Of the difference between a well-fed crew and a fed-up one
When six French sailor embark on a multi-week journey, culinary expectations are not abating for the gourmet crew.
Protein bars and instant coffee are not welcome on board Merci Papa – LEVEL 42, a brand spanking new Lagoon 42. Neither for a day trip, nor for a Transatlantic voyage. And low tide is not a concept applicable to the wine cellar.
As we put the final touch to the provisioning in Las Palmas, two of the six crews are dedicated to making sure that meals will meet expectations on the supposedly two-week journey ahead of us. Shopping started weeks ago at the Boucherie de Léon (Landes, France) as premium meats from Jerome Turpin, was vacuum-packed and frozen in meal size pouches. Charcuterie and foies gras from the foodie-famous French southwest region, have been carefully selected and canned. A quick stop in Paris on the way to Las Palmas yielded a fabulous loot of French cheeses from Marie Quatrehomme, a “bon voyage gift” from a dear friend who, through his experience climbing 8,000 ft mountains understands what true food luxury is.
Wine provisioning was left to no other than our Captain, Charlie, who put a serious dent in the Cave Dandau (Hossegor, France) last June, on the occasion of a nearby Lagoon Rendez-Vous in Bordeaux. Such a mission critical endeavor could not possibly be delegated and the Captain did not disappoint: Sarget de Gruaud Larose, Saint Julien 2008, Chateau Pedesclaux, Pauillac, 2011, Chateau Grange Neuve, Pomerol 2011 (Magnum size), Confidences de Prieuré-Lichine, Margaux 2009, Baron de Brane, Margaux 2010, Chateau Haut Marbuzet 2012 (Magnum), Chateau Carbonnieux, 2012 Bordeaux (White), Le Grand Chemin, Muscadet (White). We also had two bottles of Champagne but the poor things never made it to the starting line: a celebration with our friends from Calypso (Lagoon 450), the night before the start of the ARC, highlighted the first major mistake in our provisioning strategy.
Two weeks into a doldrums-filled and frustrating weather pattern which has tested our crew’s sense of humor and patience, the spirits are still running high thanks in good part to the performance of the galley team. On top of the menu hit list, the duck confit with a generous side of real, made-on-the-spot, French fries cooked in duck fat, followed with a salad and a tome des Pyrénées (sheep) was a crew favorite. Served with the Haut Marbuzet, one thousand miles out at sea, it was a splendid dinner served in honor of Patrice, the recently departed father of half the crew. Our baked Mahi-mahi (catch of the day, of course) with a side of Risotto des Îles was a close second (Château Carbonieux). The last minute addition of a Magma propane grill at the back of the boat also brought variety and taste with a regular assortment of grilled sausages and steaks.
Snacks also play an important role on board to accommodate late night shifts and spur-of-the moment cravings. The winner in that category was a world-class Jamon de Bellota, the Rolls-Royce of Spanish hams, which was hanging in the cockpit since Day 1. We purchased it at the appropriately named “El Buen Jamòn”, a specialist shop in Las Palmas (next to HyperDino) where the quality is only matched by the friendliness of the owner who offered us a knife and a sharpener that proved essential to making thin and delectable slices. Our finger-licking crew somehow liked this better than salted peanuts and other potato chips out of a bag.
Nearly two weeks after our departure and who knows how many days before we reach St Lucia, the crew is fed up with the lack of wind but still has plenty of appetite for dinner!
Mahi-mahi in papillote
Ingredients: Salt, pepper, half a lemon or lime, 3 Tbsp olive oil, 1 tsp mustard, thyme, white wine (optional)
Place the filet on the skin side on a sheet of foil (Aluminum paper)
Mix all ingredients in a bowl as if preparing a salad dressing
Sprinkle the filet with 1 Tbsp of the mixture
(Add a dab of white wine)
Cover with another foil and curl the sides to enclose the fish.
Preheat oven on high.
Cook for 20/30 minutes. If foil is closed properly, this fish will not overcook.
Baked Mahi-mahi (adapted from BON APPETIT magazine)
Ingredients: ¼ cup of olive oil, 2 Tbsp whole grain mustard, 1 Tbsp chopped French thyme (Herbes de Provence is a good substitute), 1 Cup of bread crumbs, ground pepper and salt
Preheat oven on high, make a paste out of the crumbs, thyme, oil, salt and pepper and spread over the fish filet laying skin side on an oven safe dish. Do NOT overcook (probably 15 minutes in a home oven, up to 40 minutes in a simple propane boat oven)
Risotto des Îles, façon Armelle
Ingredients: Risotto rice (300 g/6 person ie ½+ lbs); Salt, pepper; Half a fresh mango; 0.4 liter coconut milk (one std size can); 0.3 liter water; 2 Tbsp of parmesan; 2 Tbsp of crushed or sliced almonds; 2 TBSP of sour cream; fresh mint leaves; 1 tsp of fresh grated ginger
Heat the olive oil in a pan and pour the rice with a pinch of coarse salt; after stirring for 5 minutes, poor the coconut milk; slow cook 10/15 minutes slowly adding the water as the rice cooks. Cut the mango in 1/3 inch cubes and add to the rice. Slowly incorporate the mango, parmesan, pepper, ginger and cream. Decorate with the mint leaves. It is ready!
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