Christmas on Board
Cooking any meal on the boat requires a bit more organization than cooking in a land-based kitchen but with a bit of planning it is possible to create a feast on board. My good friend Linda and I love to cook and when we have gone cruising together we’ve joined forces and done all kinds of amazing stuff — from making bread, to canning chutney and producing a multi-course Thai dinner.
Linda and I recently joined forces again to cook a Christmas dinner on board, celebrating early this year because of travel plans that will have us away at Christmas.
Winter celebrations on the boat can be really special because of the opportunity to be away from home -- maybe tied up in a favorite marina that you will see with new eyes in winter or if the weather cooperates, in an anchorage that is likely to be at its most serene.
Wherever you decide to celebrate here are some tips on cooking Christmas dinner on board.
Tip Number 1 Get Organized
Plan a menu that accounts for the more limited number of pots, pans and serving dishes as well as more limited serving area available to you on the boat. Make whatever you can a head of time. We made cranberry chutney and the dressing for the Brussels sprouts as well as the sauce for the creamed onions a day ahead. We cooked the potatoes and sweet potatoes in the afternoon and then planned what pots to use to heat some dishes up in the oven (we used ceramic) and on top of the stove (pots). Once the bird is out of the oven it needs to sit so you can use the still-hot oven to heat some dishes and a couple of burners to heat the remainder.
Tip Number 2 Cooking the Turkey
Make sure the bird will fit in your oven! We cooked a 12 pound bird -- one of the smaller ones you can get and this was a good size for 4 people with leftovers. Anything bigger might have been a challenge.
Tip Number 3 Storing the Bird
If you buy a fresh turkey you can leave it in a bucket of cold water in the cockpit for a day before cooking it (as it is hard to find room for a whole bird in the average boat-sized fridge). You can also thaw it out in a bucket of cold water in the boat.
Christmas Dinner Menu
- Roast turkey and sausage stuffing
- Mashed potatoes
- Mashed sweet potatoes with maple syrup
- Brussel Sprouts with Sour Cream and Horseradish Dressing
- Cranberry Chutney
- Creamed Onions
The Recipes
In the interest of space we have provided only three of the recipes we cooked for Christmas dinner this year. I rely on the Joy of Cooking or the Epicurious website for reminders on how to cook the bird. Both are great resources for standards like gravy and stuffing
Cranberry Chutney
- 1 package cranberries
- 1 apple finely diced
- 1-1 1/2 cups brown sugar
- 1/4 cup cider vinegar
- 2 tbsp finely chopped preserved ginger (or grated ginger)
- grated orange rind (2 tbsp)
- salt
- allspice and cinnamon (about 1/2-1/4 tsp each)
Method
- Combine all ingredients in a sauce pan.
- Bring to boil. Stir every once in a while.
- Simmer for about 10 minutes.
- Cool for 5 to 10 minutes.
- Makes 3-4 cups.
Creamed Onions
- 2 lbs white pearl onions
- 2 tbsp unsalted butter
- 1 cup whole milk
- 2 tbsp all purpose flour
- 3 tbsp cream Sherry
- 3 tbsp Dijon mustard
Method
- Cook onions in a large heavy pot of boiling salted water (2 teaspoons salt for 4 quarts water) until just tender, 25 to 30 minutes. Reserve 1 cup cooking water, then drain (reserve pot). Cool onions to warm, then peel.
- Melt butter in dry pot over medium heat. Add flour and cook, stirring, 2 minutes. Whisk in reserved cooking water, milk, and Sherry and cook, whisking frequently, until mixture is thickened, about 8 minutes. Whisk in mustards, nutmeg, and 1/2 teaspoon each of salt and pepper.
- Add onions to sauce and simmer 5 minutes. Serve warm
Brussel Sprouts with Bacon, Sour cream and Horseradish Dressing
- 1 ½ pounds Brussels sprouts trimmed and halved
- 4 strips crisp cooked bacon chopped
- ¼ cup sour cream
- 2 tsp prepared horseradish
- ¼ tsp salt
- 1/8 tsp freshly ground black pepper
Preparation
- Wash Brussels sprouts thoroughly in a sink of cold water discarding any discolored leaves.
- Cut the ends off the sprouts and score them with an X.
- Place a steamer basket in a large saucepan, add 1 inch of water and bring to a boil.
- Put Brussels sprouts in the basket and steam until tender, 6 to 8 minutes.
- Mix bacon, sour cream, horseradish, salt and pepper in a medium bowl.
- If you have cooked the sprouts ahead of time, warm them up and then toss with the dressing to coat.