Cooking is probably the last thing that you want to think about while you’re on a sailing holiday. However, hear us out for a minute: it is possible to create delicious meals and snacks with the least amount of effort but Mediterranean destinations such as Greece, Italy, Spain, and France are all countries where good food is ingrained in the social fabric. Indeed, the abundance of fresh fruit and vegetables, world-renowned cheeses, olives and the like makes it very easy for the locals to eat well at every meal. Open air or closed markets where one can buy a cornucopia of sun-ripened fruit and vegetables are a very common occurrence and it is where the locals shop for the freshest produce.
One can also find several local bakeries selling the freshest bread that you can think of or little grocery stores selling big chunks of local cheese or luscious olive oil. So why not embrace this habit? All that is required is a quick Google search to discover the markets and shops that are the closest to your yacht marina or port of call. You will be experiencing the city like a savvy local, supporting regional producers and eating scrumptious food in the process. So, without further ado, these are our four favorite things to concoction while sailing during the summer months.
Panzanella
Source: NYT Cooking – NY Times
Panzanella is an Italian salad recipe through and through but you can recreate it anywhere in the Mediterranean since you can find sweet ripe tomatoes and crusty bread everywhere. All that you need to do is chop the tomatoes and cube the bread (a stale loaf from the previous day works like a charm), add some onions and whip up a quick vinaigrette. Mix everything together and let the bread absorb all the flavors while you take a dip in the sea.
We are particularly fond of The Kitchn’s version with cucumbers and sweet peppers for an additional crunch.
Marinated Olives and Feta Cheese
Source: EatingWell
This is the ideal appetizer to make if you’re sailing in Greece and you happen to come across Kalamata olives (or any other delicious looking olives, for that matter). This recipe does not require any actual cooking since all you need to do is prepare an easy marinade for the olives and the Feta cheese cubes.
Prepare in advance and then serve with a big plate of Pita bread triangles as the perfect accompaniment to those sunset drinks on the deck.
Spaghetti Aglio, Olio, e Peperoncino
Source: Dottor Salute
Here’s an easy one if you’re your craving a big plate of pasta but no inclination to spend too much time cooking. Indeed, there is little else that needs to be done apart from boiling the water for the pasta and cooking garlic, chili peppers and parsley in olive oil. When the pasta is ready, simply add to your fiery garlicky mixture for a quick toss and enjoy.
Easy but very effective against cravings that need to be satisfied, pronto.
Pan Seared Peaches with Honey
Source: Feeding Your Appetite
This is a very simple but the scrumptious treat to prepare if you happen to come across some gorgeous peaches. Simply place sugar sprinkled peach halves in a saucepan and let them cook for a few minutes. Drizzle them with a little bit of honey and serve with some Greek yogurt or perhaps a little bit of Mascarpone cheese (depending on which country you’re visiting) and a handful of chopped nuts.
This recipe is perfect for dessert but it would also be great as a slightly indulgent mid-morning snack.
