So people always ask "What's the most important part of sailing?" (No they don't, but for the purposes of this post we'll pretend.) We discovered a couple of weeks ago it is very important to remember to put the boat's plug in. As it turns out the boat fills with water fairly quickly without it. However, in my opinion that isn't the most important thing. To duck while jibbing? Yes, still very important, but I wouldn't say that it is the most crucial aspect of sailing. Personally I believe it's having a tasty, well balanced and nutritional meal the night before. See, sailing can drain you physically and mentally. Sometimes a good meal can be the difference between life and death when you're out there on the open man made lake. I know what you're thinking. "How can one have said meal while camping the night before as you often do?" So I've decided to share the recipes for a delicious feast we prepared by campfire on Friday night.
Originally we probably packed too little food for dinner. It included a couple of good sized kielbasas (kielbasi?), a quarter round of aged sharp provolone, a small loaf of bread and 2 French butter pears. Luckily, when we stopped at a local farm near the lake to purchase firewood, we discovered they were also selling a variety of produce. So we went ahead and bought 2 acorn squashes, a bottle of maple syrup and two small watermelons.
Keep in mind these cooking times will vary based on the intensity of your fire. We had a lot of wood to burn so in this case it was pretty intense.
Toasty Maple Acorn Squash
Cut acorn squash in half lengthwise and scrape out the seeds. Place the squash, cut side down, in a pan with a 1/4 inch or so of water in the bottom of the pan. Cover the pan and cook this over the fire for 20-30 minutes or until the squash is fully cooked. Be careful not to let all the water boil away. Flip the squash over and fill with a tablespoon or so of maple syrup. Cover and cook for an additional 5 minutes.
Smokey Kielbasa and Provolone Sandwich
Cook kielbasa over fire until it splits. While the meat is cooking cut the bread into decent sized slices and top with thin slices of provolone. We used this fancy aged sharp cheese that Esta picked up at the store, but I suppose you could use whatever cheese you like. However, I can't be held responsible if the results are less then desirable. Place the provolone covered bread near the fire until the cheese starts to melt and the bread gets a bit crusty. Cut the kielbasa in half lengthwise and assemble your sandwich. The 2 kielbasas (kielbasi?) were enough for 4 sandwiches.
Caramelized Butter Pears
This one is easy. Put the French butter pears in a pot with a lid and place on fire for 5-10 minutes. Cut the pears into quarters and enjoy. We even drizzled some of the maple syrup on one of them and it was delicious.
Dizzy Watermelon Surprise
Start by cutting a 2 inch hole in the side of the watermelon. Cut it at an angle, kind of like the top of a jack o' lantern, because you'll want to replace this piece later. If it has one side that is flatter then the other, cut opposite of it. This will help the melon stay upright on it's own, otherwise you'll have to prop it up or just hold it. Next pour a quantity of vodka into the watermelon. You'll have to do this several times as it takes a little while for the vodka to soak in .Replace the plug and chill in a cooler of ice. We actually took this on the boat with us the next day, but I don't recommend it. Watermelon is a very juicy and sticky fruit. Plus it's dangerous to cut fruit while the boat is rocking, it takes a sharp knife to cut through the watermelon's thick rind. Also, don't serve this to children, there may be legal consequences depending on where you live.
I hope you enjoy these recipes as much as we did. Bon Appetit!
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