Sundowners and Drinks

A perfect end to the day is with a glass of Champagne watching the sun go down across the water.

The last thing you want to be doing is slaving away in the galley making the perfect accompanying food. Let me show you some easy but mouthwatering recipes to make your sundowners perfect whether sharing a cockpit with friends or having a romantic night for two.

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www.sarahsteenland.com

Enjoying Sundowners with old friends or new ones we've just made in a anchorage is one of our favourite aspects of the cruising life. Whether it's on our boat, someone else's or ashore on the beach, a nice plate of nibbles and a glass of the tipple of your choice provides an unbeatable social atmosphere. It is also nice to have a small plate of tantalising nibbles to go with your drinks.

A simple plate of Cheese, Marinated Olives and Chorizo

Popcorn Chicken Bites

Sushi

You would normally find us with a wine in our hand but Karen likes to break out the cocktails on occasion.

Here's a couple she come up with on Our Dreamtime.

Sunny Seed Crackers

Ingredients

Ingredients

1 cup sunflower seeds

3/4 cup pumpkin seeds

1/2 cup chia seeds

1/2 cup sesame seeds

1/4 cup flaxseed

1/4 cup psyllium husks

1 tsp salt.

1 1/2 cups water.

1 tbsp dried herbs of your choice, (I used an Italian mix)

Let’s get Cooking 

Preheat oven to 170C
Mix all ingredients together and leave for 10-15 minutes for the seeds to soak up the water.
Give everything a good stir, then split the mixture over two lined baking trays and spread thinly. The ideal thickness is about 3-4mm. Too thin and the crackers will be very fragile, too thick and they'll be more like a seed cookie than a cracker. Using your pizza wheel cut the crackers into rectangles or squares.
Bake for one hour (switching the trays around halfway through), or until golden brown and crisp. If they don't feel crisp after an hour, return to the oven for another 5-10 minutes.
Turn the oven off but leave the crackers in and allow to cool. Store in an airtight container. 

Our Galley Tip: Buy ingredients in bulk. Make up your ingredients in bulk. When ready to make a batch mix ingredients well measure out 3 1/2 cups add 1 1/2 cups of water and bake as per instructions. reseal the bulk pack for next time.

What about this great idea! We use these ice blocks to fill the freezer to ensure
a good temp is maintained. Now another use ... Just add Vodka ...
What flavour would yours be?

A range of Sundowners showcased at the recent WWSA Gathering on the Bay.

We hope you all have a wonderful Christmas and to do this we would like to share with you 12 of Our Galley's Favourite Easy Entertaining Recipes. Christmas is the time of year where we do the most of our socialising with family and friends. However it can also be stressful not knowing what to serve when the guests are arriving. These 12 recipes you can have prepared before the guests walk in the door. Which leaves you time to relax and enjoy the company of those you love to spend time with.

1st Day of Christmas 

Glazed Goats Cheese Platter

Ingredients
250 grams. log goat cheese
¼ cup mango chutney
2 tbs. chopped walnuts
Crackers or bread
dried apricots
Grapes

Let's Plate up

Place goat cheese on serving platter. 

In small bowl, microwave mango chutney on High for 1 minute; if you don't have a microwave like us in a small saucepan bring chutney to simmer; pour over goat cheese. 

Top with chopped walnuts. 

Serve with crackers, bread, dried apricots, and grapes.

2nd Day of Christmas

Dukkah 

1 cup full almonds 

¾ cup sesame seeds

2 tbs coriander seeds 

2 tbs cumin seeds 

½ tbs fennel seeds 

½ tsp black peppercorns

sea salt or salt to taste

Let's get Cooking

Roast the almonds till they are lightly browned.

Roast the sesame seeds till they become a pale brown.

Roast the coriander seeds, cumin seeds, fennel seeds, peppercorns till they become fragrant.

Put everything in a grinder and grind till you want the desired level of blend, slightly coarse or fine.

Store dukkah in an air-tight container, until required

The serve

Pour Dukkah into a small serving bowl. In another bowl ½ fill with good quality olive oil. Place an assortment breads in dipping sizes around the platter and serve.

3rd Day of Christmas ... Salmon Cheese Log

Salmon Cheese Log

Ingredient

1/3 block of Philly Cheese softened

1/2 a salmon fillet grilled medium/rare cooled and chopped or use 200grams of canned salmon.

