Banquets for backpackers
Living under 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 cooking.’’
He says canned food is good, but suggests emptying the cans into sealable bags before you head away to lighten the load. Fresh foods are good too, but should be eaten first and treated properly before being stuffed into a bag.
Placing lightweight vegetables such as courgettes, onions and snow peas in sealable bags with a little cooking oil helps them last a little longer as 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.
‘‘For beginners, and those who haven’t had too much outdoor cooking experience, we suggest they limit their fresh meat.’’
Salami or prepacked seafoods like salmon or tuna are good alternatives, he says.
Dry goods are a camper’s best friend, so pastas, rice and couscous are a good start because they last for as long as you like and can be matched with different foods. Dried pulses, such as lentils and chickpeas, are a good source of protein and are versatile for soups and curries.
And when it comes to what should be used to cook on, a billy and camp cooker is lightweight and easy to use.
If you can manage it, a pan will transform the whole cooking experience, he says.
‘‘Once you take a fry pan, you open up a whole range of other interesting meals. You can have pancakes for breakfast, fritters for lunch and dinner.’’
Garland is a fan of making prepacked scone, fritter and pancake mixes to make fast work of cooking in camp; taking a can of creamed corn makes for a fast feed of corn fritters.
Using rice flakes is a good way to whip up a dessert, because it comes out like creamed rice when cooked.
‘‘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. It’s so easy to do and people don’t realise.’’
So, there’s no reason to sacrifice taste or convenience when camping, because a little prep work is all it takes, he says.
‘‘You can live on bread and water alone for days.
‘‘But it’s really about having a good time in summer and enjoying yourself and having great memories.’’
Savoury fritter mix Makes 20
❚ 1⁄2 cup chickpea flour
❚ 1⁄2 cup plain flour
❚ 1 teaspoon baking powder
❚ 1 teaspoon tapioca flour
❚ A pinch of salt
❚ 1 cup fresh grated vegetables such as 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 cup of mixed chopped vegetables in another. Store 1⁄2 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.
Cooking is simple, just drop a spoonful of batter into a hot oiled frying pan and cook for 2-3 minutes each side.
❚ For more information, recipes and copies of Garland’s books, visit campfirecreations.co.nz