I love pepperoncinis. They were not to be found in Mexico. After months aboard, I thought maybe we could make our own.

I made two jars before our passage, pickled peppers and red onions with garlic for flavor. We liked these so much I just made another batch here in Hawaii. I can't even tell you the type of peppers I've bought, but they are yellow-green and sweeter with just a little spice but very mild.

I found the following recipes online. I made the sweet, haven't tried the sour yet and made a much smaller batch, made 1/3 of the original recipe. My math might have been off, so I'll let you do your own.

Sweet Pickle

• 3 cups vinegar
• 3 cups water
• 1 1/2 cups sugar
• 1 tblsp + 1 tsp salt

Sour Pickle

• 3 cups vinegar
• 3 cups water
• 2 tblsp + 2 tsp salt
• 2 tblsp sugar

Boil vinegar and water, stir in salt and sugar until dissolved.

Simmer for 2 minutes then remove from heat.

Pour over your jar of cut up veggies. We used our empty peanut butter jar and a mason jar from one of our previous farmer's market purchases.

Since these are not canned they should be refrigerated, but we live dangerously on the Crazy Love and they lasted on the shelf a couple weeks.

We ate these in everything from eggs to on top of our hot dogs. Before our last passage, across the channel to Kauai I put them in a Mediterranean pasta salad. I used to make this often when we'd do weekend trips to Mission Bay.

The original basis for this combination came from a food network recipe. I've simplified it quite a bit. I love it because its a vinegar and oil based pasta salad and keeps better than anything with mayo.

Medditerranean Pasta Salad

• 1/2 package of pasta, boiled, drained and cooled
• pepperoni, chopped, about 1/4 cup
• 1 package feta cheese
• 1 small can olives, sliced and drained
• pepperoncini peppers
• 3-4 tblsp balsamic vinegar
• 3-4 tblsp olive oil
• salt and pepper

Combine everything in a bowl or tupperware.

I've also added a can of chicken, sun dried tomatoes, red onion, you get the idea... whatever you have on the boat.

Cabbage is one of those veggies that stores really well without refrigerating so I'm always looking for ways to cook with it on the boat. I love sauerkraut, it's made from cabbage...and I found this website.

I thought, why couldn't we do that.

I first tried it on our Pacific passage and it turned out great. Just mix well with salt and wait a few days, could it really be that easy?

A few concessions on the boat. Everything was as clean as I could get it on salt water, we didn't use fresh water for anything but drinking and occasionally cooking. Second (and ironically), I didn't have sea salt, just plain old Mexican table salt. Thirdly, no cheese cloth. A Blue paper shop towel seemed to do the trick. I bought this jar in Mexico before we left. It was ready in 3 days, better at 5 and gone by 7. It was great on hot dogs, sandwiches, potatoes, and on its own.

Sauerkraut

I highly suggest using the link above, this is how I did it on the boat

• 1/2 head cabbage
• about 1 tblsp salt

Slice cabbage as thin as you can and put in a large bowl. Rub in salt. Get both your hands into it and really work it in, until it has expressed quite a bit of liquid. Put it in a jar, pressing it down so its all covered in liquid. Cover with a clean paper blue shop towel (or paper towel), secure in a good spot where it won't tip over too much and wait 3 days.

Yum!

As mentioned in our Honolulu post, the folks on B dock were very nice to include us in their progressive potluck. This recipe is one we've used for years in my family. Always a winner!

Black Bean Salsa

• 2 cans black beans
• 1 can sweet corn
• 1/2 red onion
• 2 tomatoes
• small bunch, cilantro
• 2 avocados
• 1 or 2 limes
• 2-4 tblsp red wine vinegar
• 2 tblsp olive oil
• salt and pepper

Drain and rinse the beans and corn. Chop the onion, tomatoes, and cilantro. Combine.

In separate bowl juice the limes, mix in the oil and vinegar. Salt and pepper to taste. Pour over the salsa and mix.

Just prior to serving chop the avocados and toss in.

This is great served with chips or without. I've heated leftovers for black bean burritos or its delicious served over grilled fish.

