Posted on 06/28/2019 4:27:11 PM PDT by Jamestown1630
Recently, by a circuitous route, I became interested in submarines and submariners – especially the human aspect of the ‘culture’. What kind of man volunteers for this sort of duty, and how do the Navy, and individuals themselves, compensate for and cope with the extremely unnatural conditions, cramped living and limited resources?
It quickly became apparent that FOOD is very important on a submarine, in terms of morale and having something nice to look forward to; and while the job of cook there seems daunting, the submarine force is known for offering the best food of all the services. Submarine cooks have sometimes been sent to study at the Culinary Institute, as well as with famous chefs and restaurants.
‘Submarine Cuisine’ is a very interesting book published by the Submarine Research Center in Washington State in 2004, and contains many recipes from submarine cooks as well as lots of information about the ‘food–life’ and life in general on subs. It advertises itself as “The secrets of the submarine cooks who, during the past fifty years, have served the best food in the world”:
Another book, ‘Dolphin Dishes’, published in 1952, is actually a book of recipes from submariners’ wives and families, but also includes some that were favorites on particular boats, such as this Lobster Newburg served on the USS Nautilus (SSN571), the world’s first nuclear-powered sub:
Lobster Newburg Ala Nautilus
[This isn’t verbatim from the book, because the instructions were a little vague; but all the ingredients are there.]
2 live lobsters
1-1/2 cups butter
1 cup sherry wine
1 tsp. Salt
dash of black pepper
¼ tsp. Paprika
dash of nutmeg
6 egg yolks, beaten
2 cups light cream
Boil lobster for 15 minutes. Remove from shell and dice meat into small pieces. Melt butter in a double boiler, blend in sherry and seasonings and add lobster. Combine egg yolks and cream.
Add egg mixture to lobster mixture slowly, stirring constantly. Cook until thick. Serve on hot toast or in patty shells.
A pdf of ‘Dolphin Dishes’ is available from the Hathi Trust (takes a while to load):
https://babel.hathitrust.org/cgi/pt?id=uc1.31822037855665&view=1up&seq=12
I didn’t think this would be complete without a recipe for S.O.S. - or ‘Shit on a Shingle.’ I’ve been told that the denigrating name isn’t really because people didn’t like it, but because of its ubiquity in military fare. It’s one of my favorites, and while it’s not exactly inexpensive to make from scratch these days, that’s superior to the frozen stuff:
Cream Chipped Beef
3 tablespoons butter
3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1- 1/2 cups milk 1 (8 ounce) jar dried beef, diced
Black pepper to taste.
Melt butter over medium heat and whisk in the flour. Slowly add the milk, whisking. Keep whisking until the mixture thickens, then add black pepper to taste, and the dried beef. Serve over toast or biscuits.
For a history of the Dolphin Insignia at top, go here:
https://www.hrb-ussvi.org/single-post/2018/05/25/History-of-the-Dolphin-Insignia
And here is a discussion on Quora of submarine food, with comments from former submariners:
https://www.quora.com/How-is-the-food-on-US-navy-submarines
-JT
I have always been a “purist” (AKA, snob) when it comes to key lime pie - being from Florida and all. So the rule is when you have a pie with a graham cracker crust it’s always topped with whipped cream and NOT meringue (meringue goes with a pastry crust pie). But the Bahama Breeze one is a brown sugar graham cracker crust with meringue on top the tart key lime filling and it just works! We don’t go there often but I always make it a point to save room for that dessert. Yum indeed!
.......yesyesyes......whipped cream, by all means...... could not agree more..... ...
What is the difference in taste between a regular lime in the grocery and a Key lime?
We see them occasionally but I’ve never bought or used.
Thank You pugmama.
Lemon-Lime Meringue Pie/ CRUST 9 oz. (2 cups) unbleached a/p flour Tb sugar
1/4 tsp. salt 6 oz. (12 Tbs.) cold unsalted butter, cut into small pieces About 2 Tb water 1/4 tsp vanilla large egg
In a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, combine the flour, sugar, salt, and butter and mix on the lowest speed until a coarse meal texture forms, about 2 min. With the mixer runing, add the 2 Tbs. water and the vanilla; continue mixing on low til dough clumps, about 45 seconds. If the dough remains too dry and crumbly, add a bit more water. Gather the dough and wrap in saran, pressing to flatten the dough into a disk. Refrigerate til firm enough to roll, about 30 min.
On a lightly floured surface, roll the dough to a 1/8-inch thick circle, about 11 inches across. Transfer to a 9-inch deep-dish pie pan and flute the edges, if you like. Freeze the crust until hard, about 40 minutes. Heat the oven to 350°F.
When the crust is hard, line it with foil and fill the foil with pie weights or dried beans. Put the pan on a baking sheet, bake for 40 minutes, and then remove the weights and foil and bake until the crust is golden brown and feels dry, another 20 to 30 minutes. Whisk the egg with about 1 tsp. water. Brush the egg on the crust bottom and sides and bake the crust until the egg is set and dry, about 3 minutes.
