Swiss chard with white beans

 

 

It is often difficult to lay hands on the actual beans called for in a recipe, so I'm trying to remember  to use the phrase 'white beans' in the title, while suggesting what would be ideal, in the text.

This recipe is quick to make and when eaten with bread as intended, would make a substantial starter for four, or a good lunch or light dinner for two. If you use canned beans, which speeds the whole process up substantially, it would also make a good snack with something like large crackers or Melba toast, to give to visitors who have lingered until sundowners.  The combination of bread, beans and Swiss chard make for a pretty well-rounded meal nutritionally.

 

I first made this when I had no appetite and little enthusiasm for cooking, but had a large bunch of chard looking at me.  As it soon yellows, it had be to be eaten up!  I slightly altered the recipe to what is shown below, and ate it on the previous day's naan bread (= ½ cup flour), reheated on the toaster, rather than the recommended sourdough.  It was still was surprisingly good; indeed, I ate more of it than I'd anticipated.  Although the original called for cannelini beans, I can only buy them canned and as I prefer to cook my own legumes, I used haricot beans. However, using canned beans would make this meal almost ‘instant’.

 

Although the stems are a little more sturdy, the leaves of chard tend to disappear like spinach, when heated, so you will want at least six large leaves of chard and possibly more.

 

Serves 4 as a substantial starter or two for lunch or a light dinner.

 

Ingredients

 

1/2 cup haricot beans, soaked and cooked in the usual way.

1 large bunch of chard (any type) 

2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil

5 large cloves of garlic, sliced

1/4 tsp sea salt

1/2 tsp sage

1/2 tsp red pepper flakes

1 tsp wine vinegar 

generous grind of pepper

Method

• Cook the beans and set aside.
• Cut off the stems from the chard and chop them into smallish pieces.  Set aside.
• Cut the leaves into strips lengthways and then across into manageable-sized strips - remember you're going to be piling this on bread!
• Heat the olive oil in a large frying pan over a medium heat. Add  the chopped garlic and cook for 2 minutes, making sure it doesn't burn.
• Add the chopped chard stems and cook for 2-3 minutes, stirring frequently until they start to soften.  Sprinkle over the salt.
• Add the leaves, toss well and cook until they start to wilt. 
• Season with sage and red pepper flakes.
• Tip in in the cooked, drained beans. Gently mix together and continue to cook for 4-5 minutes, until the beans are hot.
• Add the vinegar.  Mix gently to ensure the flavours are all spread around and cook for an additional 3-5 minutes.  Grind over plenty of black pepper.
• Serve hot over thick slices of sourdough bread, or home-made bread, or even flat bread if that’s all you have. Put it on a big plate as most of the topping will try to fall off! 

It truly tastes much better than you might anticipate from the few ingredients, used.

 

Note:

• I really recommend the vinegar, it adds a je ne sais quoi that you wouldn't get from lemon juice.

Variations:

• If you retain the liquid from the can, or use a little stock to moisten the mix, it would make a more filling meal over polenta, short pasta or mixed in with rice, pilau-style.
• Spinach could be used instead of chard, as could any sort of softer green, such as mustard greens or spring cabbage.
  

Pizza

Pizza must be one of the most popular dishes on the planet and while it is difficult to make it to the standards of the best pizzas ashore, even in a simple galley, you can certainly make something very acceptable and considerably more appetising than some pizzas I have bought. I've found that I get excellent results from cooking them in my frying pan, which is also a lot more economical on fuel than cooking a pizza in the oven; however, this does limit its size. You also need a first-class quality pan for pizza, because they have to get very hot. I recommend that you used one made of cast metal, ideally with vertical sides, ie a skillet. Cast-iron pans are relatively inexpensive, if you shop around, and often available second hand. Personally, I prefer cast alloy, but they are a considerable investment. If you don’t have an oven, your frying pan will constantly be used as a substitute, so one of good quality is an investment which is well worth while for oven-free cooks.

If you do have an oven, theres no need for any special equipment, although a rolling pin is nice to have. Nor do you to roll out the dough into a perfect circle; indeed, if you simply roll it out to fit your baking sheet, you will be able to make a larger pizza and make best use of your oven.  I can see nothing unattractive in the ‘rustic’ appearance of a near rectangle. Even when I had an oven, I found I got the best results from partly pre-cooking the dough. I'm pleased to be able to report than an Italian sailor I met, told me that his mother always made them like this, so I reckon that I am not alone in finding that it’s simply not possible to have a standard oven retain its heat sufficiently for the sort base that you get at the local pizzeria. If you're fanatical about pizza, I suppose you could buy a pizza stone to put in your oven, but it would be a nuisance to store safely and I suspect it would be more trouble than it's worth on a boat.  Whether using the oven or a frying pan, I suggest that you pre-cook it and flip it over before adding the topping. That way it both rises and cooks properly.

The following recipe makes a base for a 230 mm (9 in) frying pan. I have to admit that when I make it for myself, I usually manage to get through two-thirds of it, but I’m not a delicate feeder. I prefer not to have too thick a base, but if you are feeding two hearty appetites, you can make more dough for a thicker and more substantial base, make two smaller pizzas (cooking the second while eating the first) or invest in a larger frying pan! Just keep the proportions of the dough ingredients the same.

