When pan is hot, add tenderloin.
           When tenderloin is seared on once side, (about a minute) turn and add veggies (except 'shrooms) to pan.
            About a minute later, turn tenderloin to side number 3, and add a glug or three of wine to the pan.
             Another minute or two later, turn the tenderloin one last time, then reduce heat to medium-ish, and cover.

       

       
       
      We uses another pot as a lid.

     

     Over on burner #2,  add a dollop of olive oil to skillet #2, and set to medium heat.

      When internal temp of tenderloin indicates that it is done to your taste, set tenderloin on cutting board to rest, under pot lid or tinfoil tent.  

      Add another glug of red wine to pan, a quick dash of balsamic vinegar, and increase heat slightly.  Stir and taste frequently.  Did you opt for 'shrooms?  Now is the time to toss them in.

        How's your wine?  Now is a good time to refresh your glass.

   

       While reduction is reducing, after tenderloin has rested at least 9 minutes, turn to skillet #2 and start to sear zucchini slices with a dash of spices, salt and pepper, and arrange on plates.  

        Don't forget to occasionally stir and taste skillet #1.

        Now the tenderloin has rested about 12-15 minutes- uncover, slice and arrange on zucchini.

        Spoon reduction onto tenderloin, or onto plate, or into small inidvidual dipping bowls so guests can serve themselves

      

        Serve with simple salad.  We opted for spring greens and spinach with semi-pickled cucumbers.

    

     Easy, tasty, and less grease than burgers.


     "Talk the Dock!"

Book Reviewsday Tuesday: "Cooking Aboard a Small Boat" - A Kinda Cookbook

     "Living one word to the next, one line at a time"

                                        -Kenny Chesney

      I decided it was time to fill one of the potholes in that nautical information superhighway dirt road that is the Dock Six Chronicles.

    We've got Gear and Tool Reviews (to be updated shortly), Recipes (to be updated shortly),  Coming Events (yeah, that too needs updating....sigh,)  What has been missing until now is a section of Book Reviews.  

    Today, we solve that problem, kicking off the first...

    Book Reviewsday Tuesday!

    (*APPLAUSE*)

     The plan is to have a new review for you every other Tue..sday.

      Some weeks it will be a how-to manual,  some weeks maybe a first-hand passage or cruise account,  other weeks fiction, sometimes hot off the presses, sometimes an old favourite, sometimes it might not even be boat-related, just a good read I figured I'd pass along.

    Your input and help is always welcome- have you read a book you have liked and wish to share, or a book you didn't enjoy and wish to warn others away from?   Drop me a line.

    One of the things that is great about most boat-related how-to books is that the book title usually tells you exactly what the book is about.  No messing about, no having to leaf through the bloody thing in the bookstore to figure out what it's about like some of that fancier stuff.  Nope-  most marine how-to authors tell you what it's about right on the cover.

    Following the norm, Paul "Capt'n Pauley" Esterle gets right to it:

    

   Some of you might be familiar with Capt'n Pauley, thanks to his regular contributions to Small Craft Advisor

  magazine.

   He's our kinda guy.

   Like some of  us, Capt'n Pauley sails a small boat-  Ternabout, a Matilda 20, one of the great Canadian "trailer sailer" pocket cruisers to come out of the golden age of small boats, the late 60s/early 70s. 

   Also, like some of us, he has invested an amount of time and money equipping and outfitting that is out of all  proportion to the value of his boat.

   He understands living large on a small boat.

  That Capt'n Pauley knows whereof he speaks was evident from the moment I picked up this book.  The binding told me, "This guy gets it."

  See, "Cooking Aboard..." is spiral bound. 

   

   Spiral binding allows the reader to open the book to the desired page and lay it flat, leaving both hands free to accomplish what you are trying to accomplish by reading the book conveniently lying open in front of you. You can also fold the book back on itself, so that it takes up half the space when opened, a small but important thing when working with limited galley space. 

