New forum idea - van cooking - thoughts please!

Jays said:
..................A quick one for lunch when tomatoes are cheap, using the same pan thickly slice tomatoes put into the pan with olive oil, sprinkle with salt, pepper, herds, cook, turn over and do the same to the other side.......................
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Thought you said you didn't cook meat in the van!;)

Great recipes by the way!
 
chop pork or chicken quite small,big dollop of Patak's curry paste in the frying pan,fry it till cooked,doesn't take long,serve in pita bread with iceberg lettuce sliced fine, and garlic mayo,or in a wrap.
wraps are the future i think,as unlike a sandwich they don't disintegrate with wet stuff inside,and ,like a sarni,you can put almost anything in them
 
n brown said:
wraps are the future i think,as unlike a sandwich they don't disintegrate with wet stuff inside,and ,like a sarni,you can put almost anything in them
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We've been having them around more and more lately. Boy eats them more than bread. Unless of course he's got oil and balsamic to dip bread in he doesn't really choose it for anything.
 
vwalan said:
i use a 3litre pressure cooker almost every day . ........ even a chicken can be cooked in 10-12 mins .
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Really? More detail please.... Never used a pressure cooker.
 
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cook in half pint of water in a pressure cooker takes about 12-15 minutes depending on size .
cook it then take it out put in your veg and cook them 5 mins . while veg is cooking cut chicken into 1/4s slip under grill looks like its been roasted.
i also have a pressure cooker that takes six chicken . i used it while working as a chef . ideal cook chicken cut up dip in sauce and bread crumbs . then fry . you have very quick moist Kentucky fried chicken .
but at xmas quick wash of your cooker . put in xmas pud while you eat the dinner pud is cooked .
in morocco i used to be able to produce what most thought was a roast chicken dinner on just two burners and grill.
most never thought it possible .
pressure cookers can be as little as 18 quid and last years .
you dont have to fry the chicken but if not it looks abit pale.
 
I bought our pressure cooker in 1974 and it is still going strong though I admit the gasket has been replaced so we are on the third. Used every day for soup and often for venison in red wine....

PH
 
i have a verey old prestige one that my mum used to use . still works . yes needed afew seals and realese valve over the years .
also a tower 5 litre i bought 38 yrs ago just before i got married . plus the big mario matic . thats 16inch across and ten inches deep. i used that in commercial kitchens . then a 3 litre x2 butterfly . 1 in the house 1 in the truck . mind these days the 3litre ones get used the most.
mind i do have a few moroccan tagines to use as well. but i prefer the pr,cookers .
saves gas . quick and even cheap tough meat comes out tender.
you can do a steam pudding that makes a great cake if left to go cold .
 
Back in the 60's when i was a young girl and off camping with my mum and dad
Mum loved the pressure cooker everything we had was cooked in it....and it was lovely....you have brought back fond memories for me .
Good thread I am off to buy a pressure cooker...
My recipe

Take a frying pan with a lid and add veg oil with a knob of butter to cover the base

Chop up an onion in rings and lay on the bottom

place leg of lamb chops on top with salt pepper and rosemary

Fry over a high heat for 2 mins then turn down the heat and place the lid on the pan and simmer for 10 mins

serve with pots and veg from the steamer....
 
Essentials

Can't take a pressure cooker with us... No storage !


Always have a thermometer in your fridge . If you are both living out of it and the temperature inside goes above 8 degreesC, your food will start to decompose . You could both go down with food poisoning.... Not good if you are camping really wild. As frost builds up on the freezer element, the fridge will become less efficient.

Powdered milk... Aldi

Packet Mushroom,Oxtail , Tomato soups, Knorr is better than cheapo supermarket own brands.

Lidl Tagliatell ...cooks real quickly

Can of baked beans ,can of corned beef .... If all else fails, you'll have an instant corned beef hash .

Full fat Greek plain yougurt ... Great substitute for cream , lasts long term in fridge . when the tub is down to the last 2 portions, mix a handful of meuseli into it and leave overnight,

Next morning you will have a thick , fudgey concoction which is great spread on toast or over chopped strawberries or other fruit.
 
Geek Girl said:
For emergencies, and when I just really can't be bothered, the Look What We Found pouch meals are good.

