Category: Food
Savor the Sweetness: New England’s Maple-Inspired Spring Recipes
Maple Magic: New England’s Sugaring Off Season – Each Recipe Serves 4.
Born and raised in New Hampshire, I have fond memories of spring “sugaring off” when New Englanders collect sap from their maple trees to cook down into delicious maple syrup. These wonderful memories serve as inspiration for this month’s New England maple recipes fit for the galley.
Brief History and Process
Weather and longer days determine the beginning and end of sap production. They cause physiological changes in trees which encourages them to begin converting stored starch into sugar. We had three large maple trees in our backyard that we tapped each year to make syrup for our family. Throughout the year, we cooked with that lovely syrup! Now it’s time for you to celebrate New England’s spring gift with this menu.
Sugaring Off Staples: Maple-Infused Cocktails and Cuisine
Maple Gimlet
8 oz. gin
2 oz. maple syrup
3 oz. lime juice
2 cups ice
Combine the gin, maple syrup, lime, and ice in a cocktail shaker. Shake and strain into four martini glasses.
Salad with Maple Pecans and Cheese
Maple Pecans:
1 ½ cups pecans
¼ cup maple syrup
¼ tsp. each cinnamon and salt
Add pecans and maple syrup to a large skillet. Warm over medium-low heat and stir occasionally for 3-5 minutes until the syrup thickens. Take the skillet off the heat, and sprinkle cinnamon and salt over the pecans. Caramel coating will harden as the nuts cool and dry. Store in sealed container.
Dressing:
1 garlic clove, minced
1 Tbsp. onions, chopped
¼ tsp. each salt and pepper
1 Tbsp. maple syrup
2 tsp. mustard
1 Tbsp. vinegar (not balsamic)
6 Tbsp. oil
Salad:
8 cups salad greens
4 oz. goat cheese, blue cheese, or cheddar cheese, crumbled
2 oz. bacon, crumbled
Add dressing ingredients to a jar, cover, and shake vigorously to blend. Place greens in a salad bowl, drizzle with half the vinaigrette, and toss to combine. Divide among individual plates, top with cheese, bacon, and nuts.
New England Grilled Maple Salmon Recipe
1 ½ lbs. salmon
¼ cup maple syrup
2 Tbsp. soy sauce
1 garlic clove, minced
¼ tsp. garlic salt
⅛ tsp. pepper
Cut salmon into four equal-sized fillets. Stir remaining ingredients together and marinate salmon for 30 minutes, turning over halfway through. Grill salmon on medium for 3-4 minutes per side.*
* Salmon may be seared in oil for 3-4 minutes per side or oven baked at 400 degrees Fahrenheit for 6-10 minutes.
No-Bake Maple Oat Bars
1 cup peanut (or other nut) butter
1/3 cup maple syrup
¼ cup chocolate chips
1 cup old-fashioned rolled oats
1/3 cup chocolate (chips or bar) for melting
1 tsp. oil
½ tsp. salt
Line an 8-inch by 8-inch baking dish with parchment paper or oiled aluminum foil. Mix first four ingredients in a bowl. Pour mixture evenly into a pan. Place chocolate chips or bar and oil in a microwave-safe bowl and heat for one minute, stir. Heat another 30 seconds, stir until smooth. Drizzle chocolate over the bars, and sprinkle with sea salt. Chill for three hours or more. Cut into bars and enjoy!
-by Lori Ross
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Authentic Thai Cuisine Onboard: Set Sail for Flavor!
Experience Thai Cuisine Onboard!
Plan a delicious Thai dinner to savor on your next voyage.
Thailand is known for its vibrant and delicious cuisine, which makes it the perfect choice for your next onboard meal. Indulge in the rich flavors and fragrant spices that Thai food is famous for. Prepare a mouth-watering Thai feast for your next voyage with these favorite recipes.
Thai Mango Salad
Dressing:
⅛ cup oil
½ tsp. grated lime rind
1 Tbsp. lime juice
½ Tbsp. fish sauce*
1 tsp. sugar
½ tsp. minced hot pepper or hot sauce
⅛ tsp. each of salt and pepper
1 mango, peeled, pitted, and sliced (or peaches or nectarines, sliced)
½ sweet pepper, cored, seeded, and sliced
1 carrot, sliced thin
2 cups mixed greens
⅛ cup scallions, sliced
⅛ tsp. each of salt and pepper
¼ cup peanuts, chopped
1 Tbsp. chopped mint or pinch of dried mint
1 lime, quartered
In a large bowl, whisk together dressing ingredients. Add first five salad ingredients to dressing and toss to coat, adding salt and pepper. Serve salad sprinkled with peanuts and mint, plus a lime quarter to squeeze over salad.
* Substitute: equal amount of soy sauce, or oyster sauce mixed with a ½ teaspoon of anchovy paste or Worcestershire sauce.
Thai Shrimp
½ Tbsp. each of minced ginger root and turmeric root (or pinch each of dried ginger and turmeric)
2 Tbsp. garlic, minced
½ tsp. salt
1 Tbsp. lemongrass, minced*
½ lb. uncooked shrimp, peeled, deveined
1-2 Tbsp. oil
⅛ tsp. each of salt and pepper
Mix turmeric, garlic, lemongrass, and salt, and add to shrimp. Marinate at room temperature for 30 minutes, turning occasionally. Heat oil in a large nonstick skillet, and add marinated shrimp. Sauté, turning occasionally, until cooked through, 4-6 minutes. Add salt and pepper.
