View Full Version : Help! I need an outrageous idea.
In about a month I'm hiking in the catskills with a bunch of friends with cooking in mind. "Cooking in the Catskills" event.
The short of it: I need a ridiculous idea of what I should make.
The Long:
I'm thinking of Dehydrating White Castle Cheeseburgers or something for snacks and for dinner bringing along a steak dinner or whatever. Those are just two very basic ideas to give you a clue as to what I'm up to.
But I'd much prefer to have some grandiose idea where people will be like "***, he's making some huge asinine dish!" The more obscure ingrediants and spices, the better.
I'm not mentioning what I'm bringing when we go. Around lunch I'll probably whip out the White Castles where they'll go "Wow Totem, you're weird." Then BAM! Crazy dinner. May even whip out a cast iron dutch oven or something too. I wanna go overboard.
Open to all ideas. I have a dehydrator. No Vacuum Sealer.
Addendum: I'm obviously not limited to White Castles and Steaks. Those were just my initial ideas. Also thought of making some impromptu spit to roast a chicken over or something. But throw anything at me, have fun with it.
I've never seen sushi done on the trail. It would be cool to do the rice and roll your own with good nori, avocado and fresh tuna. Labor intensive but with little bowls of soy and some wasabi on the side, maybe some saki to wash it down...:-?
Wise Old Owl
05-16-2009, 13:25
Yes its called Dirty Steak! and is only topped with imagination. You figure six oz per person and leave bone in if you can get it. Double bag the steaks to prevent blood from getting in the pack. If you are going out all day and will eat late, there is a modification.# Take a small bag of Monterey Steak Rub with Sea salt and really rub it in to make it stick when you get there. A butter pat with each steak on top. (use individual pats) When you get to the site go under the trees and pull all the sticks you see that are 1/2 thick, break and make a huge pile and clear everything back. When I say a pile I am talking about two back packs worth and don't use anything thick that you cannot break, because its green or unecessary. Light the fire and keep it in one spot untill the flames die down and you get coals in the picture. Then put on the steaks. less then four minutes per side might be three. A Coffee-can will heat the water from a dangle stick for the Idahoan Potatoes.
http://cooking4theweek.blogspot.com/2007/09/steak-caveman-style.html
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HzrofOTI5o8&feature=PlayList&p=55F12B3B413DD58D&playnext=1&playnext_from=PL&index=11
#Rub some Monterey from the butcher in the night before and wrap in butcher (Wax) paper-Double bag. Then put in the freezer and the will thaw throught the day in the pack.
Scary ideas huh? Second link roasted Avacado's With Steak.
The thread is in cooking.
World-Wide
05-16-2009, 14:20
In about a month I'm hiking in the catskills with a bunch of friends with cooking in mind. "Cooking in the Catskills" event.
The short of it: I need a ridiculous idea of what I should make.
The Long:
I'm thinking of Dehydrating White Castle Cheeseburgers or something for snacks and for dinner bringing along a steak dinner or whatever. Those are just two very basic ideas to give you a clue as to what I'm up to.
But I'd much prefer to have some grandiose idea where people will be like "***, he's making some huge asinine dish!" The more obscure ingrediants and spices, the better.
I'm not mentioning what I'm bringing when we go. Around lunch I'll probably whip out the White Castles where they'll go "Wow Totem, you're weird." Then BAM! Crazy dinner. May even whip out a cast iron dutch oven or something too. I wanna go overboard.
Open to all ideas. I have a dehydrator. No Vacuum Sealer.
Whip out the "White Castles" and then BAM, they'll sing TOTEM is our HERO!! :banana I could be bias because I have a taste for them, but I'm here in Okinawa w/out a chance of having any! :(
I like to juxtapose a 5 taste thai philosopy with variable ingredients when I try to impress in the outdoors. You can do anything with noodles or rice.
Dances with Mice
05-16-2009, 14:31
I've been thinking how to make a backpacking Tiki Masala (http://www.videojug.com/film/how-to-make-chicken-tikka-masala). At home I make the recipe shown in the video as a double recipe but grill the chicken over charcoal before simmering it in the sauce. I think the sauce portion would dehydrate well but I don't have a dehydrator. Rehydrate the sauce, adjust seasonings, stir in coconut milk and grill chicken shish-kabobs and simmer or charcoal grill then dehydrate chicken chunks.
Serve oer rice, saffron flavored rice is even better, with a few fresh chili peppers and thin ginger slices on the side. Thin crackers for some crunch and a cool fruit salad or some other fruit based desert would go well.
Served with rice and a side dish of fruit salad
I've been thinking how to make a backpacking Tiki Masala (http://www.videojug.com/film/how-to-make-chicken-tikka-masala). At home I make the recipe shown in the video as a double recipe but grill the chicken over charcoal before simmering it in the sauce. I think the sauce portion would dehydrate well but I don't have a dehydrator. Rehydrate the sauce, adjust seasonings, stir in coconut milk and grill chicken shish-kabobs and simmer or charcoal grill then dehydrate chicken chunks.
Serve oer rice, saffron flavored rice is even better, with a few fresh chili peppers and thin ginger slices on the side. Thin crackers for some crunch and a cool fruit salad or some other fruit based desert would go well.
