Christmas Recipes for Bareboating

The trick for surviving the Christmas feast expectations on a bareboat, is to know where the shortcuts are, and what can be purchased pre-made, pre-packaged and unrefrigerated.

Grab some pre-made salads and jazz them up. Look for long-life products like custards and milks, dry goods like pavlovas, pasta and potatoes, and save your fridge space for the things that really need it, like the meat, salads and seafood.

Cranberry glazed ham

The trick here is to buy one chunk of ham off the bone that is already ready to eat. You will simply glaze it on the boat and then warm it up in the BBQ. There’s no messy peeling off of skin, and no bone.

Glaze:

½  jar cranberry sauce
¼ cup brown sugar
2 Tbsp orange juice
sprinkle of cinnamon
Optional: add cayenne pepper or chilli for those who like it hot

Combine all ingredients in a saucepan and heat slowly, stirring with a whisk until smooth.

Oil a disposable aluminium BBQ tray, and place ham inside. (Optional: cut little holes with a sharp knife and insert whole cloves all over ham at 2cm intervals). Pour the glaze over the ham.

BBQ on medium-high heat with the hood down for 30 minutes. Spoon over the glaze periodically throughout the cooking process.

Serve on a chopping board, ready to slice, with leftover cooking sauce on the side.

BBQ turkey

Coles offers a few options of pre-prepared turkey roasts ready to go on the BBQ or in the oven.

Spiced roast pumpkin

One whole pumpkin cut into slices
Honey
Cinnamon
Salt & pepper to taste

Lightly coat the pumpkin slices in oil, then drizzle with honey and sprinkle with cinnamon, salt & pepper.

Grill on the BBQ approx. 10 minutes each side with the hood down, until cooked through.

BBQ jacket pumpkin

One whole pumpkin cut into slices
¼ cup maple syrup
1 tsp ground coriander seeds
1tsp ground fennel seeds
Salt & pepper to taste
Goat’s cheese
Walnuts

Combine maple syrup, fennel seeds and coriander, with salt & pepper in a large bowl. Toss pumpkin slices in syrup spice mixture.

Place pumpkin slices skin side down on a square of baking paper inside a square of foil, and drizzle with more syrup mixture. Reserving some for later. Fold up foil parcels and BBQ on hotplate for 25 mins or until tender.

Open parcels and baste with remaining syrup mixture, add chopped up kale, close parcels and BBQ a further 5 mins. Serve sprinkled with goats cheese and chopped walnuts.

Potato salad (serves 4-8)    

Of course, you can cheat and buy a pre-made potato salad from the supermarket in Airlie Beach, but for those who want to do their own, try this.

800g chat potatoes, halved
2 Tbsp olive oil/melted butter
½ cup fresh flat leaf parsley, roughly chopped
¼ cup fresh dill sprigs
2 Tbsp roughly chopped chives

Preheat the boat’s oven to 220°C.
Toss potatoes in a bowl with oil/melted butter, salt and pepper. Transfer to roasting pan.

Roast potatoes for 40 mins – 1 hour, turning halfway through cooking.
Allow to cool for at least 20 mins before serving.

Dressing:
1 Tbsp white wine vinegar
2 tsp honey
2 tsp wholegrain mustard
¼ olive oil

Combine all dressing ingredients in a Tupperware container or jar, and shake to combine.

Places potatoes and herbs in a bowl and drizzle over dressing. Toss to combine.

Christmassy salads

Try dressing up a simple rocket and spinach salad with some pomegranate seeds and fresh feta with balsamic dressing, or mango and avocado with coconut dressing.

Pasta or cous cous salads are easy to make on a boat. Simply follow the cous cous packet instructions, but for extra flavour add some chicken stock powder to the water, or cook in liquid stock. Toss through a selection of salad greens, capsicum, cherry tomatoes, spring onions, olives, feta, mushrooms, onion, garlic, avocado, sultanas, and dress with the salad dressing of your choosing.

Coleslaw goes very well with Christmas ham. Buy a packet mix of pre made slaw and toss with some Kewpie mayo for flavour.

Fresh herbs and shallots, bacon and croutons, are an easy way to dress up store-bought salads.

Garlic, cream & white wine mushrooms
Chop button mushrooms in halves or quarters, or leave whole if really small. Dice an onion.

Heat a saucepan on the stove with a good dollop of butter. When butter is melted, stir in a generous amount of garlic, add mushrooms, garlic and season with salt & pepper. Cook, stirring over high heat for 5 minutes. Pour in a splash of white wine and cream and bring to the boil. Stir and serve in a bowl with a sprinkle of fresh herbs such as chives or parsley for garnish.

Dessert

Pavlovas

Is it even Christmas if you don’t have a pavlova? Grab some mini pavlova nests from the supermarket, and can of whipped cream (with the nozzle, just don’t let the kids eat it straight from the can before dessert has been served!), some fresh summer fruit, and voila!
Flavour combos:

• A can of passionfruit pulp, some fresh mango slices and some mint leaves for a tropical flavour
• Sprinkle some chocolate shavings over the top of mixed berries
• Mango slices, white chocolate shavings and coconut flakes
• Kiwifruit slices and pomegranate seeds

Christmas Trifle (makes 12 small or 6 large)

200g fruit or chocolate cake
Brandy or other liqueur of choice (optional)
250g custard
can of whipped cream
Cherries or other berries

Crumble fruit cake into a bowl and drizzle with the liqueur, stir to combine. Spoon teaspoons of cake mixture into small glasses, top with a few berries, custard, repeat to layer, finishing with custard (can be made ahead to this stage and refrigerated overnight). Spread whipped cream over each cup, top with berries. Serve.

Easy tiramisu (serves 4)

12 Savoiardi sponge biscuits
400g sour cream
80ml (1/3 cup) thickened cream
70g (1/3 cup) caster sugar
1 ½ Tbsp coffee
10g grated chocolate

Line the sides of 4 250ml glasses with savoiardi (standing upright). Whisk together the sour cream cream, sugar, and coffee until thick and smooth. Divide the cream mixture among the glasses and top with grated chocolate. Chill for half an hour and serve.

Christmas cheese platters

Add some cherries and mixed nuts to your cheese platter for a Christmassy flair.

Cranberry sauce complements soft cheese like brie and camembert beautifully. You can even buy Wensleydale cheddar with cranberries mixed through it.

For a sweet touch, try Coles nougats (find them in the fruit & vege section with the nuts etc) such as black forest, and cranberry pistachio.

For more awesome recipes like these, see www.taste.com.au

Want to go bareboating in the Whitsundays next Christmas?

Book a charter yacht in the Whitsundays to explore the islands. See our fleet, online availability calendar and where you can go.