clinging to the wreckage: Treading water.

Wednesday 28 July 2010

Treading water.

Depending on your perspective I live the perfect life (although I would disagree with that statement on a regular basis).

Sailing a boat around the world, visiting exotic locations, eating gourmet food....
or
...I live in a 40' x 13' space that is never fixed. Use an old fashioned washing dolly to do the weekly laundry in water that I have caught from the sky.Making all our food from scratch, catching fish and constantly repairing things!
The truth of course is somewhere in the middle of those two scenario's.

Life on a boat (I prefer boat, yacht has too many 'luxury' conoctations) is certainly challenging at times, even downright terrifying.It can also be the most blissful,calming, natural existence you could possibly imagine.
Not that it is for everyone mind you. Type A personalities find it exceedingly difficult to adapt to a lifestyle that, first and foremost, is dictated by Mother Nature. She can be a demanding authority too!

In the current climate of frugality, economic uncertainty, stress and despair it occured to me that the way of life I have embraced has taught me many things about surviving in a world that is no longer a familiar place.

Not that I am asking you to believe that my life revolves around frugality! Hedonism is far more my style - but pure hedonism. The delight and glory of one perfect moment, one ideal creation. Zen if you like.

Those moments when the sails are set correctly, the wind blowing just strong enough, the sun not too hot and the boat creaming her way across a blue ocean. Eager to experience the next anchorage, water chuckling behind me as I stand at the wheel.

It doesn't happen all the time, not by any stretch of the imagination! But when it does you are transported to another level, another world.
If you ride a horse it's the same sensation when the animal is going forward 'on the bit', a sense of flying and floating across the ground.

So as we wait out another hurricane season it's those memories that sustain me, the thought that there will be many more of those moments to come.

And in the meantime I treasure the tiny things. The sight of a small turtle pushing it's way through the mangrove swamp yesterday morning.Head high, feet shoveling like crazy, shell bobbing in the ripples. I don't know where he was heading but boy did he have a sense of purpose!

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Cuban-style shrimps with rum

100ml rum
few drops tabasco sauce
zest and juice of 1 lime
2tsps worcester sauce
2.5tbso plain flour
pinch of ground cumin
pinch of freshly grated nutmeg
24 large shrimp,peeled and deveined
10z butter
80ml olive oil
4 large cloves garlic,crushed
1tbsp chopped parsley
1tbsp chopped coriander(cilantro) leaves

Mix rum,tabasco,lime juice and zest and worcester sauce in a small bowl.
Mix flour with cumin,nutmeg and season with salt and pepper.Dip the shrimp in the mix before cooking.
Melt half butter with half oil in large saute pan, when hot add half garlic and half shrimp. Cook until prawns are pale pink and lightly golden. Lift on serving plate, keep warm. repeat with remaining butter,oil, garlic and shrimp.
Pour rum mix into pan and allow to bubble for a minute or two, stirring.
Mix with parsley and ciltrano.
pour over shrimp and serve with rice as a main dish or alone as a starter.

Delicious!

Caramalised Onion,Fruit and Nut Pilau

2tbsp Ghee
2 large onions, sliced
2tbsp Ghee, extra
1tsp hot chilli powder
1tsp ground black pepper
1/4tsp saffron threads
4 cardamon pods, crushed
4 cloves
1 cinnamon stick
1tsp salt
2 cups basmati rice, washed and drained
4 cups water
1/2 cup currants
1/2 cup chopped dried apricots
1/2 cup raisins
1/2 cup pistachio nuts, shelled

Heat ghee in large pan. Cook the onions until caramelized. Remove from pan.

Add extra ghee and spices to same pan, cook stirring, until fragrant. Stir in salt, rice and onions.

Add water, bring to boil. Reduce to simmer and cover until rice is tender and all water has been absorbed.Stir in fruit, cover and stand 5 mins.

Just before serving stir in nuts.

Carrol Shelby's Chili Recipe.

1/4	lb suet or 1/4 cup cooking oil
1	lb beef round steak, coarse chili grind
1	lb beef chuck, coarse chili grind
8	ounces can tomato sauce
12	ounces beer
2	tablespoons crushed red chili peppers
2	medium garlic cloves, minced
1	small onion, finely chopped
1 1/4	teaspoons dried oregano (preferably Mexican)
1/2	teaspoon paprika
1 1/2	teaspoons ground cumin
1 1/4	teaspoons salt
1/8	teaspoon cayenne pepper
3/4	lb monterey jack cheese, grated

Melt suet or heat the oil in a heavy 3-quart (or larger) pot over medium-high heat.
Remove the unrendered suet and crumble meat into the pot. Break up any lumps with a fork and cook, stirring occasionally. until meat is evenly browned.
Add tomato sauce, beer, crushed red chile, garlic, onion, oregano, paprika, 1 teaspoons of the cumin, and salt. Stir to blend and bring to a boil.
Lower heat and simmer uncovered, stirring occasionally, for 1 hour.
Taste and adjust seasonings, adding cayenne pepper.
Simmer uncovered 1 hour longer.
Stir in the cheese and the remaining 1/2 teaspoons cumin.
Simmer 1/2 hour longer, stirring often to keep cheese from burning.
I serve the chili with sour cream and shredded cheddar cheese to garnish, and warm cornbread on the side.
The cookbook actually called for 1/4 cup of crushed red chile pepper, but unless you have a taste for fire, use less! I use half that amount, and I really like hot food.