Cooking aboard or outdoors

Discussion in 'All Things Boats & Boating' started by daiquiri, Nov 30, 2011.

  1. troy2000
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    troy2000 Senior Member

    Butternut and acorn squash soup

    It seems to me winter squash maks sense on a boat, if you're going to be out for a few days. They're cheap, and they keep for a reasonable time without refrigeration. But most people cook them in the same old recipes with brown sugar, butter, cinnamon, nutmeg and the like, until they might as well just eat a pumpkin pie and be done. Don't get me wrong; I've eaten and enjoyed my share of baked acorn squash slathered in butter, and sprinkled with brown sugar and holiday spices. But there are other things you can do with a squash....

    I just made a butternut and acorn (table queen) squash soup. I peeled one of each, cut them into one inch chunks, and sauteed the chunks in a heavy stock pot with a little olive oil until I got a bit of a caramelizing smell off the squash. Then I added three large peeled and smashed garlic cloves, and stirred for a couple more minutes. I poured in a quart box of chicken stock, added some fresh thyme and a little powdered sage, slapped a lid on, and let the pot simmer until the squash was done (about half an hour, or a little longer).

    Meanwhile I diced up three or four ounces of salt pork, and browned it in a skillet on the side.

    When the squash was done, I dug out my wife's Braun immersion blender (wonderful tool), and pureed the squash right in the pot. Had I been afloat, I'd have just gone after things with a potato masher for a while -- but hey, I'm not into hard work just for its own sake. Then I stirred in the salt pork, added enough black pepper to fill the flavor out with a little warmth, and called it good.

    Soup and bread alone would have made a reasonably filling meal. But I served the soup alongside my son's baked chicken, with crusty garlic toast and a dollop of sour cream in each bowl. Good stuff, and a nice change from the usual sweet squash dishes.

    This recipe came mostly from http://www.tarteletteblog.com/2009/10/recipe-butternut-and-acorn-squash-soup.html. I also found one online that halved and baked the squash, before peeling and cutting it up. It included brown sugar, Cinnamon, sweet onion and cream cheese. Another recipe included onions, carrots, potatoes, celery, ginger root and orange zest. I'm sure both recipes would be good... but compared to the simple honest one I used, it seems they're trying to gild the lily.
     
    Last edited: Mar 7, 2012
  2. Boston

    Boston Previous Member

    well here's that pict of the smoke oven once I was done destroying it in a grease fire.

    [​IMG]

    I burned it out, scoured it, hosed it off, slathered it in olive oil, burned it out again and vindicated myself with the following done to a perfect turn, pile of chicken

    [​IMG]

    took 6 hours, changed the water bowel and stoked the coals every two hours. Wasn't done till midnight, but its a damn nice Colorado night, stars are out, not a cloud in the sky, open fire or something close, friends sitting around in a few chairs drinking beer and hoping nothing explodes this time.

    cheers
    B
     
  3. troy2000
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    troy2000 Senior Member

    Round 2 with the squash soup; I had a bowl for lunch today.

    I did my usual with leftovers, by channeling Emeril and kicking things up a notch. I added some Tapa Tio hot sauce, and some finely minced fresh onion before nuking the soup. And of course I added a dollop of sour cream when it came out of the microwave.

    But explain this one: after several days of sitting on my butt with my feet up, playing on the computer while scarfing food and drinking too much, and sleeping 10 hours a night, I've lost five pounds. Go figure... :confused:
     
  4. jamesgyore
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    jamesgyore Senior Member

    Oh... It all makes sense now! Squash = Pumpkin

    I was trying to imagine your dish made of what we refer to in AUS as a squash, without wanting to up-chuck... lol

    You might also consider:

    Butternut pumpkin, chicken stock, garlic, a large brown onion and several roasted and peeled red capsicums (bell pepper I think you call them). Blend into a thick puree when cooked and serve garnished with a drizzle of cream and a sprinkle of cracked black pepper.

    To be honest, I don't even bother peeling the capsicum as my blender does a neat job of the softened skin.
     
  5. Leo Lazauskas
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    Leo Lazauskas Senior Member

    Thanks for the clarification, James.
    Squash is crap, as is zucchini. It's the worst time to eat at restaurants when that junk is served up in every side dish.
    (Spaghetti squash is great to give to kids to play with while adults are cooking.)
     