I always have a couple of varietes in the cupboard.

They're good in that they don't contain any artificial flavours or preservatives and are kept in the cupboard and not the fridge.

I find that if you're doing rice or pasta with them, then one pouch each is enough, but if it's a complete meal, ie a casserole, then we use 3 pouches between the 2 of us. Maybe we're just greedy:eek:

They're not particularly cheap, but a good tasty standby.

Empty in a saucepan and heat on the hob, or they can be microwaved.

Home Delivery Ready Meals, UK - Look What We Found
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I can endorse this - I use them all the time. Particular bonus is that Amazon have just been selling some for £1 a pouch. I've stocked up with 60 for a two month tour around France. I'm a single camper who doesn't like spending too much time in the kitchen and combined with pasta/rice or tinned spuds and frozen veg they are ideal.

Regards

Alan
 
quick cheat

If you are camping and cold and wet and can't be bothered to cook a proper meal we open a tin of Heinz spaghetti Bolognese and a tin of mullagatoni soup mix heat up and eat lovely with crusty breaf.ooops!
would be better with crusty BREAD
 
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Snip some bacon into small bits, fry with onions, add tin of chopped tomatoes, pour over pasta add grated cheese:cool:
 
one pan breakfast

frying pan on the hob fry 2 sausages + 2 rashers of bacon then add mushrooms and small cherry tomatoes when all thoroughly cooked crack in 2/3 eggs beaten or unbeaten swirl the eggs round the pan so they all join up when cooked you have a fabulous breakfast omelette courtesy of Jamie Oliver one pan breaky for campers.
tweak and add what you like
 
Pauljenny said:
Can't take a pressure cooker with us... No storage !


Always have a thermometer in your fridge . If you are both living out of it and the temperature inside goes above 8 degreesC, your food will start to decompose . You could both go down with food poisoning.... Not good if you are camping really wild. As frost builds up on the freezer element, the fridge will become less efficient.

Powdered milk... Aldi

Packet Mushroom,Oxtail , Tomato soups, Knorr is better than cheapo supermarket own brands.

Lidl Tagliatell ...cooks real quickly

Can of baked beans ,can of corned beef .... If all else fails, you'll have an instant corned beef hash .

Full fat Greek plain yougurt ... Great substitute for cream , lasts long term in fridge . when the tub is down to the last 2 portions, mix a handful of meuseli into it and leave overnight,

Next morning you will have a thick , fudgey concoction which is great spread on toast or over chopped strawberries or other fruit.
Click to expand...

pressure cooker is no larger than any other pan . the 3 litre is a very compact pan . can be used with out the seal as a normal pan .or deep enough to make a chip pan when required .
ideal for rice or porridge .
1cup of porridge or rice . 2cups of water(for rice )or 2 cups milk (for porridge . )
bring to pressure for 2mins then remove from heat wrap in a bath towel or your quilt and carry on making what else you want . stays warm for ages and cooks in its own heat.
saves gas again .
 
Many supermarkets now stock microwave/boil in the bag meals. I stir fry chicken breast with a little Thai 5 spice powder, add peas, sweetcorn and mushrooms and add to a bag of fried rice...top with sweet chilli sauce and it makes a really tasty and filling meal...and it only takes a couple of minutes to prepare...I also use instant porridge (just add water)...and flavoured cous-cous is also ideal to tart up with meat and veg...
 
You need to be careful not to overcook potatoes etc in pressure cookers as they just go to mush.

Quick one pan meal
Chop up a mixture of onions, mushrooms, peppers, courgettes - any of those softish veg, and fry gently in a large frying pan or wok. Add a sachet or two of Green Dragon Stir fry sauce, we like the sweet chilli and garlic one best, then stir in a couple of portions of Straight to Wok noodles.. cook for another minute and serve. Home Bargains usually stock the sauces and the noodles at very good process. This dish can also have some chicken, or Quorn pieces, added, but make sure the chicken is cut up really small and cook it first for a minute or two.

Those Warburtons squares, which last longer than bread, now have an own brand rival at Aldi for 75p. Split them and use them like pizza bases under the grill, topped with cheese, tomatoes, ham, whatever, or use them to make toasties - yummy!
 
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