The crew has already rowed ashore and brought everything we need to the island:

-          Firewood (we bring it with us instead of collecting driftwood so we make the least impact on the island’s ecosystem)
-          Fire pan (we build th eifre on top of this pan)
-          Galvanized steel washtub
-          Lobsters
-          Fresh Corn on the Cob
-          Baked Potatoes
-          Melted Lemon Butter
-          Snacks
-          Watermelon
-          Lemonade (passengers often bring beer and wine with them)
-          Sausages and chicken (for the non lobster fans)
-          Chocolate bars, marshmallows and graham crackers for S’mores

A fire is lit below the high tide mark, corn is shucked, various goodies are put out to tide us over until the lobster is ready. Once the fire is really going the lobster pot- a huge steel tub- is filled with 2-3 inches of salt water and set on the fire to boil. While we wait for the water to boil, several armloads of seaweed are gathered (we are careful to leave some seaweed at each spot so it can grow back). Once the water is boiling we layers the lobsters, corn, mussels and clams in the pot, cover it with a “lid” of seaweed, wait for it to come to a boil and rotate the pot for even cooking on the fire. When the water comes to a second boil we’ll pull some of the seaweed aside and check to see that the lobsters are red all over. When they are done, the pot is carried away from the fire, the seaweed is arranged on a flat rock and everything is placed on the seaweed bed, ready to eat (the crew does the lobster dance).

Once everyone has had their fill of lobster, the watermelon is sliced and the makings for S’mores are laid out. There’s always a lively discussion over how to make the best S ‘more, and the proper way to roast a marshmallow – golden on the outside and soft and gooey inside or  burnt to a crisp on the outside and just warmed on the inside.

Now how can you beat that?!

A few tips for successful summer grilling:

1. Clean the grates well either after each use or before beginning to grill.  They are easier to clean when still warm so you may want to get into the habit of brushing the grill just after you’ve finished cooking.  In either case, use a stiff bristled grill brush to do the job.
2. Gauging the heat is easy.  If you can hold your hands two inches above the grates for less than two seconds, your grill is on high heat, seven seconds for medium and somewhere in between for medium rare.  If you are building a charcoal fire or have a grill with more than one temperature gauge, give yourself an area with lesser heat so that you can transfer food if it starts to cook too fast.
3. There are several ways to insure your food doesn’t stick to the grill.  One is to clean it well as mentioned above.  Another is to oil it by lightly oiling a kitchen towel or paper towel and while holding the towel with tongs, rub it on the heated grate just before placing your grill items on.  The oil will burn off if you do this too early.  Also, if your food sticks to the grill, it may be that you need to leave it on longer before turning it.
4. Food safety is important when grilling.  When basting with a sauce, reserve some at the beginning and do not serve the sauce that has been touched with the basting brush.  When basting with a marinade, stop basting 5 minutes before you are done grilling.  When using any grill utensils that have touched raw meat or fish, either use a new utensil or clean the original one well with hot soapy water.  Do not transfer grilled food to the same platter that touched raw meat or fish, but again, either use a new one or clean it well.
5. For a comprehensive list of grilling techniques go to www.barbequen.com.

Grilled Chicken, Red Onions and Potatoes with Dill 

If you are like me, and can’t find the grill the first time you decide at 5:30 that you’ll be grilling, planning on dinner at 6 and then searching all over the shed and barn for the grill, finally finding it and don’t have a fresh canister because your husband used it for some such boat project in December and can’t find any more new canisters, then broiling is also a good option.