     "Cooking Aboard..." is much more "small boat friendly" than typical cookbooks like "The Joy of Cooking", for example.  That doorstop would damn near fill Whiskeyjack's galley, and refuses to stay open to any of it's hundreds of pages unassisted.

It's a little thing, but anything that makes my life easier earns bonus points.

  As the post title says, this is a kinda cookbook.
  And a kinda DIY manual. 
  And a kinda, well...
 "Cooking Aboard..." is what I call a "Start from stupid" book.  The author assumes that you know nothing, and aims to teach you everything.  

    Occasionally, "Start from stupid" is a bad idea, usually when the author dumbs the book down below the general knowledge level of his/her intended audience, then adopts a narrative style that provides no simple means for the reader to access the information they need now.

  Capt'n Pauley avoids this trap by breaking "Cooking Aboard..." into a logical sequence of stand alone chapters and sub-chapters.

  For the unconscious incompetent ,  "Cooking Aboard..." starts from scratch, discussing  galley necessities, tools, gear, provisioning and storage, then expands on that foundation by offering advice on galley and cockpit projects to improve the cooking, and eating, aboard experience.

   

  For more experienced galley slaves, it is easy to jump to the sections that have more value, whether it is storage advice, spice tips,  recipes or how to build a propane canister locker.

   The book is well illustrated, with photos and line drawings illustrating the text of the project under discussion...

  .... with a glaring exception-  the recipes that fill the last 70 pages of the 182 page book.

    While the first 6 chapters are liberally illustrated, Chapter 7 has a only a handful of photos which do little to highlight the recipes to which they are attached.  For example, the Chicken Caesar Salad Wraps:

    The recipe sounds tasty, but the accompanying image looks like very shiny hand-rolled homegrown of dubious legality.

     Many of the recipes are sourced from other sources-books,  message boards, forums and other sailors' blogs, which might explain, maybe, the lack of art. But, that in turn, presents another concern-  if the author hasn't tried the recipes offered, the author can't attest to the accuracy of proportions, ingredients, or taste.  As the first 6 chapters are all based on first-hand experience, I am gonna give the good Capt'n the benefit of the doubt here.  

   *edit: I contacted Capt'n Pauley with a link to this review.  He kindly replied
    "Just to be clear, all the recipes were tested, tried and true on Ternabout. I originally had many more pictures of food in the book. However, the cost of a Lulu book is dependent on the binding and number of pages. I knew I wanted the spiral binding even though it is the most expensive binding type. I also wanted as many pictures as I could get in and keep the price of the finished book attractive. Rather than remove pictures of some of the more important features, I removed food type pictures until I got to the price point I was comfortable with."

Thanks, Capt'n for the clarification.  

   

   As any good hands-on how-to manual will, "Cooking Aboard..." has a Notes section at the end of the book, which is a handy idea.

   There's the odd typo and grammatical error, not uncommon in self-published works, but overall it is a readable, well-presented manual.  I expect that my copy will be dog-eared and rum -stained in short order this season, and will be well-thumbed in many seasons to come.  

    Want a copy of your own?

    Fire off a not-unreasonable $17.95 via paypal for the hard copy or only $8.99 for the e-reader version to

  Capt'n Pauley at http://www.captnpauley.com/Cooking.html .

  You can find the rest of Capt'n Pauley's works on Amazon:

http://www.lulu.com/spotlight/captnpauley

    He writes so me good stuff- there maybe more Capt'n Pauley reviews on future Tuesdays.

  

"Talk the Dock!"

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Two Burner Tastiness: A Handful of Sammies

"I've got more spice than the Frugal Gourmet..."
                                          -Beastie Boys


     The upside of handheld, bread-wrapped food is that less time and water is spent washing dishes.

     The downside of handheld, bread-wrapped food is hands, wrists and arms covered in drippings.

     I'm okay with the trade-off.  A good messy sandwich is a wonderful thing.  We have had a few aboard recently:

    A vampire slayer:  carved roast pork loin served on a garlic toasted vienna stick, topped with fried onions and peppers, garlic mayo, and a side of  cucumber salad.