Serves 2

Ingredients

2 tsp olive oil

1/4 cup lukewarm water

pinch of salt

1/2 tsp instant dried yeast

1/2 cup wholemeal flour

• If you’re using an oven, pre-heat it to a moderate heat.
• Put the oil and water into a small mixing bowl and mix them together. You can use seawater, if you prefer, and leave out the salt.
• Add the salt and the yeast and then blend in the flour with a spatula or something similar.
• When the ingredients have combined into a dough, knead this gently for a couple of minutes. You will probably need a little more flour for this.
• Roll the dough out so that it fits your frying pan or baking sheet. Leave it to rise for at least a quarter of an hour, longer if you're very organised. If you are in a cold place, warm the frying pan or put something like a night light in the oven to keep the dough warm.
• Cook over a hot flame on a flame tamer for about 10 minutes, or cook in a hot oven for the same time. Turn the base over and add the topping.

All sorts of goodies can be used to top pizza, of course, and you probably have your favourites.  If your lockers contain tomatoes, olives and capers, you’re almost there. I can also recommend vegan chorizo salami, but would warn against overloading your pizza with too many different flavours. After all, a pizza Margherita is immensely popular in Italy and as simple as it comes.  The following recipe is a voyaging one, for when you aren't overloaded with fresh vegetables. 

PIZZA TOPPING

1 tbsp olive oil

1 small onion. diced

1 garlic clove, diced

2 tomatoes, finely chopped

1 tbsp Annie's Mixed Herbs

6 black olives, sliced

optional tomato purée

grated cheese – as you like

• Heat the oil in a pan. Add the onion and garlic and fry until softened.
• Lower the heat and add the tomatoes and mixed herbs. Cook until most of the moisture has evaporated, leaving a thick sauce. This depends a lot on your tomatoes - you may need to add some tomato purée to thicken it up. On the other hand, add a little wine or water if the mix looks very dry.
• Throw in the olives.
• Take the half-cooked pizza base, turn it over and spread the sauce over the base, right to the edges, spreading it carefully and as evenly as possible.
• Grate over as much cheese as you want.
• Turn down the heat and put the pizza back to cook (covered, if you’re using a frying pan), until the cheese has melted.

Notes:

• If you don’t have fresh tomatoes, you can use a couple from a can. Put the rest of the tomatoes into a glass jar and use them the next day (or put them in the fridge). Or you can use some passata, if you have some. If all else fails, just use tomato purée suitably diluted with water.
  
• For vegans, leave off cheese and sprinkle with generous amounts of "Parmegan".  Alternatively, this is one place where vegan 'cheese' is acceptable.  I've heard that there is some excellent vegan cheese around, but have yet to find any in New Zealand.
  

Variations:

• Top with microgreens or rocket (arugula), if you're lucky enough to have some. 
• Pepperdews, mushrooms, or sliced green or red peppers, all go well with the above.
• A great alternative topping to the tomatoes is sun-dried tomato pesto.  
• If you don’t have black olives, try green olives instead. The stuffed ones are particularly good.
• Add a tsp capers with the olives.
• If you've got fresh tomatoes with a really good flavour, you can simply slice them quite thickly and lay them out on the pizza dough.  Cook a few mushrooms and a little red pepper and put those on top with some olives and capers, and cheese if you have it.
  
• If you are getting short of inspiration, row ashore and wander along to the nearest pizza parlour. You’ll soon get a whole slew of new ideas!

Pizza made with dairy cheese and topped with microgreens

Aubergine, spinach and tomato casserole

I invented this dish in Trinidad, where one of the shops had a very limited supply of fresh vegetables, but they nearly always included wonderful aubergines and beautiful, local spinach. You had to buy large quantities of both, so I would cook half the spinach in a recipe one day, followed by spinach and aubergine the next day, finishing up with aubergine alone on the third. This is the recipe I invented for day two!

I can’t really give a measurement for spinach. So often you have to buy it as is: by the bunch, already tied up, or by the bag, which frequently doesn’t mention the weight. If it includes the roots, there will be more wastage than, say, baby spinach. Put it this way: a huge amount of spinach disappears into very little. For two people you would probably want as much as would fit in a 3 litre (3 quart) bowl, before it’s washed and chopped. If the spinach still has its roots on, it will want very thorough washing. Sea water is fine for this, as long as it’s clean. Give the spinach a really good shake and wait until the meal is just about cooked before adding any more salt.

Serves 2

Ingredients

1 onion

2 garlic cloves

2 tbsp olive oil

1 aubergine

1 tsp oregano

6 juniper berries

400 g/14 oz can tomatoes

spinach, well washed

grated cheese

• Chop the onion, dice the garlic and fry them in the olive oil for five minutes.
• Meanwhile, chop the aubergine into chunky pieces.
• When the onion is softened, add the aubergine and stir it round until most of it is coated in oil. (Aubergine is like blotting paper, so don’t worry too much about getting it evenly distributed.) Turn down the heat, cover and cook for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the aubergine is soft.
• Add the oregano; crush or chop the juniper berries and add these. Pour in the tomatoes, roughly chopping them with your spoon. Roughly chop the spinach and add this. Cover and cook for a further 5 minutes.
• Take the lid off and stir everything around so that it’s all mixed together. Smooth the top and sprinkle with the grated cheese. Turn the heat right down, insert a flame tamer and cook gently until the cheese has melted.

