Camp fire Cookery

If cooking on a camp stove means corned beef hash or sausages and beans to you, I thought I might try to inspire you with something a bit different this summer.
After a weekend of fun and frolics canoe-camping in the gorgeous Wye Valley a few weeks ago, I was myself inspired by my fellow campers.






So, I'm offering you Halloumi and Chutney fritters with couscous, Couscous Chicken Doris and Chocolate Orange Bombes for dessert. How does that sound?

Halloumi and Veg kebabs

Halloumi cheese is great for cooking on the BBQ- lightly oiled, sliced and cooked with peppers, tomatoes and mushrooms as a kebab.









Or, made into crispy fritters to fry in the pan over the camping stove:

Halloumi and Chutney fritters

1. Slice the halloumi into 1 cm thick slices
2. Beat 1 egg with a tablespoon of chutney
3. Lay out 3 dishes- 1 each of flour, the chutney/egg mix and breadcrumbs

Ready to coat

Halloumi and Chutney Fritters

4. Coat the slices first in flour, then egg mix, then breadcrumbs and fry in hot oil
5. Serve with salad and couscous

Make the couscous with boiling water as directed by the packet
Thanks Ainsley!

The leftover couscous makes the perfect coating for Chicken Doris (named after the skinny chicken who was the mascot for the weekend).

Chicken Doris

1. Marinade chicken breast fillets in 2 tbsp of natural yogurt

mmm..doesn't that look appetising?

2. Coat the yoghurty chicken with leftover couscous, pressing it on all over.

Chicken coated in couscous

3. Either fry in hot oil over the camp stove until golden and crispy or ( if you are at home, bake in a hot oven 190 degrees for 20 mins or so).

Chicken Doris
(Sorry it's a bit blurry- too much wine went in at this point- into the cook that is, not the food.)

Of course, if you would rather have Corned Beef Hash or Sausage and Bean Stew, the recipes are here on the blog too:

http://lizsleftovers.blogspot.co.uk/search?q=corned+beef+hash

http://lizsleftovers.blogspot.co.uk/search?q=sausage+and+bean+stew

And for dessert, I was very taken with this dessert prepared by my camping neighbours:

Chocolate Orange Bombes

1. Cut a lid from the top of each of 4 oranges and hollow them out, using a sharp knife. Keep the juice and pulp to one side.

Preparing the mix

2. Mix up a chocolate cake mix using eggs as directed, but substitute orange juice for the water.
3. Spoon the mix into the hollowed-out oranges
4. Wrap them in aluminium foil and place on the BBQ to cook ( for at least 30 minutes )

Orange Bombes on the BBQ

5. Unwrap and serve.

Chocolate Orange Bombes

The result is a gooey, Brownie-like pud that tastes like a Terry's Chocolate Orange( but one you don't need to share).

http://lizsleftovers.blogspot.co.uk/search?q=clementines

The pulp and leftover juice from the oranges makes a nice breakfast with yoghurt - or mix it with caramel sauce for another pud:












All too soon, the camping weekend was over - as is this post.

Thanks to Steve for the photos, Paula for the pud recipe and Doris for the entertainment!

Can you spot Doris?

Week 44- Office Party Leftovers and Hangovers

It's office party season.

Usually, when you think about 'the next day' - all that remains is a thumping head, a churning stomach and a vague sense that you said or did some rather regrettable things.

On my team, we celebrate twice- an evening at the pub which, yes, has the potential to lead to all of the above (and I do believe in always fulfilling my potential)- and a lunchtime buffet where everyone brings a dish and we all have a jolly nice lunch.

The only problem with the latter is that everyone contributes really generously and there is always lots of food left over. It seems criminal to go round with a black dustbin bag and throw away delicious food because people have been kind enough to make it or buy it, but have been too restrained to eat it all up.

So, this year, I collected up what was left and made various dishes out of it all. What I couldn't adapt, I froze. What I couldn't freeze, I gave away.

For this week's blog menu, I took pity on the carrots which had been sliced up to go with hummus and dips, the nuts and dried fruits which some health conscious member of the team had laid out - only to be snubbed in favour of Stollen, mince pies and cheesecake-  also the cocktail sausages which went largely ignored ( as always, on a team of mostly vegetarians and people from faiths which don't eat pork) and a huge Panettone which sat disconsolate and forgotten like the plateau of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle's lost world.

I made a nut terrine (like a nut roast but somehow less virtuous), followed by a spiced sausage and bean stew and a caramel bread and butter pudding.

For the terrine- put whatever you have in the way of dried fruit, vegetables and nuts into the goblet of your food processor. I had  carrot sticks, apricots, dates, brazil nuts and walnuts. Pulse to a fine chop.
Meanwhile, toast some pine nuts in a pan until just coloured. Be quick. Don't let them burn.
Similarly soften some onion and some garlic in some olive oil.

Mix everything together in a bowl with some soft breadcrumbs, some grated cheese, some grated nutmeg, salt and pepper and allspice and 2 beaten eggs.
Pour into a well greased loaf tin and bake at 180 degrees until golden and a skewer inserted into the middle comes out clean. (About 20 minutes).