4 chicken breasts, trimmed (7 if you are planning on the salad recipe)
1 large red onion, sliced into 1 inch wedges
4 to 8 small or medium red-skinned potatoes
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Mustard and Dill Marinade:
1/2 cup fresh lemon juice
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
1/4 cup Dijon mustard
2 tablespoons water
1/2 teaspoon Worcestershire
2 tablespoons minced garlic or 3 cloves
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/4 cup lightly packed fresh dill, minced

In a medium bowl whisk all of the marinade ingredients together.  Divide the marinade in half and place the chicken and 1/2 of the marinade in a zip lock.  Marinate for at least 15 minutes and up to 24 hours.  In a medium stockpot boil the potatoes in salted water until the potatoes are almost cooked through.  Gently drain the potatoes and cool completely.  Sliced the potatoes in half and toss gently with onions in the rest of the marinade.   Preheat grill to medium-high heat and grill the chicken, potatoes and onions until the chicken is cooked through and the potatoes and onions are tender.  About 5-8 minutes each side for the chicken.  The chicken will take the most time and the potatoes the least.  Salt and pepper while on the grill.  Remove from heat and let the chicken sit covered for 5 minutes before serving.  To broil instead, heat broiler on high heat and place chicken breasts, potatoes and onions on broiler pan 4 inches from heat.  Broil for 4-6 mi

nutes each side for chicken and remove potatoes and onions when they are tender inside and dark golden on the edges.

Serves 4

Chicken and Asparagus Salad with Dill

This is a great recipe to use with the leftovers.  Plan on extra chicken and add any leftover potatoes or onions if you wish.

1/2 cup chopped fresh parsley, lightly packed
1/4 cup chopped fresh dill, lightly packed
1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
1/2 cup mayonnaise
1/2 teaspoon Worcestershire
2 teaspoons olive oil
1 bunch asparagus, ends removed and cut into 1 inch pieces
1 tablespoon minced garlic
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
3 chicken breasts, cooked and diced
1/2 half head of Romaine lettuce, chopped and cleaned
juice from 1/2 lemon
3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

In a small bowl, whisk parsley, dill, lemon juice, mayonnaise and Worcestershire.  Heat a medium sized skillet over medium high heat.  Add the olive oil and then the asparagus.  Cook the asparagus until almost tender and add the minced garlic.  Cook for another 30 seconds to one minute.  Combine asparagus with the chicken and dressing and chill.  Dress the lettuce leaves with the olive oil, lemon juice, salt and pepper.  Serve the chicken salad on a bed of the dressed lettuce.

Serves 4-6

Ice Cream Cookie Sandwiches

There are so many chocolate chip cookie recipes out there, but I’ve tested quite a few and this one is really good.

Chocolate Chunk Cookies

1 cup butter (2 sticks)
1 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup brown sugar, firmly packed
2 large eggs
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
2 cups flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
2 cups dark chocolate, cut into chunks
6 to 7 cups vanilla ice cream approximately, softened

Garnish:
Chocolate or rainbow sprinkles

Preheat oven to 350°.  In a medium bowl, cream together the sugars and butter.  Add the eggs one at a time until the mixture is fluffy.  Add the vanilla.  Sift together the flour, baking soda and salt and add to the creamed mixture.  Add the chocolate and stir only until mixed.  Using an ice cream scoop or a spoon, scoop 1/4 cup of dough into a ball and place six balls per baking sheet.  Bake for 9-10 minutes or until the edges are golden.   When the cookies have cooled, scoop the softened ice cream onto the bottom of a cookie and top with another.  Roll in the sprinkles and wrap in waxed paper.  Repeat with the rest of the cookies.  Freeze for at least 30 minutes.

Makes 12-14 cookies or 6-7 sandwiches

From Windjammer News /It’s All About the Food™: May 2011
Copyright © 2006 Baggywrinkle Publishing, Anne Mahle
For more recipes from Chef Annie visit her food blog at www.AtHomeAtSea.com

We are very sorry to report that we missed National Peanut Butter & Jelly Day on April 2nd.

Why did we get on the topic of all this? Well it turns out that today, April 11th,  is National Cheese Fondue Day, as we discovered when checking into with our Twitter community this morning. I guess we were a little ahead of the curve with our March e-newsletter when Annie wrote about how she used to have Fondue as a birthday dinner. So in “honor” of this “special” holiday we would like to share with you Annie’s recipe for Beer & Cheese Fondue.