Served with rice and a side dish of fruit salad
All of my cookware is stained from the saffron rice. I love it though!
I try to let it soak in water as long as I can before cooking too.
Dances with Mice
05-16-2009, 15:43
Totem - Tiki masala has become one of my favorite dishes and I discovered it by accident when I ordered it at a restaurant thinking it was some Indian version of chicken marsala, y'know with white wine reduction and mushrooms. It wasn't but it was great.
The version shown in the video is excellent and there are so many ways to approach it as a backpacking meal - dehydrate the onions & tomatos and make from reconstituted scratch at camp, or dehydrate the completed sauce, dehydrat everything but the spices that you then add at canp, bring frozen chicken breasts to camp or use dehydrated or packaged chicken breasts since the chicken doesn't add that much flavor to the dish. Substitute salmon, maybe? There are lots of ways to play with the concept.
I've also made it with catfish filets and shrimp since it kinda sorta reminded me of a gumbo. That was excellent.
The basic concept is that you start as if you're making a french onion soup then dump in fresh tomatos and a boatload of spices. Add a little extra tomato paste and water, then add meat and simmer. The coconut milk or yoghurt really make the dish.
I'd be interested in hearing about anyone's experience converting this dish to make it packing friendly.
It should meet the obscure ingredients and spices quotient you asked for. At home I leave out the cayenne and served diced frsh hot chili peppers to stir in. Fresh ginger slices really add some zip to the dish also.
Good luck and bon apetite!
For the main dish you could make a fresh pizza with a bunch of toppings. You could bring one of those small watermelons, an apple and some bananas and make a fruit salad for dessert.
Wise Old Owl
05-16-2009, 18:08
For the main dish you could make a fresh pizza with a bunch of toppings. You could bring one of those small watermelons, an apple and some bananas and make a fruit salad for dessert.
Somehow when it comes to catching fish, shooting something - the fruit salad appears to be a small bit of " out of character" for you..... Just a funny but small observation.....
No harm done... just found my funny bone....:D
Snowleopard
05-16-2009, 18:56
For chicken, I'd probably cook it in advance to kill off bacteria (salmonella, etc), perhaps by steaming it. It's just hard to keep everything bacteriologically safe on the trail with raw chicken or turkey (sterilize with bleach the cutting board and knives, etc.) For the first night on the trail, it should be easy to keep it cold enough to be safe. Later than that and I'd definitely start with it frozen and insulated. Then, using your steamed chicken proceed with the chicken tikka. Generally, it's hard to go wrong with Indian spicing and coconut milk.
A stir fry with those little Vietnamese/Thai red peppers (fresh), fresh lemon grass, a little Thai fish sauce, raw peanuts and chicken breasts (cubed).
OR, stir fry almonds remove and set aside, cube chicken breasts and 'bread' in corn starch, stir fry chicken, add Hoisin Sauce and soy sauce, cook for a while then add the almonds back in.
For rice: use a pressure cooker (Hawkins aluminum 1.5 or 2 Liter, weighs about 2 lb) or put insulation around a pot or plastic container and cook 'Freezer Bag Style'.
I've sneaked frozen home made cheese cake into my pack without my hiking partner seeing, wrapped in sleeping bag and it made to the first night dinner.
Dehydrating: there are people here who know a lot more than me. I may dehydrate with my new dehydrator this week for the first time.
Bring a stove that simmers and a lot of food.
LaurieAnn
05-16-2009, 21:56
The steak dinner is always impressive. I could always pm you my recipe for Strawberry Balsamic Steak... it's pretty impressive taste and presentation wise for camping but super easy.
World-Wide
05-16-2009, 22:25
In about a month I'm hiking in the catskills with a bunch of friends with cooking in mind. "Cooking in the Catskills" event.
The short of it: I need a ridiculous idea of what I should make.
The Long:
I'm thinking of Dehydrating White Castle Cheeseburgers or something for snacks and for dinner bringing along a steak dinner or whatever. Those are just two very basic ideas to give you a clue as to what I'm up to.
But I'd much prefer to have some grandiose idea where people will be like "***, he's making some huge asinine dish!" The more obscure ingrediants and spices, the better.
I'm not mentioning what I'm bringing when we go. Around lunch I'll probably whip out the White Castles where they'll go "Wow Totem, you're weird." Then BAM! Crazy dinner. May even whip out a cast iron dutch oven or something too. I wanna go overboard.
Open to all ideas. I have a dehydrator. No Vacuum Sealer.
You can pre-make a batch of curry and bag it in individual sized Ziploc's. To play it safe for long hauls, leave out the meat and perhaps just add cubed size carrots and potatoes to your curry. Also, pre-make Calrose rice (sticky rice) and bag it too. To serve, all you have to do is boil some water and drop the Ziploc's in until the curry and rice has been heated to your liking. Some "Nan" bread is always a good side-kick to mop up the last of the sauce. I believe S&B has pre-made curry packs which will make things even easier! :) Hope this helps and good luck!
I do trail sushi. Easy, easy, easy!
