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The Hunter & The Gatherer: Cooking And Provisioning For Sailing Adventures By Catherine Lawson and David Bristow

Although this 160-recipe book is a guide for self-sustaining tropical cruisers, the rest of us will find it full of inspiration, including tips about everything from growing sprouts aboard to spearing fish. There’s plenty of practical advice here for every kind of boater. Between terrific recipes for 30-minute fish tacos and Tuscan tomato salad, there are also tips about cooking over a beach fire, preparing various seafoods, foraging from nature, seasickness remedies, and homemade mold deterrents.

Crisp ’N’ Soft Tacos With Apple-Slaw

Fish taco with a sliced lime on each side

  • Feeds 3–4; Prep 20 minutes
  • Cook 10 minutes

Ingredients:

  • 10 oz firm white fish
  • 1/3 cup plain (all-purpose) or rice flour
  • 1 tsp cumin
  • Salt and pepper
  • 2 tbsp coconut or peanut oil
  • 8 mini tortillas
  • Lime wedges
  • Cilantro sprigs

For the apple-slaw:

  • 1 cup finely shredded green cabbage
  • 1/2 green (or any) apple, julienned
  • 1 spring onion (scallion), finely sliced
  • 1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro leaves (optional)
  • 1 tbsp mayonnaise
  • 1 tsp lime juice

For the chili avocado salsa:

  • 1/2 ripe avocado, finely chopped
  • 1/2 red chili, finely chopped
  • 1 tsp lime juice
  1. For the apple slaw, combine the cabbage, apple, spring onion, and cilantro in a mixing bowl. Mix the mayonnaise and lime juice in a small glass jar and shake well. Season with salt and pepper to taste, then pour the dressing over the apple slaw and toss well. Refrigerate until ready to eat.
  2. For the salsa, combine the avocado, chopped chili, and lime juice and set aside.
  3. Slice the fish across the fillet into pieces about ½ inch thick. Combine the flour and ground cumin in a dish, season with salt and pepper, and toss in the fish to coat well. Heat 1 tbsp of coconut or peanut oil in a pan over medium-high heat and fry the fish pieces for about 3–4 minutes, turning occasionally.
  4. Warm the tortillas in a lightly oiled pan (or char over a flame), and fill with apple slaw, fried fish, and a dollop of chili avocado salsa. Serve with extra cilantro sprigs, if you have them, and lime wedges. — Excerpted from “The Hunter & The Gatherer” by Catherine Lawson and David Bristow, published by Exploring Eden Books, and reprinted with permission.

— Excerpted from “The Hunter & The Gatherer” by Catherine Lawson and David Bristow, published by Exploring Eden Books, reprinted with permission

Quick Fish Bites

Small, circular fried fish filet on a white plate.

  • Makes 12–14 servings as an appetizer;
  • Prep 5 minutes, Cook 10 minutes

Ingredients:

  • 2 cups finely chopped fish fillets
  • 1-1/2 tbsp lemon juice
  • 1 large garlic clove, finely chopped
  • 2 spring onions (scallions), finely chopped
  • 1 tbsp fresh dill, finely chopped
  • 1 tsp capers, rinsed and chopped
  • 3/4 cup breadcrumbs
  • 1–2 tbsp coconut oil for frying Serve with whole egg mayonnaise mixed with dill and capers

In a large bowl, combine all ingredients (except the oil) and mix well. Use clean hands to form the mixture into small patties (about ¼ cup each). Heat a little oil in a nonstick frying pan over medium heat and cook the fish bites in two batches, turning, for 4 to 5 minutes each. Drain on a wire rack. Season 1/3 cup of whole egg mayonnaise with finely chopped capers and fresh dill, and serve with the fish bites.

Sea Lover's Cookbook book cover.

The Sea Lover’s Cookbook: Recipes For Memorable Meals On Or Near The Water, By Sidney ­Bensimon

Elevated egg salad sandwiches. Lemony, herby shrimp. A refreshing ginger turmeric mocktail. This book is full of bright veggie- and seafood-forward recipes. Each dish keeps the number of ingredients, dishes, and steps to a minimum, with fare perfect for an evening on the hook or in a coastal kitchen after a day in the sun. The beautiful photography — of making the recipes and enjoying them in lovely destinations — is sourced from the author’s travels, ties this sunny book together, and will have you looking for your next warm-weather charter.

Vegetable Ceviche With Coco Leche De Tigre

View from above of a bowl of chips and bowl of salsa.

