Adding flavour to camping trips
Simple tips can make for tasty meals, writes Thomas Heaton.
Living under a canvas for a week over summer doesn’t mean you have to eat badly.
New Zealand Backcountry Cooking author Paul Garland says that cooking well, and smartly, while on outdoors excursions just takes some preparation.
It starts at home in the kitchen, with simple preparation and resealable bags, Garland says.
‘‘You’re going to spend a bit of time cooking anyway, so why don’t you spend some of that time at home when you’ve got good conditions around you so that when you get to the campsite, all you need to do is boil some water and [do] a little bit of cooking.’’
He says canned food is good, but suggests emptying the cans into sealable bags before you head away to lighten the load.
Sealable bags can help keep other fresh foods in reasonable condition but these should be the first things to be eaten to avoid spoilage.
Placing lightweight vegetables such as courgettes, onions and snow peas in sealable bags and coated with a little cooking oil helps them last a little longer – the oil helps preserve them.
‘‘Once you get into the heat of the summer you can forget about taking fresh meat and those kind of things,’’ Garland says.
If a camper is adamant that meat must be on the menu, he recommends taking vacuumpacked proteins such as bacon, venison or steak, but they should be consumed early in the trip.
Salami or prepacked seafoods like salmon or tuna are good alternatives, he says.
Dry goods are a camper’s best friend. Pastas, rice and couscous can be matched with plenty of different foods. Dried pulses, such as lentils and chickpeas, are a good source of protein and are versatile for soups and curries.
Garland is a fan of taking prepacked scone, fritter and pancake mixes with him on his camping trips, to make fast work of cooking in camp; taking a can of creamed corn makes for a fast feed of corn fritters.
And rice flakes make a good dessert.
‘‘We take a few dried apricots and soak them in a bit of water overnight. You’ve got lovely rice pudding with nice apricots on top.‘‘
‘‘You can live on bread and water alone for days. But it’s really about having a good time in summer and really enjoying yourself and having great memories.’’
SAVOURY FRITTER MIX
Makes 20
❚ cup chickpea flour
❚ cup plain flour
❚ 1 teaspoon baking powder
❚ 1 teaspoon tapioca flour
❚ A pinch of salt
❚ 1 cup fresh grated vegetables – courgette, spring onions and carrot (you can use dehydrated peas and corn, soaked for 10 minutes, if you wish)
❚ Cheese, optional
At home
Pack the dry ingredients in one bag and a mixed cup of chopped vegetables in another. Store cup of grated cheese and 20ml of cooking oil separately.
In camp
Combine all the dry ingredients with enough water to make a smooth batter. Add the vegetables and cheese.
Drop a spoonful of batter into an oiled hot frying pan and cook for 2-3 minutes each side.
* For more information, recipes and copies of Garland’s books, visit campfirecreations.co.nz