Beer and Cheddar Fondue

1 1/4 cups beer (the rest of the bottle is for the cook!)
2 cloves garlic
4 cups grated cheddar cheese
2 dashes white pepper
4 dashes paprika
1/4 cup flour
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard

Serve with:
1 pound grilled or broiled Italian Sausage
Crusty French bread or focaccia
1 to 2 pounds steamed carrots, broccoli and cauliflower combined
1 1/2 pounds steamed red potatoes
Baby dill pickles
1 or 2 pears or apples, sliced

Prepare the bread, vegetables and potatoes first.  Once they are ready, in a medium fondue pot, bring the beer and garlic cloves to a simmer.  Meanwhile toss the grated cheese with the pepper, paprika and flour.  Slowly add to the simmering beer and stir with a wooden spoon.  When all of the cheese is incorporated, add the Dijon mustard.  Remove the garlic cloves and serve.

Serves 4-6

Variations on Fondue:
It may seem that the streams begin to get completely crossed here, as fondue was originally a French/European dish.  On the other hand, it’s basically melted cheese and we’ve already messed with tradition by using beer and cheddar cheese rather than the traditional wine, kirsch and Gruyere or Emmenthaler.

Onions and caraway:
Sauté 1/2 cup diced onions in 1 tablespoon butter.  When they are translucent, add 1-2 tablespoons of caraway seeds.  Toast the caraway seeds in the onions and butter for 1 or 2 minutes or until they become fragrant.  Follow the rest of the fondue instructions as is.

Serve with rye bread instead of white bread and serve with cornichons instead of baby dill pickles.

Ancho chili:
Soften an Ancho chili in 1/2 cup hot water for 30 minutes.  Remove seeds and stem.  Chop finely with a knife and add to the simmering beer.  Follow the rest of the fondue instructions.

Use linguisa for the sausage.  Add to the vegetables cut red and yellow bell peppers.

Italian:
Substitute Gorgonzola and Fontina for the cheddar cheese and white wine for the beer.  Use grilled vegetables such as bell peppers and mushrooms in place of one or two of the steamed ones.

Leftover Mix:
If you have several different little bits of cheese hanging out in your refrigerator, fondue is the perfect use for them.  Make sure they are cheeses that go together such as blue cheese, Fontina, Parmesan and Asiago OR Gruyere, Emmenthaler and Swiss.

From Windjammer News /It’s All About the Food™: March 2011
Copyright © 2008 Baggywrinkle Publishing, Anne Mahle
For more recipes from Chef Annie visit her food blog at www.AtHomeAtSea.com

Soups and stews are perfect for this time of year when everywhere you go the temperatures are a little bit  (or a lot) cooler than those days in July and August when you’re searching for recipes that do not include turning the oven on!

On Friday Chef Annie was thinking the same thing when she posted a recipe for Black Forest Pork Stew. We thought we’d share the recipe with you over here on Broad Reach too. Of course if you already have Chef Annie’s cookbook At  Home, At Sea: Recipes from the Maine Windjammer J&E Riggin then you already have the recipe (page 106).

What is your favorite comfort food recipe?

Flank Steak with Sherry Portabella Sauce

Marinade:
2 pounds flank, hanger or skirt steak
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon paprika
1/8 teaspoon fresh black pepper
2 tablespoons olive oil

Marinate for at least 1/2 hour in a shallow pan or platter.

Sauce:
1 tablespoon olive oil
2 cups shallots, peeled and quartered, about 1/2 pound
2 large Portabella mushrooms, sliced
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup sherry
1/2 cup beef broth
2 tablespoons butter

Heat a large sauté pan over medium heat.  Add the oil and shallots and cook until soft and brown, about 10 minutes.  Remove from pan and add the flank steak.  Increase heat to medium high heat.  Cook for 6 minutes on one side and 5 minutes on the other.  When an internal thermometer reads 115 degrees, transfer to a platter.  Add the mushrooms to the pan and cook until soft and tender.  Return the shallots to the pan, heat and add the sherry and broth.  Bring to a boil.  Remove from heat and add the butter, whisking until incorporated.  Slice meat on the bias in very thin cuts.  Add any meat juice to the sauce and serve.