Baked potato, with real bacon and cheese would go great with your steak. Just wrap it in foil and put it in the coals of the fire...takes about an hour to cook.
Make some chocolate cake for dessert....use any cake mix...if you want to make dessert for everyone, buy a big box of Duncan Hines, or for a hiker size try those little boxes of Jiffy mix (most people know Jiffy for their little blue boxes of cornbread mix, but they sell cake mixes too...you can also use the same cooking method described below for cornbread or any cake or muffin mix)...you'll have to carry an egg(s) without breaking it...I've done this by putting it in an empty peanut butter jar filled with tissue...omit the vegetable oil from the recipe on the box...enough will soak into the batter when you fry it...put 1 inch of vegetable oil in the bottom of your pot and heat up the oil for about 5 minutes...if you don't get the oil hot first it will turn into a mushy mess...once the oil is good and hot, pour the batter in until you have a cake about an inch and a half thick. As soon as the cake is solid enough, turn it over and cook the other side. Its trial and error figuring out when the cake is done, but the beauty of it is if the cake is a little undercooked you have a chocolate goo in the center that tastes pretty good.
World-Wide
05-17-2009, 01:08
I do trail sushi. Easy, easy, easy!
Sushi Option: Since temps on the trail may be a factor, for your safety and those of your guests, I'd recommend a smoked white fish or smoked eel atop a pre-cooked calrose rice with a thin wrap of Nori. (seaweed sheet) Prep this all the time here in Okinawa before hitting the trails and have never run into trouble! :D
Yep! And if one can bear to not be authentic you can make instant rice with the powdered flavoring added, let cool, then prep. As well you can do rolls adding in veggies and say smoked salmon.
Not authentic but tasty!
World-Wide
05-17-2009, 03:25
Yep! And if one can bear to not be authentic you can make instant rice with the powdered flavoring added, let cool, then prep. As well you can do rolls adding in veggies and say smoked salmon.
Not authentic but tasty!
After I posted my sushi thread I stood back and came to the realization of your comment, "Trail Sushi!" Please forgive me for my lack of food on trail knowledge. I realize in a pinch we're not all going to pull Nori sheets out of our packs and start rolling sushi! :D Hope I didn't sound like a sushi prood! :(
Wise old owl you are right but you can call it how you see it:) I love fresh fruit in the back country it prevents scurvy. It is kinda funny though, never thought about it.
Snowleopard
05-17-2009, 09:55
I've made Apple Walter on a campfire:
peel and slice good cooking apples (R.I. Greenings are best) add a little sugar.
mix sugar and wheat germ with a bit of cinnamon.
Take a piece of thick Aluminum foil and put about 1 apples worth of apple with 1/3 to 1/2 cup of wheat germ sugar mix in the foil and roll it up.
Bake on the edge of the campfire till it's like an apple crisp.
--Walter
saimyoji
05-17-2009, 10:11
Wise old owl you are right but you can call it how you see it:) I love fresh fruit in the back country it prevents scurvy. It is kinda funny though, never thought about it.
not likely to contract scurvy, but i agree, fresh fruit is good.
LaurieAnn
05-17-2009, 10:21
You could always make the Fabulous Fry Brownies from Lipsmackin' Vegetarian Backpackin'. The recipe is posted on my website.
Just after Tim and Christine sent the book off to the publisher they joined us for a canoe trip. We were camped across from a beautiful waterfall in a place nicknamed the Cascades and the couple offered up these amazing treats. We sampled many of the recipes for the upcoming book during the trip, but these were definitely the favourites. If you can imagine a very cool, wet, rainy and all together miserable day brightened up by the warm and gooey trail brownies... it was a little bit of heaven.
After I posted my sushi thread I stood back and came to the realization of your comment, "Trail Sushi!" Please forgive me for my lack of food on trail knowledge. I realize in a pinch we're not all going to pull Nori sheets out of our packs and start rolling sushi! :D Hope I didn't sound like a sushi prood! :(
Hehheh! There isn't much better than pulling out a tray of nicely prepared sushi from the store on day 1. I have one friend who does that often - that is her lunch of choice. In hot weather she takes a bag of ice to pack with it, then dumps the ice water in her bottle after lunch to drink.
Yum!
Wise Old Owl
05-17-2009, 14:33
Wise old owl you are right but you can call it how you see it:) I love fresh fruit in the back country it prevents scurvy. It is kinda funny though, never thought about it.
I was just going by the picture and some of your other thoughts & posts... Its rare to see an Apple or Orange when hiking with large groups. Fruit by nature is always a bit heavy. So when you say fruit salad are you bringing a can or Delmonte gel tupperware?
http://images-cdn01.associatedcontent.com/image/A4484/448488/300_448488.jpg
Wise Old Owl
05-17-2009, 17:21
buy this 8 oz package .
http://mybrands.com/images/products/large/107_7680851697.JPGIt makes 4 cups in 11 minutes. you can boil this in a quart size pot. - 3-4 people. Or divide it in half as it is too much food.
Add a vodka sauce (get a bottle) and put half in a coglan's squeeze tube.
Add Sundried tomatoes when serving & fresh oregano leaves.