Nut terrine

Serve hot with salad leaves and chutney or style auvergnat napped with hot mushroom sauce.

Terrine with hot mushroom sauce

Sausage and bean stew

Main course again requires some onion softened with garlic in a frying pan. Add the cocktail sausages and heat through. Next add a carton of chopped tomatoes with added chili (or add the chili yourself), a dash of Worcester sauce, a dessertspoon of black treacle (or muscavado sugar), a dessertspoon of balsamic vinegar and a tin of butter beans (drained). Refill the tin and add the starchy water to the pan. Bring to a bubbling boil then reduce to simmer.

When the liquid is thickening, pour into a gratin dish, top with fresh breadcrumbs and place in a hot oven (200 degrees) until the breadcrumbs begin to turn golden - abut 10 minutes.

It made a great huevos rancheros for supper the next day too.

Huevos rancheros

For dessert, I sliced the Panettone and laid one layer in a gratin dish.I spread caramel sauce ( or dulce de leche) over this layer. Next layer went on until the dish was full. I mixed two beaten eggs with 200 ml of milk and a dessertspoon of vanilla essence. Pour the custard over the bread and press it down until the bread is pretty much submerged. I didn't sweeten the egg custard as the caramel sauce is very sweet, as is the Panettone and -oh dear- I sprinkled vanilla sugar over the top before it went into the oven as well.

Panettone-zillah

Spread with caramel sauce

Caramel Panettone bread and butter pudding

Bake at 180 degrees until golden and between mostly firm at the sides and wobbly in the centre. (Think dancing at the office party unrestricted by Spanx).

When serving you can give the top some added crunch by finishing with a blowtorch.

Even though I say it myself, this was a fab meal made from stuff that was destined for the bin.

Enjoy your Christmas break! I know I will.

Week 40- Crunchy!!

I'm playing around with texture this week. Smooth and creamy, contrasted with crunch.

I've chosen a menu which reflects the theme: creamy butternut squash risotto with crispy prosciutto ham, my healthy take on crispy fried chicken and a caramel crunch pain perdu pudding.

All of them simple, quick and economical.


I heard the food critic Jay Rayner say on TV this week that there are very few dishes which aren't improved by the addition of crispy bacon. The man is talking sense.

Whether it's bubble and squeak with crispy pancetta

or cheeseburgers with crispy ham

or risotto, as in today's recipe. The salty crunch of the bacon makes all the difference.

For the risotto, roast a butternut squash in some olive oil and salt and pepper in a moderate oven until soft. Soften 1 small onion in a little more olive oil with some garlic. Add a cup of arborio rice and stir until the grains have absorbed the oil. Add a glass of white wine and stir until it has all been absorbed. Now add hot vegetable or chicken stock, a ladle at a time, stirring it in until absorbed. Keep going until the rice is tender and the risotto creamy. Add the diced butternut squash, plenty of seasoning to taste, a splash of cream and some grated parmesan cheese (if you like it). Spoon the



risotto into bowls and top with crispy grilled pancetta or prosciutto ham (or streaky bacon).

butternut squash risotto with crispy prosciutto

Any leftover risotto is wonderful made into arancini: shape the cold risotto into balls or cakes, roll in breadcrumbs and fry in hot oil until crispy. Again a lovely mixture of creamy and crunchy.

Arancini with dipping sauce

The main course today is crispy fried chicken- except it isn't fried, it's baked. It remains juicy and tender though and doesn't dry out thanks to it's clever marinade.

Butterfly two chicken breasts or slice them into goujons (popular with children, I promise you.) Coat them in natural yoghurt and some salt and pepper. Leave to marinade for half an hour or so in the fridge.

Chicken in yoghurt- looks yucky but trust me!

Lay out some fresh breadcrumbs on one plate (I always keep some ready in the freezer) and some blitzed tortilla chips (or Pringles or crisps)on another.

Ready to roll

Again, once they are past their best, I blitz them up in a food processor and they keep well in the freezer.

Blitzed tortilla chips

Take the coated chicken and roll it in first the breadcrumbs then the crunchy crisps. Place on a lightly oiled baking sheet and bake at 200 degrees for 20 minutes or so until brown and crispy.

Crispy chicken- finger lickin' good!

I have any leftovers cold with a salad in my lunchbox the next day.

Dessert is simple but scrumptious.

Lay slices of brioche or Madeira cake (I have used trifle sponges too) in a dish. Spread them with caramel condensed milk (the sort you use for banoffee pie) and pour over 2 beaten eggs in some milk. Let it all soak in for half an hour or so in the fridge.

Spread with caramel

Bake in a moderate oven (180 degrees) for 20 minutes until firm and golden. Sprinkle the top with demerara sugar (or icing sugar if you prefer) and glaze with a blowtorch or hot grill until bubbling. As it cools, it sets and becomes crunchy and chewy like toffee.

Glaze with blowtorch

Delicious with cream or custard.

Crunchy caramel pain perdu

So, there are my crunchy recipes...in a nutshell..

I'll let you crack on with them..