  6. Red Right Return
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    Red Right Return Junior Member

    They (the healthy people) say squash is good for your heart. My wife must not know how to prepare it right. I'm with you leo!
     
  7. Leo Lazauskas
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    Leo Lazauskas Senior Member

    Feed it to pigs, and harvest the bacon. :)
     
  8. Ad Hoc
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    Ad Hoc Naval Architect

  9. hoytedow
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    hoytedow Carbon Based Life Form

    All pumpkins are squash and all squash are members of the gourd family but not all squash are pumpkins.

    Leo may not like squash, but I do.

    http://whatscookingamerica.net/squash.htm

    You can see winter squash (cushaw) here: http://www.slowfoodusa.org/index.php/programs/ark_product_detail/green_striped_cushaw/
     
  10. Yobarnacle
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    Yobarnacle Senior Member holding true course

    I Like All Sqash Anyway I Can Get It. My Favorite Is Fried Summer Squash (yellow).
     
  11. troy2000
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    troy2000 Senior Member

    Lovely looking plate of chicken, Boston, and I'm glad to hear you were able to salvage the smoker. It's nice to know I'm not the only around stubborn enough to tackle such a project, instead of tossing it for a new one.:p
     
  12. troy2000
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    troy2000 Senior Member

    As Hoyt pointed out, all pumpkins are squash, but not all squash are pumpkins -- at least here in the states, where a pumpkin is a particular type of round winter squash commonly used for pies and jack-o-lanterns.

    Winter squash are picked when they're mature and hard, so they'll keep (you know, through the winter...). Summer squash are picked when they're green (unripe) and soft, and used immediately.

    I don't eat much summer squash, although occasionally I'll cook some up with tomatoes and onions. But I love homegrown (scallop) squash picked fresh, sliced, and sauteed in butter with salt, pepper and a little garlic. According to Wikipedia, that's what folks down under call button squash...

    I've been disappointed the few times I found pattypans at a supermarket, though; they were tough-skinned and flavorless. I guess they just don't travel and keep well.

    On your version of soup: as long as you're using onions and bell peppers, you might as well fine-chop a couple of Thai peppers and add them, too.
     
  13. Leo Lazauskas
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    Leo Lazauskas Senior Member

    Squash I find tasteless, like congealed flour and water glue.
    Pumpkin is fine, especially roasted.
    Sweet potato (what's Americanski for those?) is better.
     
  14. troy2000
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    troy2000 Senior Member

    Strangely enough, Americans call sweet potatoes... 'sweet potatoes.' What are the odds?:p

    I'll take sweet potato pie over pumpkin pie, any day of the week. Sunday dinner heaven is fricasseed chicken (chicken in gravy), biscuits, mashed potatoes with the gravy on them, corn on the cob, and cole slaw -- all topped off with sweet potato pie for dessert.

    Fricasseed chicken isn't just fried chicken with gravy poured over it, like one of my neighbors used to cook. It's chicken that's been browned in butter, then slow-simmered in broth along with chopped celery, carrots, onions and your favorite poultry spices. When it's done it's set aside, while the broth is reduced on the stove top.

    Most recipes call for removing and discarding the veggies, but I leave them in and puree them. While the broth is reducing, make a blond roue on the side, using butter and/or chicken fat skimmed from the broth. When the broth has cooked down far enough, add the roue to make the gravy. When it starts thickening, add Half and Half until it's about the right consistency. If you've guesstimated properly, it'll take about as much Half and Half as there was reduced broth.

    After the gravy is done, return the chicken to the pot and reheat everything. At the last minute, add black pepper and some lemon juice. Also add a little salt if necessary, but it shouldn't take much.

    By the way, Half and Half is just that: a blend of whole milk and light cream, with a butterfat content of 10 to 12 percent (most of it here in the states gets used for coffee creamer). If you want to be really decadent, you can use straight cream for the gravy instead.

    Of course, you could also use low fat milk. But if you're that worried about your figure, you should probably skip the fricasseed chicken completely, and eat a couple of rice cakes instead.:D
     

  15. Leo Lazauskas
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    Leo Lazauskas Senior Member

    Good. More confusion!
    What are these American biscuits you have with roast?
    Are they like Yorkshire puddings? Scones? Oreos?
     
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