Posts Tagged ‘cooking’

BBQ Bonanza – Veggie Option

Tuesday, April 27th, 2010

So far this spring, the weather has been holding – the sun has been shining, and the only cloud in the sky is made from volcanic ash. With that in mind, here is another recipe for the barbeque. This week it’s vegetarian – barbeques are brilliant fun and there’s no reason why vegetarians can’t join in. Most people instinctively think of barbequing as being mainly a way of preparing meat, but courgettes and aubergines sliced thinly will cook just as well as steaks, and mushrooms and cherry tomatoes make just as tasty kebab ingredients as chicken or lamb.

Burger

Brilliant Veggie Burgers

Ingredients

1 medium onion

1 large leek

1 garlic clove

2 medium carrots

2 courgettes

1 small tin sweetcorn

4 oz breadcrumbs

2 eggs

2 tsb ground cumin

2 tsb ground paprika

lots of salt and pepper

Method

  1. Chop the onion and leek finely and wash the leek in a colander thoroughly to get rid of any loose bits of dirt. Fry gently in olive oil for 5 mins. Crush in the garlic and fry for another 5 mins.
  2. Meanwhile, grate the onion and courgette. Add to the pan and fry for a further 10 mins.
  3. When everything is soft, add the sweetcorn and seasoning. Stir well to combine and take off the heat and leave to cool for a while.
  4. Mix in the breadcrumbs and egg with your hands and shape into patties. You should have enough for 6 large burgers.
  5. Fry on five mins for each side.

For convenience in a caravan, it’s best to make this all in advance at home (including the frying) and chill them -  they’ll keep well for a couple of days this way. Then, when you’re ready to eat, pop them on the barbeque to heat through and absorb the smoky flavour. They are best served on crusty baps with tomatoes, lettuce and lots of ketchup and mayo.

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Cooking in a Caravan – BBQ Bonanza – Marinades

Monday, April 19th, 2010

Now it seems like winter has finally ended (about time!) it’s becoming a real possibility to go caravanning on a regular weekend basis and enjoy the sunshine again! One of the nicest ways of doing this is with a good old fashioned barbeque, starting at lunchtime and lasting well into the evening. If you’re going somewhere out of the way, you won’t be able to buy food and will have to take it with you. Why not turn buying the meat the day before you cook it to your advantage by giving it all that time to soak up the flavours of a delicious marinade?

kebabs

Mum’s Mediterranean (ish) Marinade

This is the marinade my Mum always used for barbeques when I was growing up. Until I was about 10 I didn’t realise that most people have sausages and burgers on their barbeques, because we always had chicken kebabs, soaked in this overnight.

kebabs

Ingredients

A very big slug of olive oil

The juice of half a lemon

2 cloves of garlic

Salt and pepper

Whatever herbs you have to hand – rosemary works well, as does oregano. If you can’t get fresh herbs, use a dried herb mix

Method

  1. Cut the meat into cubes, about 1 and a half inches. Chicken is my favourite with this marinade, but pork and lamb would also work very well (if it’s lamb, definitely use rosemary).
  2. Crush the garlic with the flat side of a knife. Put in a Tupperware box. Squeeze the lemon juice over it, add the seasoning and whisk in with a fork.
  3. Put the meat in the box, put the lid on tightly and give it a really good shake so the meat is coated.
  4. Pour the oil over the meat, seal tightly, shake again and leave in the fridge over night.
  5. When you’re ready to cook the kebabs, thread the meat onto skewers (it stops them catching fire if you soak wooden skewers in water for half an hour first) and grill on all sides until cooked through.

I particularly like these stuffed into a pitta bread with a load of salad and a glass of white wine on the side. Remember, if it’s your first time out in the caravan this year, make sure your caravan insurance is up to date!

