We began our camping trip by making delicious fresh apple with my parents' antique cider press. We even picked the apples. Now that's homemade! Heat it up with some brandy and spices and it's even tastier...
Hot Brandied Apple Cider
This toasty drink tasted marvelous on a chilly fall night.
1. In a large saucepan, bring 1 gallon apple, 2 cinnamon sticks, 1 vanilla bean (split lengthwise), 8 allspice, 8 cloves, and 1 star anise to a boil.
2. Remove from heat; add one bottle (750 mL) brandy. Keep warm, but
DO NOT BOIL.
Roasted Green Tomato Salsa
The day before our camping trip, I noticed lots of green tomatoes in my garden that would never fully ripen with the upcoming cooler weather. This is how I decided to make use of the firm, green beauties. Here I am with my green and yellow tomatoes. Aren't they lovely?
1. Preheat oven to 450 F. Halve about 5 medium green tomatoes (I used a few different kinds: Pruden's purple, Brandywine, Super Italian Paste..) and 2 sweet green peppers (seeded). Lay the tomatoes and peppers, skin side up, on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Drizzle, then rub them with olive oil and salt. Roast until soft and lightly browned (about 10 to 15 minutes); cool until easy to handle. Remove any loose skins.
2. In a food proccessor, combine the roasted tomatoes and peppers, 2 cloves garlic (minced), 1 small vidalia onion, 2 green chiles (I used 1 serrano and 1 jalapeno from my garden), 1 medium yellow tomato, a good handful of cilantro, and the juice of 1 lime. Cover and process until almost smooth. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
Leek and Jalepeno Sour Cream Dip
I used a handful baby leeks from my garden for this dip. A large leek from the supermarket would work equally as well.
1. Clean and slice a good handful of small leeks or 1 large leek. (You should have about 2 cups, chopped.) Saute the leeks in 1/4 cup olive oil and 1/2 teaspoon salt.. After about 5 minutes, add two jalapenos, thinly sliced. Continue sauteing until lightly browned; cool.
2. In a small bowl, stir together the cooled leek mixture, 1 cup sour cream, 1/2 cup plain yogurt, 1/4 cup mayonnaise, 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder, and 1/2 teaspoon onion powder. Season to taste with salt, black pepper, and cayenne pepper. Chill for at least 30 minutes before serving.
Meat you can eat with your hands is essential for any camping trip. Cocktail meatballs and loin back ribs served us well during this outing.
Cocktail Meatballs
These are miniature versions of my classic meatballs. The recipe was inspired by the meatballs served every Friday night at the bar down the street. It shows you that inspiration can come from anywhere!
1. Preheat oven to 450 F. Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper; set aside.
2. In a large bowl, stir together 1 pound ground chuck, 1 egg, 1 cup fresh bread crumbs, 1 teaspoon fish sauce, 1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese, 1/2 small onion (finely chopped), 1 clove garlic (minced), and 1/2 teaspoon each of salt, black pepper, oregano, thyme, basil, and cayenne pepper. Form into 1-inch balls; place on prepared baking sheet. Bake for 15 to 20 minutes, rotating balls occasionally, until golden brown and delicious-smelling.
3. For sauce, in a large saucepan, whisk together 1 cup tomato paste, 2 cups beef broth, 1 teaspoon oregano, and 1 cup red wine. Add water until thick, velvety consistency (about 2 cups).
* May be prepped one day ahead at this point.
4. About 1 hour before serving (at campfire or on stovetop), bring sauce to a boil. Add meatballs to sauce and simmer about 45 minutes. Remove from heat; cool 15 minutes. Serve with toothpicks or 6-inch skewers.
Campfire Loin Back Ribs
Succulent and smoky, these tender ribs were a total hit—and gone in minutes!
1. One day ahead, rub ribs with a ground mixture of: 1 teaspoon whole cumin seeds, 1/2 of a dried ancho chile, 1/2 teaspoon celery seeds, 1 teaspoon annatto seeds, 1 teaspoon coriander seeds, 1 teaspoon black peppercorns, 1 teaspoon salt, 1 teaspoon onion powder, one teaspoon garlic powder, and 1/4 cup brown sugar. Drizzle with olive oil. Rub in again. Cover and chill.
2. About 2 1/2 hours before serving, wrap ribs loosely in foil or in parchment paper and set on rack of a preheated grill or campfire. Grill, turning once or twice for 2 hours, being sure they are cooking at a nice, low temperature. Remove foil or parchment; place ribs directly on grill. Cook 30 minutes more, until sizzling and slightly golden. Cut apart and serve.
Bread is the perfect way to stave off hunger while camping. It tastes awesome when heated up over an open campfire.
Cherry Tomato Focaccia Bread
This beautious bread is practically like a pizza. If you don't normally make your own bread dough, purchase some from your local pizza place or bakery.
1. Place pizza stone in oven. Preheat to 500 F. Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper. Roll bread dough to a 10 to 12-inch circle. Carefully transfer dough onto prepared baking sheet. (folding the dough circle into quarters will be helpful.)
2. In a large frying pan, heat 1/4 cup olive oil. Add 2 to 3 cloves garlic, minced. Cook until almost golden. Add 3 to 4 cups assorted small tomatoes, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and 3 sprigs fresh oregano. Cook until thick and saucy. Season to taste with additional salt and black pepper; cool.
3. Poke bread dough all over with fingers. Spread sauce onto dough and into crevices. Sprinkle with 1/2 cup shredded gruyere cheese. Bake for 30 minutes, or until puffy and golden around edges.
The duck was intended to be the main event for our camping trip. Unfortunately, our favorite camping shelties, Phyllo and Svetlana, removed it from the spit and ate it when we had stepped away. I managed to find a piece of breast meat that they missed (I have no shame when it comes to food) and it sure was delicious!
The Duck
I cooked the duck on a spit over our campfire. As you can imagine, it takes a while to do this—about 6 hours. You can cut the time in half by cooking it on a smoker or by indirect grilling.
1. One day ahead, marinate the duck: In a medium bowl, stir together 2 cups dry white wine, 1/4 cup sherry vinegar, 2 tablespoons olive oil, 2 tablespoons fish sauce, 1 tablespoon each dried thyme and cracked rosemary (or a few sprigs of each fresh), and 1 tablespoon cracked black pepper. Place duck in a resealable plastic bag. Pour marinade over duck; seal bag and refrigerate.
2. Drain marinade from duck and discard. Place duck on a spit or breast-side-up on some parchment paper in a preheated smoker or grill. If on a spit, cook about 6 hours, rotating every 30 minutes or so. In a smoker or grill, allow to cook for about 2 hours, being sure that the fire is not burning the underside of the bird.
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