Serves 4-8 (eight if you have several sides)

Warm Brussels Sprout Salad with Toasted Pecans

Brussels spouts have gotten a bad rap.  Mostly due to the fact that perhaps the only way we’ve eaten them is when they’ve been cooked to a mushy, gray pulp.  I grew them for the first time this year in my garden and am still harvesting the generous offering the four plants have given all fall long.  Turns out, Brussels sprouts are great roasted, sautéed or steamed and they pair extremely well with onions, bacon, Dijon mustard and full flavored cheeses and nuts.  They are inexpensive and can be made special by the addition of one or two of these flavorful accompaniments.

1 pound Brussels sprouts
2 tablespoons olive oil
1/2 teaspoon salt
Several grinds of fresh black pepper
1 1/2 teaspoons sherry vinegar
1/4 cup pecans, toasted and chopped

To cut the Brussels sprouts, remove any tough outer leaves.  Slice in half through the stem end and remove stem with a paring knife.  Place the cut side down on the board and with a chef’s knife, slice thinly.  Heat a medium skillet over medium heat.  Add the pecans and stir until they begin to brown and become fragrant.  Remove pecans from pan; add the oil and then the Brussels sprouts.  Meanwhile chop the pecans and reserve until the end.  Sauté the Brussels sprouts until they are bright green and tender, about 5 minutes.  Add the sherry vinegar and then the pecans, toss and serve.

Serves 4-6

Olive Oil and Garlic Mashed Potatoes

A little twist on a familiar favorite.  It’s important to use a good quality extra virgin olive oil here.  The difference is noticeable.

2-3 pounds russet potatoes, peeled
6 cloves garlic
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
3/4 cup milk
1/2 – 3/4 teaspoon salt
Several grinds of fresh black pepper

Cover the potatoes and garlic cloves with salted water in a large stock pot.  Bring to a boil and cook until tender when pierced with a fork.  Drain and return to the pot.  Either send the potatoes through a large ricer or mash with a potato masher.  Add the rest of the ingredients.  Serve immediately or cover and place over a simmering pot of water to keep warm.

Serves 4-6

Rosemary Cheese with Fig Preserves

A reader gave this recipe to me and I’ve adjusted it a tiny bit by adding more goat cheese.  It’s certainly an interesting combination – the black pepper and honey work really well together next to the rosemary and the preserves just make it something really special.

4 ounces goat cheese
8 ounces cream cheese
1 tablespoon minced rosemary
1 teaspoon fresh black pepper
2 teaspoons honey
2 – 4 tablespoons fig preserves

Combine all ingredients in a food processor.  Pack into a shallow serving dish and chill.  Cover thickly with fig or apricot preserves and serve with assorted whole grain crackers.

Makes 2 cups

From Windjammer News /It’s All About the Food™: December 2010
Copyright © 2008 Baggywrinkle Publishing, Anne Mahle
For more recipes from Chef Annie visit her food blog at www.AtHomeAtSea.com

To get the search for underwriters started Annie has been making the press rounds including a cooking demo making Lobster & Mushroom Mac & Cheese on 207, a news magazine show produced the local NBC station, and then a radio interview with Irwin Gratz on MPBN Morning Edition.

If you haven’t seen the trailers for The Galley Chef be sure to check them out.

Photo by Greg Roscoe

Did you know that of all vegetables, only two can live to produce on their own for several growing seasons. All other vegetables must be replanted every year. Rhubard is one of them.

Do you know what the other only perennial vegetable is?

Recipe include:
Rhubarb Sauce with Corn Bread
Crunchy Sugar Rhubarb Muffins
Rhubarb Jam
Grilled Spiced Pork Tenderloin with Rhubarb Current Chutney

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Recipe include:
Spring- Harvested Parsnip Soup
Leg of Lamb with a Provencal Crust
Potato and Tomato Tian

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Photo by Greg Roscoe

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Recipes include:
Beef Bourguignon with Leeks and Porcini Mushrooms
Polenta with Fresh Thyme
Mixed Berry and Apple Gallette

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