Serve with pasta or potatoes.

Notes:

• If you can lay hands on it, vegan cheese is fine for this. It’s also good with my 'Parmegan cheese', even though that doesn’t melt. Either put it on before serving, or add it at the table. Or both! 
• A green such as chard would substitute for the spinach, but kale and cabbage would take too much cooking. If you don’t have soft greens, serve a vegetable on the side.

 

Chilli sin carne

 

This is one of the first recipes I ever cooked and it was pretty exotic for an English girl in the mid 70s!  The photo above, shows it served with kumara/sweet potatoes: I'd never heard of either back then!  Nowadays, in one form or another, it’s a standard for both omnivores and vegetarians. People make all sort of punning and witty names for the vegetarian version, but surely chilli sin carne is the obvious version - chilli without meat!  I have tweaked the recipe over the years and now have something that everyone seems to really enjoy. Full of flavour, with a nice lift of chilli, warming and filling, it is wonderfully welcome on a cold, damp evening. Moreover this recipe is one that can be cooked in just about any conditions at sea – and I have done so. You can eat it with bread, rice, pasta, polenta, potatoes sweet or otherwise and no doubt many other things.  

With fried yams

If you aren’t used to ‛spicy’ foods, ie, chilli, you might want to go easy on the chilli flakes. If you like more spice, swop out the flakes for cayenne pepper.

Everyone, I’m sure, has their own version of this dish and mine is less authentic than most. The bulgur wheat makes a fine substitute for mince, while keeping the dish looking similar. I add some cocoa, which darkens the sauce and adds what I fondly believe to be ‘that South American touch’. In defence of my creation, I will say that everyone seems to enjoy it.

Serves 2

Ingredients

1/2 cup red kidney beans, soaked in 1½ cups water

1/4 cup bulgur wheat

1 tbsp soya sauce

1 tsp cocoa

1 onion, chopped

2 garlic cloves, diced

2 tbsp olive oil

1/2 green pepper

1/2 tsp chilli flakes

1/2 tsp ground cumin

1/2 tsp smoked paprika

1/2 tsp oregano

400 g/14 oz can chopped tomatoes, OR 3 fresh tomatoes OR 4 tbsp tomato purée

salt and pepper

 

Method:

• Put the soaked kidney beans and their water in a pressure cooker, together with the bulgur wheat, soya sauce and cocoa. 
• Bring to pressure and cook as usual.
• Meanwhile, heat the olive oil in another saucepan, add the onion and garlic and fry for about 5 minutes until they’re softened.
• Chop and add the green pepper, lower the heat and cook for a few more minutes. Add the chilli flakes, cumin, smoked paprika and oregano and stir until they are well mixed in.
• Stir in the tomatoes and lower the heat. If you're using tomato purée add and extra ¼ cup of water.  Bring to the boil and then simmer over a low heat.
  
• When the beans are cooked, add them to the saucepan. Stir gently to combine and season carefully with salt and a generous grind of pepper.
• Simmer until the sauce has thickened to the consistency you want and the flavours have have combined – at least ten minutes.

Serve hot.  I like chilli best, served over ‛baked’ (ie, cooked whole in the pressure cooker) and split kumara (sweet potatoes). But it also goes well with bread, rice, pasta, polenta and quinoa. I have never tried it with potatoes, but am sure it would go well with them in just about any form.

Note:

• Chilli is one of those meals that improves with keeping, so you can make it earlier in the day if you feel like it, or if you’re making it for company. Re-heat it very gently to prevent it burning and add a little more water if necessary.

With polenta

 Variations: 

• In rough conditions, fry the vegetables in the pressure cooker, add the kidney beans, the water, bulgur wheat, soya sauce, cocoa, oregano and spices, cover and bring up to pressure. Let the pressure reduce gradually while cooking pasta in another pan. Add the tomatoes and seasoning after the pressure has reduced.
• In really rough conditions, Just dump everything into the pressure cooker, along with a further cup of water and 1/2 cup rice. Bring up to pressure and cook for 10 to 15 minutes. Reduce pressure naturally.
• As an alternative to using rice, dump all the chilli ingredients into the pressure cooker, stir well to mix them all together and then put some kumara (sweet potatoes) on top. If they are small ones, you will need to handle them with care because they will be very soft after all that cooking, but still delicious.
• You can substitute TVP for the bulgur wheat. If you do, fry it with the onions and garlic and add some extra water when you tip in the beans./Substitute 1/4 cup whole lentils for the bulgur wheat.
• If you're making 4 servings, the one can of tomatoes will suffice. You may need to add more water to stop the sauce getting too thick.
• Use red pepper if you don’t have green.
• This also works well with black beans.
• Leftovers can be used to fill empanadas.