clinging to the wreckage: Christmas exploits.

Wednesday, 30 December 2009

Christmas exploits.

Well it's over. The boat is eerily tidy and still!

We had a great Christmas. Lucy and Alex finally arrived.

We spent a couple of days at Monkey Bay Marina so they could recover from their long trip and after curing the engine problems set off downstream towards the sea.

We cleared out of Livingstone with ease and enjoyed a three hour sail across the bay to a sheltered anchorage for the night. All looked promising for our passage the following day. It wasn't! The wind blew on the nose all the way, the seas did their wonderful impersonation of a washing machine on hot was! But we got there.

After 32 hours Fantasy Island loomed in the pouring rain, grey and dismal. We wondered what we had done!

But all was well, the sun came out, the waters went blue.

We had turkey, wine, cruiser's potluck. Alex and Lucy dived and snorkelled. TBH and I read our new books.

Fantasy Island lived up to it's name for our guests( we got ripped off a bit but that's another story).

The trip back provided NO wind but flat seas, dolphins aplenty even a fish!

They went yesterday.It rained as they left. We miss them a lot...

2 comments:

Anonymous said...: Was that Fantasy Island, Roatán? Could you say more about the 'ripped off' experience?

Wishing you all a delightful New Year!

--Maggie & Bill of Second Summit; 31 December 2009 at 13:51
Gerry said...: Yes it was Roatan...
More on the ripoffs in the next blog, in a day or two.
Happy New Year, we are downriver to avoid the fireworks and manic boat handling!; 31 December 2009 at 14:55

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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.