After weeks of street tacos, burritos, restaurant enchiladas and coastal Mexico's version of pizza I was in the mood for a taste from home. I went to one of my comfort food favorites, scalloped potatoes and ham. This is my pressure cooker version.

Scalloped Potatoes and Ham

• Potatoes, peeled and sliced ... about 4
• Ham (in this case deli sliced ham as that is what we had), a couple slices
• 1 Onion, sliced then coarsely chopped
• 2 tblsp Butter
• 2 tblsp Flour
• 1-2 cups Milk
• Cheese, a couple slices of manchego and American
• Salt and pepper

Layer the sliced potatoes, ham, and onion in the pressure cooker. (1 layer potatoes, then ham, then onion, and then a 2nd layer potatoes, etc).

Cover with water. Bring to pressure 15 psi for 4 minutes. Let the pot naturally release and pour off excess water.

In a separate pan melt the butter. Stir in the flour a little at a time making a roux. Then slowly add the milk making a sauce. Bring to boil till it starts to thicken then lower heat. Add cheese until melted and season with salt and pepper.

Pour sauce over the potatoes, onion, and ham.

Delicious!

Whether at anchor or at a marina you meet friends along the way and it sure is nice to share the cooking duties. At anchor you might be a bit more limited to what provisions you have, but I usually have what it takes to put a pot of chowder or Mom's chili together and both these dishes make plenty to go around for up to 6 people.

For a gathering at a marina you have the benefit of more ingredients. Even at the mini supers here in Mexico I was able to put together an appetizer to share.

Chicken Salad Roll Ups

• 1 Roasted Chicken, meat removed from the bones and shredded (Tu Pollo in La Cruz or your local rotisserie)
• 1 cup Mayo (with lime is most common here in Mexico)
• 2 tsp Mustard
• 2 tsp Pickle juice
• 1 Red pepper, diced
• 3 Green onions, diced
• 1/4 bunch Cilantro, stems removed and chopped
• Salt and pepper to taste
• 1 tblsp or to taste Indian seasoning
• Tortillas
• Lettuce.. For garnish

Mix the mayo mustard and pickle juice in with the shredded chicken. Add in the diced vegetables and cilantro. Season to taste with the salt, pepper and Indian seasoning.

Spread on a tortilla, roll up and cut into finger sandwich size pieces.

**I really thought I took a picture, but apparently not.

Indian Spice Mix

• Paprika (3)
• Chili powder (3)
• Turmeric (2)
• Garam Masala (2)

On another occasion we got together with the Lilo for brunch. One of my favorite recipes from our land life is Paula Deen's hash brown quiche. Here it is adapted for the boat.

Warning this one takes a lot of stove fuel so probably best saved for a marina stay with access to fuel refill.

Hash Brown Quiche

• Hash brown potatoes, rehydrate 1 cup dry (about 2 cups)
• Butter, 1/2 to 1 stick
• Red pepper, diced
• Onion, diced
• Eggs, 6
• American cheese 2-3 slices chopped into small pieces (queso Amarillo as its called in Mexico but if you had cheddar this would be extra tasty)
• Milk, about 1 cup
• Salt and pepper

Sauté the pepper and onion in the frying pan in a few tablespoons butter till soft. Add a few more tablespoons butter and the potatoes. Cook over high heat for a few minutes till potatoes are coated, then press the potatoes into the bottom of the pan forming a crust. Salt the potatoe crust. Let cook over medium heat for 5 minutes or so.

Scramble the eggs and milk. Mix in salt and pepper and cheese.

Pour egg mixture over the potatoes and cook over medium to low heat till the eggs are cooked through. This takes about 45 minutes. Cover with foil the last 10 minutes to ensure top is cooked as well.

When you are in the mood for a good steak it sure is nice to have friends with a grill on the boat. We ventured to a local carnicería and the fish market in La Cruz. We supplied the surf and turf, hoping they well made up for the propane used and chef skills of the grillman, Bryan.

There is nothing like good food to bring good people together on land or at sea.