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Cooking in a caravan – Fire Fish with Tomato Cous Cous

Monday, March 8th, 2010

For a lot of people, fishing weekends are the whole point of owning a caravan. I don’t fish myself, but I can see the appeal of a long, peaceful weekend with the water… And delicious fresh fish as your reward! Even if you don’t go fishing, this recipe is an ideal way of making the most of the fresh, local seafood if you stay by the seaside. Fresh fish is best cooked outside, on a campfire. This recipe is a god one when you don’t want to set up a full barbeque, but do want to cook on a real fire – it works best when the fire has dyed down and there is only the very occasional flame left. While this recipe might be a bit optimistic at the moment, spring is on it’s way, so it won’t be long before there’s nothing you want to do more with an evening than while it away next to the glowing embers of a fire.

Fishing in the sunset

Fishing in the sunset

Fish (whatever’s fresh and local, or that you’ve caught), gutted and ready to cook

Olive Oil

Salt

1 lemon

Cous Cous, about 50g per person

Cherry tomatoes, a large handful per person

  1. To prepare the fish, lay in on a large doubled over piece of tinfoil. Drizzle with olive oil, rub with salt, and lay a couple of slices of lemon over it. Leaving a little room around the fish, wrap the tin foil and fold tightly, to make a parcel with the fish in the middle.
  2. Carefully put the fish in the hot ashes of the fire for twenty minutes. While it’s cooking you can prepare the rest of the meal.
  3. Slice the cherry tomatoes into quarters and put them in a large bowl. Pour over the cous cous, drizzle generously with more olive oil and thoroughly squeeze the remaining lemon over the mixture. Boil some water.
  4. When the fish has been in the fire for 15 mins, pour boiling water over the cous cous, so the water level is about 1cm above the level of the food. Cover quickly with a plate and leave for 5 mins.

When the time is up, fluff up the cous cous with a fork and serve on the plates. Very carefully, using tongs, remove the fish from the fire and open up the parcel – beware that a gust of steam will come out. Serve the fish with the tomato cous cous.

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Cooking in a Caravan – Part 6 (Cara Vancakes)

Wednesday, March 3rd, 2010

This post is a slightly belated celebration of Shove Tuesday, or pancake day. I don’t know quite why, but pancakes have been one of my very favourite foods since I was a little. I used to beg my Dad to make them for me every Saturday morning. Now, of course, I can make my own, and one of the best things about pancakes is that they’re incredibly easy to make. This recipe is particularly easy as you don’t need to mess around with weighing the ingredients – as long as you make sure that you use the same cup for both recipes they’ll be fine.

Pancakes cooking over an open fire

Pancakes cooking over an open fire

1 cup plain flour

1 egg

1 cup milk

  1. Measure the flour into the biggest bowl you have.
  2. Make a well in the centre, crack the egg into it an break the yolk with a fork.
  3. Pour the milk into the well.
  4. Whisk the mixture together, starting in the middle and gradually incorporating flour until you have a smooth batter.

Now you have the batter you can cook the pancakes. The most sensible way to do this is to pour a ladleful into a hot, oiled frying pan, cook it until golden on one side then flip and cook for a couple more minutes, before serving immediately with your favourite filling.

A great alternative way to cook the batter to turn them into proper “Cara Vancakes” . You take a clean, empty baked bean tin, and bang about 5 holes around the sides for ventilation. Then take a tea light, light it on a fireproof surface and carefully place the bean tin over the top of it. Wipe an oiled piece of kitchen roll over the top of the tin, and carefully pour a tablespoon of the batter on top of the tin. It will take a little while to cook, but you can tell the first side is done when bubbles appear on the top. Flip carefully using a fork, cook for another couple of minutes and serve. This way is very labour intensive and not that practical, but kids will love cooking like this and I still just think they taste best this way!

I like them best with just a squeeze of lemon and some sugar, or maybe rolled around a dollop of strawberry jam, but I can see that melted chocolate would make a fantastic filling too! What are your favourite pancake toppings?

As always, cooking, especially in a caravan, brings dangers, and these should always be insured against with Caravan Insurance.

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