Makes 6–8 servings as an appetizer

Ingredients:

  • 1/2 jicama, peeled and diced
  • 1 medium English cucumber, diced
  • 1 bunch radishes, diced
  • 1 pint cherry tomatoes, quartered
  • 6 limes Kosher salt
  • 1/2 red onion, finely diced
  • 1 jalapeño, seeded and diced
  • 1 cup light coconut milk
  • 1 tbsp honey
  • 1 cup cilantro leaves and tender stems Tortilla chips, for serving

If real ceviche – which is made by using acidic citrus to “cook” fish and other seafood without any heat – feels a bit ambitious, try this veggie-only version. You’ll still get all the tang, refreshment, and crunch.

  1. Place the jicama, cucumber, radishes, and cherry tomatoes in a large bowl. Zest 2 of the limes and squeeze their juice over the top. Season very liberally with salt, toss, and set aside.
  2. Place the onion, jalapeño, and juice of the remaining 4 limes in a medium bowl and season with salt. Let sit for at least 15 minutes. Stir in the coconut milk and honey; this is the coco leche de tigre. Place the vegetables and their liquid into a wide serving bowl, pour the coco leche de tigre over the top, and sprinkle with the cilantro. Serve with tortilla chips.

“This would be delicious with the addition of shrimp or fish,” Sidney notes. “To add shrimp, stir in ¼ pound of chopped cooked shrimp right before plating the vegetables in the serving bowl. Or you could prepare raw shrimp in classic ceviche manner: Add salt and lime juice to the raw shrimp and let sit for 30 minutes to 1 hour. Keep the shrimp separate from the vegetables until the last minute; the water released from the vegetables would dilute the lime juice too much and prevent the shrimp from properly ‘cooking.’ ”

— Excerpted from “The Sea Lover’s Cookbook” by Sidney Bensimon, published by Chronicle Books, and reprinted with permission

White Bean And Tomato Stew With Parmesan

Young female in a blue and white shirt holding a bowl of tomato soup.

Makes 4–6 servings

Ingredients:

  • 1/4 cup olive oil, plus more for serving
  • 6 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
  • 2 onions, sliced
  • Kosher salt
  • Freshly ground black pepper
  • 1 tbsp fennel seeds, lightly crushed in a mortar or with the side of a knife
  • 1/2 cup white wine
  • 1 28 oz can whole tomatoes
  • 1 Parmesan rind, plus 1/2 cup grated, for serving
  • 2 15 oz cans white beans (or 3 cups cooked white beans and 1 cup cooking liquid)
  • 1 cup parsley leaves and tender stems for serving

If you have at least one stove burner, one large pot, and a few prep utensils, you can make this comforting, hearty dish aboard. “This stew is lightly inspired by the food my sailing mates and I ate on a trip to Greece,” Sidney recalls. “I like making it as a shared dish. I’ll place the pot of stew in the middle of the dining table and let people serve themselves. Don’t forget to offer some sourdough bread and butter on the side so you can soak up every last bit of stew from your bowl.”

  1. In a large pot over medium-high heat, warm the olive oil. Add the garlic and cook for 1 minute, stirring often, until the garlic is toasted and slightly golden. Immediately add the onions to stop the garlic from browning further, season with salt and pepper, and cook for 10 to 12 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the onions are soft but not browned.
  2. Add the fennel seeds and cook for 1 minute. Add the wine and cook for about 5 minutes, or until mostly evaporated. Crush the tomatoes with your hands, then add them with their liquid and the Parmesan rind and season with salt and pepper. Bring to a boil, then lower the heat and simmer.
  3. Cook for about 30 minutes, until the tomatoes are jammy, then add the beans and their liquid. Add 1½ cups of water (fill an empty bean can, which holds this amount). Increase the heat to bring it back to a simmer and cook for about 10 minutes, until the beans are heated through and the flavors have melded. Remove the Parmesan rind, taste for seasoning, and add salt as needed. Serve in bowls with a drizzle of olive oil, freshly ground black pepper, plenty of freshly grated Parmesan, and a sprinkling of parsley.
Live Free Eat Well book cover.

After 10 years of cooking aboard boats and in camper vans, Adam Glick has more than a few thoughts about how to do a lot with a little. Check out his make-ahead recipes like “Omelet in a Jar,” as well as his sections on cooking over a fire, one-pot meals, and maximizing small galley spaces. Recipes that may appear ambitiously lavish at first glance — like shakshuka! — are made achievable and very flavorful with minimal ingredients, steps, and dishes.

Omelet in a Jar

An omelet in a black frying pan.