1 tsp of Dried Parsley 

1 tsp of Dried Onion

1 tsp of Dried Garlic

1 tsp of Dried Dill

Cling wrap

To Serve

Lime wedges

Crackers

Extra chopped salmon 

Let's get cooking

Mix Herbs

Combine cheese, salmon and 1/2 the herb mix.

Form a log shape.

Place remaining herb mix on Cling Wrap

Roll cheese log in herb mix.

Wrap cheese log in cling wrap and chill for 1/2 hour or until ready to serve.

Serve with sprinkled extra salmon, lime wedges, crackers and season with salt and pepper. Enjoy with a glass of chilled champagne!

4th Day of Christmas .... White Chocolate and Rose Dukkah Strawberries

White Chocolate and Rose Dukkah Strawberries 

Ingredients

250g punnet fresh strawberries
200g block White Cooking Chocolate
Dukkah see recipe 

Let's get Cooking

Wash strawberries before drying them with paper towel, ensure they are dry.
Break white chocolate into pieces and place into a heatproof bowl.
Sit the bowl over a saucepan of simmering water but without touching the bottom of the bowl. Stir until melted and smooth.
Line a plate or tray with baking paper. Dip strawberries into chocolate until coated and and then dip in Dukkah, place onto baking paper to set.

Sweet Dukkah

Ingredients

1/2 cup pistachio kernels
3/4 cup macadamia nuts
4 Shortbread Biscuits
5 cardamom pods
2 cinnamon sticks
1/2 cup sesame seeds
1 tsp fennel seeds, crushed
2 tsp dried rose petals

Let's get Cooking

Preheat oven to 180°

Spread macadamia, pistachio, cardamom pods and cinnamon sticks on a lined baking sheet and bake for 10 minutes, tossing nuts halfway through. 

Remove from the oven and set aside to cool.

Meanwhile, heat a large heavy based frypan over medium heat then add sesame seeds and crushed fennel seeds, and toast, stirring, for 2-3 minutes until the sesame seeds start to colour and become aromatic. 

Remove from pan and set aside.

Break open the toasted cardamom pods and remove the kernel. 

Place in a spice grinder (or food processor) and add the cinnamon sticks broken into smaller pieces.  

Pulse until both the cinnamon and cardamom is powdered then remove and place in a large bowl.

Add the nuts and the Shortbread Biscuits to the spice grinder pulsing a few times until they resemble coarse breadcrumbs then add to the bowl with the sesame seeds, fennel and dried rose petals and stir until well combined.

Store in a sealed glass container until ready to use.

5th Day of Christmas ..... Vietnamese Rice Paper Rolls and Peanut Sauce

Vietnamese Rice Paper Rolls

4 Wombok leaves

1 packet Vermicelli Noodles
1 handful Bean Shoots (I use canned if out of fresh)
1 Cucumber
1 Spring onion
250 grams of Prawns or Cooked Chicken or Beef Strips (Any of the three, or you can mix them up and have a variety) if vegetarian obviously disregard this ingredient
1 Tomato (optional)
1 bunch of Coriander
1 packet Rice Paper 

Dipping Sauce see recipe below

Let's get Cooking 

Prepare vegetables, wash wombok cut into strips, wash slice cucumber into long thin strips, wash shoots, deseed and dice tomato, wash coriander, and slice onion finely set aside.

Place Vermicelli noodles in boiling water for 3 minutes, rinse & set aside
To save time you can buy buy ready cooked prawns; peeled and de-vein, slice down the middle, set aside. If not peel, de-vein and slice
Can buy a ready cooked chicken and rip into shreds, or cut chicken into strips, marinade with oyster sauce, soya sauce, garlic, honey, salt & pepper. Quickly fry for a few minutes and set aside. You can follow same method if prefer beef, fry with butter rather than oil
Boil full kettle of water, pour into large bowl, dip one rice paper into water so is wet all over and place rice paper flat onto a wet new chucks cloth
At one end put cucumber, wombok, tomato, shoots, coriander, noodles and meat of choice, roll over once, fold in ends and roll remaining till rice paper roll forms a cylinder shape.
There you have your first rice paper roll. mix it up with the veggies/salad add any other favourite veggies you may like, can add more than one meat as well. great for entrees and starters, even for lunch.

Easy Peanut Dipping Sauce

Ingredients 

1/4 cup creamy peanut butter.