    Pork souvlaki, served with tzatziki, tomatoes, onions, cucumbers, all wrapped in naan:

         
    Pot roast and gravy, served on a sliced baguette, topped with fried onions:
                            

The "Dock Six" Burger:  Angus beef served on a thin whole wheat bun, topped with onion, brie, country pate, mustard and mayo.

"Talk the Dock!"

Two-Burner Tastiness- Shoulder Season Savoury Supper

               "On my own, here we go..."
                                   -Green Day




         Spring and fall can be great seasons for boating.  The casual boaters are hauled out, it's too cold for PWC-bees, and  although wind is colder, it's more consistent.
 
        But, when it rains, it can be downright miserable.

        Warm food helps.

        Warm food that smells good and tastes better helps a lot.

        Warm food that smells good and tastes better with booze in it is always a winner.

         In other words, stew.

         The problem with stew on board is that it seems like every stew recipe calls for a crock pot, takes all day to cook, serves 30 people with leftovers, or all of the above.

         With a little experimentation, we created this recipe which is relatively quick, serves 2 and requires only one burner.

         Here we go:

        Whiskeyjack Beef Stew



1 pound (454g) beef on sale.  The cheapest cut you can find. Stewing beef not necessary.  I like to use cheap steak.(cut into 1 to 1½ inch cubes)
1/2 teaspoon seasoned salt
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 medium sized onion roughly diced
2 stalks celery, sliced
4 cloves of garlic, chopped
1 tbsp herbs de Provence (or 1 tsp oregano, 1 tsp basil, )
1 1/2 cups (.60 L) reduced-sodium beef broth
1/2 small can of  tomato paste
1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
        1 bay leaf
1 teaspoon sugar
 salt and pepper (or Old Bay) to taste
1 large  potato,  peeled and roughly cubed into bite sized pieces
1 large carrot, chopped, or a half bag of baby carrots.
1 glass of cheap wine, or 1 bottle of cheap beer
2 tablespoons cornstarch
1/2 cup frozen green peas
2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro

        2 tbsp Worcestershire sauce

        1 tbsp soy sauce
 

         In a bowl combine the soy sauce and Worcestershire sauce.  Drop in the beef.  Let it marinade.  Drink a beer, or take this time to slice and chop and peel the veggies.  Work slow.  You want the marinade to do it's thing for a while.

        Remove beef from marinade, pat dry and rub in salt and pepper or Old Bay seasoning.  In a medium size pot over medium heat,  add olive oil, then drop in beef.  When beef is browned, remove from pot and pat dry again.


        Add celery, onions, garlic,to pot.
       
        When veggies begin to soften, add beef marinade to pot.
   
        . Return beef cubes to pot and stir in herbs de Provence. Toss in the tomato paste, vinegar, bay leaves, sugar, salt, and pepper and booze.   Bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low, cover and simmer for about 45 minutes to an hour. You want to cook this low and slow, stirring occasionally.  Your boat will start to smell GREAT!

         When a cube of meat is so tender it can be just about pulled apart with a fork, add the potatoes and carrots. Cover and simmer for another 20 minutes to  half hour,  until a potato can be cut with a fork. Mix cornstarch with 2 tbsp water until smooth. Add to stew. Stir well  and continue to cook until stew is bubbly and has thickened. Stir in peas and cilantro and cook just until peas are heated through, just a couple of minutes.

       Serve in bowls, with a basket of biscuits or rough cut baguette for dipping and wiping.

       

         

Two-Burner Tastiness- Vegetarian Edition

        "Come on and stir it up..."
            -Bob Marley & The Wailers


       
        It has been brought to my attention that in my Dock-related gastronomical reportage I was ignoring an important demographic.  Dozens two constant occasional readers had mentioned that there were no vegetarian recipes.
 