FILLING 6 large eggs 1-1/2 cups sugar 1/2 cup fresh lime juice 1/4 cup fresh lemon juice; grate the zest before juicing) cup heavy cream Tb grated lemon zest
While the pie crust is baking, whisk/combine eggs and sugar. Add the lime and lemon juices; whisk usmooth. Whisk in h/cream; strain into a pitcher or batter bowl (a large Pyrex measuring cup works well). Stir in zest. When the crust is done, pour the filling into the crust without removing it from the oven; reset oven to 325°F. Bake til the center is just set, 50 minutes. Remove pie to cool on rack; then refrigerate until cold, at least 6 hours.
MERINGUE 1-1/2 cups firm-packed golden brown C&H sugar 1/2 cup water from 6 lge eggs (3/4 cup egg whites), at room temp 1/4 tsp. cream of tartar
Put the brown sugar in a small, deep, heavy-based saucepan and cover with the water. Put the egg whites and cream of tartar in a stand mixer fitted with the whip attachment. Attach a candy thermometer to the sugar saucepan and bring the sugar to a boil over high heat. When the sugar syrup reaches 246°F, start whipping the egg whites on high speed until very foamy and just starting to gain some volume, about 30 seconds. Keep whipping the egg whites, remove the thermometer from the pan, and very carefully and slowly pour about one-third of the sugar syrup into the mixing egg whites (it plops out in drops), avoiding the whip. Add the remaining sugar syrup in a faster, steady stream. Continue whipping the whites until they become voluminous and form firm but not stiff peaks, about 3 minutes; the meringue should still be warm.
To create the spiky meringue dome: Scrape the meringue from the bowl onto the chilled pie and, using a rubber spatula, create a smooth dome (avoid pressing on the meringue). With the back of a soup spoon, make decorative peaks in the meringue, working quickly before the meringue cools completely. Use Ia kitchen torch to brown the meringue. Or set a broiler or oven rack to a lower rung and heat. Set the pie on a baking sheet and put it under the broiler, turning it several times to brown the meringue as evenly as possible.
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CHEF TIPS Store the meringue-topped pie in the refrigerator. The meringue is best when served within a few hours; after about 12 hours,
it will start to weep and break down. Make Ahead---make filling up to two days before serving, but make meringue the day the pie is served.
Copy cat recipe for that pie is here:
https://www.allrecipes.com/personal-recipe/64552886/bahama-breeze-key-lime-pie/
I saved your recipe and made it last night. Since my husband is low-carbing, I added extra chicken, left out the tortillas, and served over spaghetti squash. This was really good! and seems very different from other King Ranch recipes I recall seeing.
PREP Combine 1/3 c crumbled feta, 2 tb capers, 1/3 c minced sweet onion, drizzle/toss w/ dressing; s/p to taste.
Drizzle/toss julienne Bibb lettuce w/ bit dressing; s/p to taste.
DRESSING Puree 2 tsp minced shallots, tsp capers, 1/4 c lime juice.
Add 1/2 c ol/oil, 3/4 tsp Dijon; blend well. Stir in tb honey.
PLATE layer tomato wedges; dressed lettuce mounded in center, top w/ feta, chp pistachios. Drizzle w/ dressing.
That looks fantastic!
A great combination of flavors.....glad you like the recipe.
:)
GARLIC BREADSTICK TWISTS
GARLIC BUTTER 1/4 c butter, tsp garlic bread seasoning
(Johnny’s at Costco is good or make your on), Tb Parm.
METHOD Unroll 12 count can refrigerated breadsticks; separate.
Spread garlic butter over each. Roll up; place into sprayed muffin pan.
Sprinkle w/ Parm. Bake golden 400 deg 12-15 min.
That is easy and looks delicious!
Easy=something even I could make. :)
EASY BAKLAVA / uses cup melted butter, 16 oz pkg frozen phyllo.
METHOD Layer in buttered 9x13" baker, 6 sheets phyllo, melted butter brushed on lavishly,
2-3 tbl fine-blended nuts/cinnamon, repeat layering; end w/ 6 sheets phyllo; butter top.
Cut thru to bottom in four long rows, then (nine times) diagonally to make 36 diamond shapes.
Bake 350 deg 25-50 min golden/crisp (cooks fast). Remove to counter; immediately spoon hot syrup over. Cool completely.
SERVE in ruffled parchment cupcake papers. Freezes well, too.
SYRUP--BTB gently cup ea sugar/water. Stir in 1/2-3/4 c honey, tea ea vanilla, lemon zest; simmer/thicken 20 min.
FILLING Blender fine lb chp mixed nuts, tea cinnamon.
=========================================
NICE FILLING VARIATION Puree pistachios w/ 1/4 c grahams;
add thin layer fig jam mixed w/ bit of honey.
My Sweetie was a submariner & always talks about how wonderful the food was. No recipes however. :-)
I think the food was part of the compensation for very difficult duty.
Thank your sweetie for his service, for me.
Same to you, Liz!
The ruffled edges were a bit crisp and held the little
rivulets of melted butter and maple syrup...delicious.
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