  • Serves 4; Prep 10 minutes,
  • Cook 5–10 minutes

Ingredients:

  • 1/2 cup finely diced yellow onion
  • 1/2 cup finely diced green bell pepper
  • 12 eggs
  • 1 cup grated cheddar cheese
  • 1/2 cup diced tomato
  • 2 tsp salt
  • 1 tsp pepper
  • Sliced green onions, to garnish
  1. Begin by preparing your heat source. You’ll need a fire or stovetop burner set to medium heat.
  2. In a large, nonstick skillet, sauté the onion and bell pepper until translucent. Remove from the heat and let cool.
  3. In a large mason jar or other vessel with a tight-fitting lid, crack all the eggs. Add the cooled onion and bell pepper along with the cheese, tomato, salt, and pepper. Secure the lid tightly and then shake vigorously until the ingredients are thoroughly combined. The egg mixture can be used immediately or stored in a cool place (like a fridge or cooler) until it’s time to serve up some omelets.
  4. Place a large, nonstick skillet over the heat. Give the jar a shake to mix any ingredients that have settled, and then pour about one-quarter of the mixture into the pan. It should just cover the bottom of the pan. Cook for about 1 minute, and then push the cooked eggs to the back of the pan, allowing the uncooked egg on top to roll forward and begin cooking. After 1 more minute, flip the omelet and repeat until the omelet is fully cooked.
  5. Remove from the pan and repeat to make 3 more omelets. Garnish with green onions and serve. “If left in the refrigerator for multiple days, that’s OK,” Adam reports. “The egg mixture will separate and look rather unappetizing. I can assure you, give it a good shake and the mixture will return to its original appearance and will taste no different.”

— Excerpted from “Live Free Eat Well” and reprinted with permission of DK, a division of Penguin Random House LLC. ©2024 by Adam Glic

Grilled Oysters with Chipotle Honey Butter

Oysters on a hot grill.

  • Serves 4; Prep 10 minutes,
  • Cook 15–20 minutes

Ingredients:

  • 8 tbsp salted butter, at room ­temperature
  • 1 can chipotle peppers in adobo (use just 2–3 tbsp of the sauce, or 2 of the ­peppers, minced)
  • 2 tbsp honey
  • 1/2 tsp black pepper
  • 15–20 small to medium grilling oysters (whole, unshucked)

“This recipe was inspired by a good friend who is a third-generation oyster farmer,” Adam writes. “In Lilliwaup, Washington, deep in the Puget Sound, you’ll find the Hama Hama Oyster Company, where the world-famous Blue Pool oyster was developed. It was here that I was introduced to the grilled oyster with various compound butter flavors. My favorite is their chipotle honey, but there’s an endless variety of compound butter flavors that you can add to your oysters. A quick and easy chef trick is to make the compound butter in advance. Whether it be for this recipe, for the top of a steak, to finish your sauces, or to use in countless other ways, compound butter can be an excellent addition. Chefs prepare compound butter days, if not weeks, in advance, as it freezes very well. In the case of the adventurer, it travels incredibly well and makes a massive impact on the flavors of your next meal.”

  1. Begin by preparing your heat source. You’ll need a fire with a large grilling surface or a grill set at medium heat.
  2. In a medium bowl, combine the butter, chipotle peppers, honey, and black pepper. Mix thoroughly and set aside.
  3. Place the oysters on the grill with the flat side facing down and curvy side facing up.
  4. Cook over medium heat for 10 to 15 minutes, depending on the size of your oysters. You’ll begin to see steam and the shells will open. You may need to assist in opening and removing the top shell using tongs and heavy-duty oven/grilling mitts. Certain oysters can be slow to open when steaming. (Another option is to simply place the oysters on their half shell directly on the grill. In this case, you would shuck them first.)
  5. Place a dollop of the chipotle honey butter on top of each oyster.
  6. Let oysters simmer in the butter for 2 to 3 minutes and no longer than 5 minutes. Serve warm.

If preparing this recipe – or any other – on the beach or over a grill without a reliable temperature gauge, Adam has a neat trick: “When cooking over a fire, to determine cooking temperature, simply use the palm of your hand hovering over the fire. If you can hold it for 5 seconds, that’s high heat. If you can hold it for 8 seconds, that’s medium heat. If you can hold it for 10 to 12 seconds, that’s low heat.”

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Author

Kelsey Bonham Bailey

Associate Editor, BoatUS Magazine

Kelsey is an associate editor and writer for BoatU.S. Magazine, covering everything from the environment to tech news, new media to personality profiles. A lifelong sailor, at 20 she refit her own boat top to bottom, then skippered the 30-footer down the ICW. She’s been a professional crew and instructor on boats up to 100 feet, written for several other boating magazines, and earned her 25-ton Master’s license in 2024.