      In fact, the argument had been made that I was prejudiced against pescatarians, hated herbivores and was vehemently anti- vegan.

     To which, I respond,  "Well, duh."

     SWMBO and I are not vegetarians, so our menus tend to include ingredients that at one time had a pulse.

     Besides, tofu really, really sucks.

     But, upon reflection, I realized that there is some really yummy stuff out there that we eat and serve regularly, that could be filed under "Vegetarian."

   With our vegetarian son and pescatarian daughter visiting for the March break, we had the perfect opportunity to field-test some twists on old favourites and try some new ideas.

     Give 'em a try and let me know what you think.

      Dock 6 Dirty Rice


Ingredients:
4 cloves garlic, minced
1  chopped onion
1 chopped green or red bell pepper
1 stalk celery
1 shallot
1 tbsp or thereabouts Old Bay Seasoning, or a blend of chili powder, seasoned salt, black pepper.
1 tsp.  Five Spice powder
1 1/3 cups uncooked white rice
2 3/4 cups water
1 teaspoon salt
1 diced  tomato
1 can black beans
 fresh lime juice
 chopped fresh cilantro to taste

Bring the water to a boil, then everybody in the pool!  Except the lime juice.  Whne rice is cooked to desired firmness, remove from heat, squirt on lime juice (or garnish with lime wedges) and dress with sriracha sauce.

     Quinoa Salad
    
     This recipe was inspired by a dish on the menu at my brother-in-law's restaurant,  Rosie .

     1 cup quinoa rinsed and drained
     2.5 cups of water  or vegetable broth
     1 diced tomato
     1 diced red pepper
     1/2 english cucumber sliced and diced.
     Handful chopped cilantro
 
     Dressing
    3 tbsp olive oil
    2 tbsp. cider or rice wine vinegar
    2 cloves garlic
    salt and pepper

   Boil water or broth,  add quinoa, coook for about 15 minutes or until liquid is absorbed.  Let stand for 5 minutes.  Add veggies. Combine dressing ingredients  and rapidly whisk to fully blend.  Pour over quinoa and stir.  Serve at room temp or chilled.


   
   

     Hummus and Pita Wedges


     1 can chick peas, rinsed
     2 tablespoons tahini (sesame seed paste)
     1 lemon or juice equivalent
     1/2 teaspoon salt
     2 cloves mashed garlic (optional)
     3 tablespoons olive oil
     4 pitas
     1 green onion
     Dash of Old Bay seasoning

    Mash chick peas.  Blend in tahini and garlic, 2 tablespoons of olive oil and salt.  Blend.  Blend some more. Taste. Add lemon juice to taste.  Taste again.  When yummy, serve in bowl garnished with tablespoon of olive oil, Old Bay and sliced green onions.

    Drizzle olive oil on warm grill or skillet, then warm pitas on both sides until golden brown, then slice into eighths.

     Easy-Peasey Guacamole


     3 avocados - peeled, pitted.
    1 lime, juiced
    1 teaspoon salt
    1/2 cup diced onion
    Big handful of chopped fresh cilantro
    2 roma (plum) tomatoes, diced
    4 cloves minced garlic
    A dash or two of cayenne or Old Bay Seasoning
    1 bag tortilla chips

    In a bowl, mash together the avocados, lime juice, and salt. Stir in onion, cilantro, tomatoes, and garlic and seasoning  Taste.  Adjust as necessary. Refrigerate 1 hour for best flavor, or serve immediately with tortilla chips
   Note: Keep one avocado pit in the bowl to prevent discolouration

 



     Thanks for taking the time to check us out.  Please feel free to "Talk the Dock!"  Link us, follow us, or just tell your friends.

Recipe Page is Started

     "How's about cookin' somethin' up with me?"
                                       -Hank Williams






     Two-Burner Tastiness recipe page has been started.  More to come.



   





   Thanks for taking the time to check us out.  Please feel free to "Talk the Dock!"  Link us, follow us or just tell your friends.