1 tbs hoisin sauce2
2 tsp soy sauce.
1 clove garlic, mashed (or about 1 teaspoon minced)
1 tsp Sriracha sauce or a chilli garlic sauce, optional for spice. (Try Our Galleys Sriracha Spice Blend, Recipe found on our Spice Blend recipe page)
1-2 tbs warm water, or more as needed.

Let's get Cooking 

Blend all ingredients together, set a side in refrigerator until ready to use.

6th Day of Christmas  .... Rosemary Antipasto Wreath

Rosemary Antipasto Wreath

I've used green and black olives, baby gherkins, caperberries, cherry tomatoes and beautiful bocconcini to make this wreath, but of course you could add anything you like to it - marinated feta, roast peppers and baby aubergines, rolled anchovies, sundried tomatoes, quails' eggs, and so on.

For a sweet version use a melon ball to make fruit balls of rockmelon, honeydew melon, watermelon, add small Strawberries with the added touch of marshmallows and red M'n'M's. 

Quantities

32 lengths of Rosemary branches

250 grams of mixed olives
250 grams of bocconcini cheese
250 grams of baby gherkins
4 tbs of caperberries
1 punet of small cherry tomatoes
Olive oil
Salt and pepper

Let's get Plating

On a large serving plater place a salad bowl upside down in the centre. 

Arrange 1/2 your Rosemary branches around the bowl, remove the bowl and continue the round shape to make a wreath. 

In clusters arrange a selection of your ingredients to the wreath. 

Don't over crowd the wreath. 

You can always top it up throughout the evening.

Dress with a little olive oil and season.

Serve with toothpicks for self service.

7th Day of Christmas ... Salmon Terrine

Salmon Terrine

Ingredient

1 salmon portion cooked, chilled and chopped roughly (you could use canned salmon)

1/2 onion diced finely 

1/2 firm but ripe Mango diced 1 cm cubes 

1 small firm but ripe avocado diced 1 cm cubes 

2 tsp of Balsamic Vinegar

1/2 tbs of of Dried Dill

1/2 tbs of Dried onion 

zest of 1 small lemon,

 1/2 cup warm water, I tbs powdered gelatin. 

Let's get cooking

Combine Mango and Balsamic Vinegar in Bowl 

Add the warm water to the gelatine and stir to dissolve. 

Combine the salmon, onion, avocado, herbs and zest with the gelatin and stir to combine. 

Spray two ramekins with oil place the mango in the base and then fill with salmon mixture. (I used silicon muffin cases). 

Push down gentle as you are filling the moulds.

Set aside in the fridge until needed. 

Simple and fresh for a entree or lunch served with salad or for sundowners ..... Serve pepper crackers

8th Day of Christmas .... Flavoured Cob Loaf

Flavoured Cob Loaf

Base Ingredients 

1 store purchased parmesan & onion cob loaf (or your flavour choice)

125g bacon, diced

1 Chorizo Sausage chopped roughly  

125g butter, softened

1 tbs of Italian Herb Mix.

small handful fresh parsley leaves, chopped

1/2 tsp of minced garlic

2 spring onions, finely chopped

1/2 cup grated cheddar cheese

½ cup of grated mozzarella cheese

Now add your favourite flavours .... I really use anything else in the fridge Salami, veggies, mushrooms,  olives, artichokes have a play see what great flavours you can create 

Let's get Cooking

Heat your oven to 180C

Place your loaf on a baking tray and use a knife to cut a grid pattern into the loaf. 

Cut about 80% of the way into the bread, but DO NOT cut all the way through.

Place the bacon and sausage into a frying pan and cook until just starting to turn golden. 

Set aside.

Mix the softened butter with the chopped parsley, garlic and herb mix, then spread liberally throughout the grid pattern on the loaf. It doesn't need to be perfectly spread as it will melt whilst the loaf heats through.

Scatter the spring onions throughout the grid – actually separate the cuts and put the onions into the grid rather than just sitting on top of the loaf.

Repeat the above with the cooked bacon, sausage and your other ingredients then the grated cheese.

Bake the loaf for 10-15 minutes until the cheese is golden and bubbly. Rotate the bread as it cook s careful not to burn. 

Remove from the oven and leave to cool for 5 minutes before serving. 

The idea is that people pull it apart with their fingers. 

Serve with a bowl of Aioli for dipping

Enjoy!

