This month I made both recipes in my galley. The Creamy Shrimp Rice Crackers required no use of the stove or oven. The Pork Sliders with Comeback Sauce only required some stovetop time for grilling the burgers. But having my refrigerator was critical. Dave and I have had the luxury of owning three sailboats over the past 25 years. This got me thinking about how we handled refrigeration on these boats. Our first boat, named Moody Blue, was an O’Day 25 and there was no refrigeration. We only had an icebox and coolers we brought from home, which was more like camping on the water. Our second boat, named Allegretto, was a Catalina 320 and she had a large double, well refrigerator which was more convenient. Now on Reprisal, which is a Tartan 4100, I am quite happy with the two-tier, welled refrigerator. We use the bottom for drinks and the top for everything else.
Let’s get back to the creamy shrimp rice crackers recipe. I loved eating rice crackers when we lived in Japan. Rice crackers are made from gluten-free sweet rice flour, white rice flour or brown rice flour. The ingredients also include vegetable oil, soy sauce, sugar, orange peel, chili pepper and salt. The Japanese enjoy eating them with tea or with a cocktail. While we were stationed in Japan, one evening I was preparing for a dinner party. I had bought the large size of the rice crackers. It just sounded good to make a cream cheese and shrimp spread to put in them. Recently, an Air Force friend, Jeannie, told me how she makes this recipe. This month I tested it with some of her additions, and I liked it very much.
It may not seem very Japanese to like cream cheese, but I was pleased to find out that they have their own version of cheesecake, which is very popular. Chinese Crab Rangoon’s are one of my guilty pleasures. Not only are the wontons stuffed with a mixture of cream cheese and crab, but they are also fried.
The pork sliders with comeback sauce idea came from a boxed meal kit that I bought at Harris Teeter. But comeback sauce was new to me. It originated in Nashville, Tennessee, and it is very popular in the south to accompany burgers and sandwiches. The original is a combination of Hatti B’s dry spice seasoning, honey and mayonnaise. It is sort of like a remoulade or Thousand Island dressing with sweetness and a little kick.
Here’s to cooler cooking during these hot summer months!
From my table to yours.
-Your Galley Guide
