Dinner On Board

 I have been thinking that the boating world needs a cookbook called "Healthy Cooking On-board" or something similar. I have found plenty of 'cooking on a boat' cookbooks, but most use a lot of pre-packaged, processed ingredients. We try to avoid such things in favor of natural ingredients, a la Food Rules by Michael Pollan.On a boat the selection of ingredients is probably more limited than at home. I did not bring spices and seasonings with me this week, since we are here for just a few days, and such things quickly deteriorate on a boat. 

So at supper time yesterday I found myself with a package of chicken breasts and not much else. A quick search of our food stores produced a bag of dried fruit and nuts and a bottle of Dijon mustard. I concocted a recipe for "Dijon Chicken with Cherries and Pecans." Sounds very gourmet-ish, right? It received rave reviews for the Captain. Here's the brand new recipe:

Dijon Chicken with Cherries and Pecans

Serves 2 with leftovers

Ingredients: 

• 3 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
• 2 Tbsp. Dijon mustard
• 1/4 cup dried cherries (or any tart fruit)
• 1/4 cup pecans (can substitute walnuts or almonds)
• olive oil for sauteing
• salt and pepper

Cut chicken into cubes and season with salt and pepper. Heat olive oil in a skillet. Add chicken and saute until no longer pink. Add mustard and cook 2 minutes, stirring occasionally.  Add fruit and nuts, stir and cook for 1-2 minutes. Serve immediately.

Chicken and sweet potatoes

Roasted Sweet Potatoes with Onions

Serves 2

Ingredients:

• 1 large sweet potato, peeled and cubed
• 1 large yellow onion, cubed
• 1 tbsp. olive oil

Place potato and onion on a cookie sheet and toss with olive oil. Bake at 375 35-35 minutes until soft, or linger if you prefer crispy. Stir halfway through the cooking time. Season with salt and pepper as desired. Our family members who are not especially fond of sweet potatoes love these.

Dining at the Captain's table