9th Day of Christmas .... Candied Mango Camembert Cheese

Candied Mango Camembert Cheese

Ingredients 

1 Camembert round

3 tbs of Mango Chutney 

1/2 mango diced

4 Walnuts chopped

Let's get Cooking 

Heat oven to 180

On a piece of baking paper place Camembert cheese. 

Spread the Chutney all over the cheese, including sides and base.

Wrap the cheese in the baking paper place on a tray into oven for 10 minutes. 

Once 5 minutes is up open baking paper so top of cheese is showing. 

You want the cheese heated through, but not that it has lost its shape.

Unwrap the cheese and place on serving plate.

Top with Mango and Walnuts.

Serve warm with crackers or bread.

10th Day of Christmas .... Bourbon Onion Tarts

Bourbon Onion Tarts

Ingredient 

4 Sheets of Puff Pastry

5 Brown Onions
2 tbs Intense Garlic Oil
2 tbs of Bourbon
Add onions and cook on low heat constantly stirring until onions are caramelised.

4 tbs butter

2 tbs of brown sugar

Creme Balsamic (Thick balsamic)

Let's get cooking 

Cut onions into rings finely

Cut a sheet of puff pastry into 9, place on a tray lined with baking paper.

Heat oven to 180

In a heavy based pan melt butter add sugar oil and Bourbon combine well. 

Turn heat up to caramelise butter

Once onion is cooked, put a spoonful on puff pastry and cook at 180 for 12-15 mins.

Place on serving plate and drizzle with Balsamic. 

Serve warm or cold.

11th Day of Christmas ... Deconstructed Mexican Platter

Deconstructed Mexican Platter

Ingredients

Salad

2 cups pasta uncooked

2 cups canned corn kernels 

1 large avocado

3 green onions

12 cherry tomatoes sliced in half

½ yellow capsicum sliced thinly 

½ red capsicum sliced thinly 

½ bunch cilantro

1 tbs finely chopped jalapeno

150 grams diced bacon

200 grams diced chicken

1 cup grated cheese

½  canned cup black beans

Dressing

1/2 cup full fat regular mayo

3 tsp freshly squeezed lime juice and 1/4 teaspoon lime zest

1/8 tsp ground cumin

1/4 tsp paprika

1/2 tsp chilli powder

1 tsp Sriracha Dip Mix more if you like it hot (see our Spice Blend recipes)

Pinch of salt and ground black pepper

To Serve

Corn Chips

Let's get Cooking

heat oven to 180

Cook the pasta according to package directions. 

Drain and rinse under cold water. 

Make sure the pasta is completely dry.

Corn: heat a large cast iron skillet on medium high heat for 3-4 minutes or until very hot. 

Drain corn and place in a single layer and cook for about 5 minutes stirring once in between or until browned. 

Avoid stirring too often as this will keep the corn from getting a good roast.

Meanwhile prep the veggies: chop the avocado into small pieces, chop the green onions, slice capsicum, tomatoes, coarsely chop the cilantro, very finely chop the jalapeno, and cook then  the bacon and chicken. Add black beans if desired.

On a large platter layer the completely dry and cooled pasta, cooled corn, tomatoes, avocado, onions, capsicum, cilantro, jalapeno, bacon, chicken and cheese.
Pop the platter into the oven until the cheese is just melted.

In a small bowl combine all of the dressing ingredients and whisk together until completely combined.

Drizzle over the salad or serve to the side.

Serve with corn chips so your guests can dig in and enjoy!

12th Day of Christmas .... The Best Salad that says Summer!

Prawn and Mango Salad..YUM!

Ingredients (serves 4)

4 handfuls mixed lettuce leaves

2 mangoes, cut into cubes

1/2 red onion, thinly sliced

20 cooked prawns, peeled and deveined

2 avocados, cut into cubes

1 handful coriander leaves, chopped

1 long red chilli, chopped (optional)

Dressing 

2  tbs Balsamic Vinegar

6 tbs olive oil

1 tbs honey

1/2 Tbsp wholegrain mustard

Let's Get Cooking 

In a large bowl or on a platter, arrange lettuce, mango, onion, prawns and avocado. 

To make the dressing, shake ingredients in a jar until combined. Taste and adjust to your liking. Pour over salad, and sprinkle with coriander leaves and chilli.

If you don't have YIAH Products don't worry checkout our Spice Blend Recipes

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