Week 10- Souffles, Salad and Sweet Sandwiches

I was asked recently if I could feature some souffle recipes on the blog- and of course I agreed. But then I tried to remember when I last cooked one- and realized it was probably in the early Eighties. The dish seemed to fall out of fashion after that.

I used to make souffles often as a student- because they were cheap, actually pretty easy to do but looked impressive. It also occurs to me now that they are a perfect way to use up leftovers ( cauliflower cheese, cubes of ham, vegetables, tomatoes, an overripe avocado,  the end of a nice bit of cheese, even risotto goes well into the mix.)

So today's 3 course menu is a smoked trout and lentil salad to start, followed by a cheese and ham souffle and coconut macaroon ice cream sandwiches for pudding (another Seventies classic- the ice cream sandwich!)

For a simple salad starter- boil a few new potatoes until tender and allow to cool until just warm. Mix in half a tin of lentils, a chopped spring onion and a handful of finely chopped parsley. Toss in a dressing of lemon juice, olive oil and Dijon mustard. Serve on a bed of salad leaves with some slices of smoked trout or salmon  and some buttered brown bread.

Smoked trout and lentil salad

Now for the souffle. It is best to serve this immediately on coming out of the oven, so don't keep it waiting whilst you prepare the accompaniments- we just had some steamed buttered greens with it.

Thoroughly grease a souffle or casserole dish and preheat your oven to 170 degrees. Separate 4 eggs, putting the yolks in a cup and the whites in a clean mixing bowl. Beat the whites (preferably with an electric whisk) until they form stiff peaks. In a saucepan, melt 50g of butter and make a roux with 50g of plain flour and 225 ml or so of milk, gradually whisked in until you have a thick sauce. Season with lots of pepper and a teaspoon of mustard and allow to cool for a few minutes. Beat in 175 g of grated  mature cheddar cheese and 100g of cubed ham. When the mixture has cooled for a few minutes, beat in the 4 egg yolks.

Now add the sauce to the egg whites, carefully folding in with a metal spoon until the sauce is marbled through but the egg whites still have plenty of volume.

Pour into your greased dish and bake in the centre of the oven until it is risen and golden (20-25 minutes or so). Do not open the oven in the first 15 minutes- and try not to at all until you are ready to serve.

Souffle rising 

The souffle will fall a little as you cut into it - but don't worry, it will still taste fluffy and delicious.

Cheese and ham souffle

If you want to make souffles for a dinner party- try doing the twice-baked variety. You can make them the day before and just pop them in the oven 10 minutes or so before serving to your guests.

Thoroughly grease individual ramekins and pour your mixture into these. Place them on a baking tray and pour some boiling water into the tray until it comes about halfway up the sides of the ramekins (to make a bain marie). Cook for 20 minutes at 170 degrees as above. Remove from the bain marie and place on a cooling rack.
At this point, the souffles will fall and look like sad little Yorkshire pudding puddles. This is fine- don't worry!

Souffles rising up

Deflated souffles

When you are ready to cook them again- gently slide them out of their ramekins using a pallet knife to loosen the sides ( hope you remembered to grease really well!) Place them on a baking sheet, pour over a teaspoon of cream per souffle and a good dusting of grated cheese (parmesan is good here mixed with gruyere or cheddar). Put them in the oven for 20 minutes or so at 180 degrees and they will rise up and be all bright eyed and bushy tailed for your guests!

Twice baked cheese souffle

If you like strong cheese, then a circle of goats cheese goes well on the top of each souffle before the second bake instead of the cream and parmesan. Blue cheese is much liked in a souffle too.

Twice baked blue cheese and walnut souffle

Once you have mastered this simple recipe- let your creativity take over and add whatever you want to use up/have at hand/like to make the sauce.

Sweet souffles are just as easy- Delia has a good lemon curd souffle recipe- but you can adapt it to use marmalade, fresh raspberry sauce, jam etc     http://www.deliaonline.com/recipes/cuisine/european/french/hot-lemon-curd-souffles.html

And so to pudding.

I think coconut macaroons were one of the first things I ever learned to bake. I must have been younger than five years old- and we used to call them coconut dibdabs. I don't know why.
So, when I watched a Donna Hay cookery prog the other day and saw her making these ice cream sandwiches I thought- "I want that". And so I made some.

So easy- and scrummy, if a little calorific.

For the macaroons- beat 2 egg whites until at the soft peak stage. Add a teaspoon of vanilla essence, 100g of caster sugar and 200g of dessicated coconut. Mix together until it all binds.
Grease two baking sheets and line with baking paper. Place spoonfuls of the mixture into biscuit rings and press down firmly with a spoon to make round shapes. Bake at 170 degrees for 10 minutes or so. Watch carefully and remove from the heat as soon as they are golden.Allow to cool.

Coconut macaroons

For the pudding- sandwich a scoop of your favourite ice cream (I used salted caramel) between two macaroons, drizzle over some caramel sauce, maple syrup, chocolate sauce, cream- whatever you fancy et voila!

Coconut macaroon ice cream sandwich

You can do the same with any biscuits, slices of cake or gaufrettes that you have in the storecupboard.

Out of this world!

Hoping some of these recipes hit the spot- if not leaving you breathless ( a bout de souffle!)