* Substitute: 1 tablespoon of lemongrass paste or 1 tablespoon of grated lemon zest mixed with 4-5 leaves of minced arugula.
Pad Thai
Sauce:
2 Tbsp. sugar
2 Tbsp. lime juice
3 Tbsp. soy sauce
⅛ tsp. Sriracha hot sauce
Noodles:
1 Tbsp. oil
¼ cup scallions or onions, thinly sliced
1 garlic clove, minced
1 large egg, lightly beaten
8 oz. Thai rice noodles (or other noodles/pasta), cooked according to package directions
¼ cup cilantro, chopped (optional)
⅛ cup roasted peanuts, chopped
1 lime, quartered
In a small bowl, whisk sauce ingredients. In a large skillet, heat oil over medium heat. Add scallions and garlic and cook until fragrant (about 30 seconds). Add eggs and scramble for 30 seconds, until almost set. Add noodles and sauce to skillet. Cook, tossing constantly, until noodles are coated with sauce and eggs (about 2 minutes). Serve noodles topped with cilantro, peanuts, and a lime wedge for squeezing.
Thai Pearl Cocktail
6 oz. pineapple juice
3 oz. light rum
2 oz. coconut milk
2 tsp. lime juice
2 lime slices
2 mint sprigs (optional)
Mix pineapple juice, rum, coconut milk, and lime juice. Pour into two glasses filled with ice. Garnish each glass with a lime slice and a sprig of mint.
-by Lori Ross
Fall Comforts Cruise Menu
Fall Comforts Cruise
This feel-good food will keep you warm as the cooler weather sets in. Recipes serve 4.
I love the hint of cooler weather that fall brings. Several years ago, we rafted up with friends on a quiet creek during an October weekend when the temperatures were just starting to dip. We started with apple cider martinis served with melty Brie, dined on grilled pork tenderloin with sweet potatoes and a fruit and nut salad, and indulged in a warm pear tart for dessert—a perfect menu of fall comfort food!
Apple Cider Martini
8 oz. apple cider
1 Tbsp. maple syrup
8 oz. rum
4 thin slices of fresh apple
Mix cider, maple syrup, and rum in a shaker with ice. Strain 4 ounces of martini mixture in each glass. Garnish with one thin apple slice.
Maple Camembert
8-ounce wheel of Camembert, unwrapped
½ tsp. each crushed red pepper flakes, thyme, dried rosemary
1 Tbsp. maple syrup
Crackers, pear, and apple slices for serving
Unwrap the cheese. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.* Place cheese on a baking dish. Score the top rind with a knife in a criss-cross pattern. Sprinkle with spices and drizzle with maple syrup. Bake for 15 minutes until just melted, and serve immediately with crackers and fruit.
*or use a medium-hot grill with cheese on foil for 10 minutes.
Rosemary Pork with Sweet Potatoes
Dry rub:
1 tsp. salt
1 tsp. smoked or regular paprika
4 Tbsp. sugar
½ tsp. each garlic and onion powder
Pork and sweet potatoes:
2 pork tenderloins
2-3 sweet potatoes, sliced into ¼-inch rounds
¼ cup oil
2 tsp. dried rosemary
½ tsp. each salt and pepper
Sauce:
3 Tbsp. apricot or other favorite jam
1 ½ Tbsp. vinegar
Mix dry rub and blend with tenderloins in a Ziploc bag. Set aside for at least 1 hour. Preheat oven or grill to 400 degrees Fahrenheit. Place pork and potatoes on a baking sheet, drizzle with oil, then sprinkle with remaining spices. Cook tenderloin and potatoes in oven, uncovered, for 30-45 minutes until thermometer registers 145 degrees Fahrenheit.* Meanwhile, make sauce. Warm jam and stir together with vinegar. When pork is ready, remove from heat, cover with foil, rest for 10 minutes, slice, and serve with sauce.
*if grilling, place pork directly on high-heat grill, turning halfway through. Place sweet potatoes in foil packet and grill for 20-25 minutes.
Fall Fruit and Nut Salad
Dressing:
2 Tbsp. red wine or other vinegar
2 ½ Tbsp. orange juice
2 Tbsp. orange zest
2 Tbsp. oil
½ tsp. each salt and pepper
Salad:
3 cups favorite lettuce, cut into bite-sized pieces
2 apples
2 pears
½ cup raisins
⅔ cup walnuts or other nuts, toasted
½ cup crumbled blue or goat cheese
In a large bowl, whisk together dressing. Core and cube apples and pears and add, along with raisins and walnuts, to the bowl with dressing. Toss, add cheese, and serve.
Cinnamon Pear Tart
1 sheet frozen puff pastry sheet (8.5-oz.), thawed, but still cold
3 Tbsp. sugar mixed with ½ tsp. ground cinnamon, divided
2 pears
3-4 Tbsp. butter, cubed
2 Tbsp. apricot jam or other jam, warmed for 30 seconds in microwave
1 Tbsp. rum
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit. Line a large baking sheet with foil or parchment and oil lightly. Lay puff pastry atop foil or parchment. Sprinkle half the cinnamon sugar over the pastry, avoiding edges. Cut the pears in quarters, then slice into thin half-moons. Lay pear slices on pastry overlapping in rows. Sprinkle with cinnamon sugar, dot with butter, and bake for 20-25 minutes. Remove from oven. Mix jam with rum, and brush pastry edges and top of pears while tart is still warm.
-by Lori Ross