New forum idea - van cooking - thoughts please!
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vwalan
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used to use a lovely truckers place near st brieuc . did a lovely plat de jour . with a big jug of house wine aswell. needed asleep on the grass before carrying on .
but dont worry they dont all use fresh . its a trick .
plus lots do use pressure cookers . remember i,m a qualified chef so do know what i,m talking about.
but dont worry they dont all use fresh . its a trick .
plus lots do use pressure cookers . remember i,m a qualified chef so do know what i,m talking about.
paul h
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Ive only been to france twice and have found the menus very similiar (pizza,moules ,crepes,and steaks) in most restaurants the only exception was around calais were i found that delicasy andoulette sausauge How i stepped wretching i will never know needless to say i left it covered up with a knapkin .I must say ive been more round coastal areas which is probally aimed at us tourists but so far by my experiences i would say the food in restaurants i would say not more than half hr from Allan are far better than my french experiences my wifes prefers chicken for one which is expensive in france
Topher
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Had a massive box of the food pouches (Look what we found) turn up yesterday. I bought a selection to see what we liked
All looks nice, will keep you posted.
I have done exactly the same after seeing the post by 'Geek Girl'.
Had the Venison stew for my lunch today and very nice it was too.
vwalan
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i can say that when i was driving in the summer i often drove food deliveries . mainly to hotels restaurants around cornwall . i have had many a discucion with the managers and owners . some of the very big posh hotels get their veg prepared for them. it truly amazed me .
i have had nice food in uk and nice in france . i dont eat out often as i begrudge the charges .
mind have eaten out lots in maroc . but only in the places i can see what they are doing .
again one of the nicest places was uncle noahs . market restaurant in seracunda i think it was in gambia . you could watch all he did and it was very good . half the price of other places and a good plate full. tables and chairs were all made by him it looked a state but good food . some of the places i have eaten in africa were great . better than them posh places and a better class of locals as well.
paul h
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trying to sell my wife the pressure cooker idea
vwalan
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have a look here CE APPROVED Aluminium*Rochedo* 3lt Pressure cooker-EXTRA FREE GASKET worth £6.99 | eBay
that is a bargain for sure.
that is a bargain for sure.
Siimplyloco
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Agreed. We bought a promotional pate six pack from LIDL: venison, duck, boar pate etc for just €4.99. Delicious with fresh crispy French bread and cold rose wine at €0.95 a bottle!
John
I'd better not mention that we are sitting on the boat doing just that......
John
I'd better not mention that we are sitting on the boat doing just that......
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dane
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We bought a pressure cooker recently, the little Hawkins 1.5L and it's been a fantastic bit of kit, just about big enough for two, I think 2L would have been a better choice for us. Our Westy has alcohol stoves which are great, but trying to boil a pan of water on it was a bit painful. The pressure cooker comes up to pressure pretty quickly, saves us a bundle of meths.
But as has been said, there is no way you're going to get a whole chicken into it.
Will post some of our 2 ring recipes later, but I can't help thinking a recipe only thread (no discussion to trawl through) might be better.
dan
But as has been said, there is no way you're going to get a whole chicken into it.
Will post some of our 2 ring recipes later, but I can't help thinking a recipe only thread (no discussion to trawl through) might be better.
dan
Gemani2
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One of our faves'
2x packets of Asda 'chicken paella rice', ( find it in the aisle where the packets of savoury rice are) 1x tin smart price chopped toms, onion, some asda smart price chicken breast ( cos you can cook it from frozen if you wish) paprika, I tin garden peas slosh of white wine , plenty of garlic .
Cook chicken and remove from large pan ,cook onion gently , pour in some chicken stock, and the tin of toms, pour in the 2 packets of rice , add paprika, garlic, simmer, topping up water as desired so rice is cooked and soaked up all the liquid, add the chicken and the peas for the final 5 mins...I'd you have some fresh crab or any seafood from where your staying plonk this in as well
It's a good meal from packets and tins, feeds 4 generous helpings ...mmmm yummy can cook this in large pan on the b-b-q
2x packets of Asda 'chicken paella rice', ( find it in the aisle where the packets of savoury rice are) 1x tin smart price chopped toms, onion, some asda smart price chicken breast ( cos you can cook it from frozen if you wish) paprika, I tin garden peas slosh of white wine , plenty of garlic .
Cook chicken and remove from large pan ,cook onion gently , pour in some chicken stock, and the tin of toms, pour in the 2 packets of rice , add paprika, garlic, simmer, topping up water as desired so rice is cooked and soaked up all the liquid, add the chicken and the peas for the final 5 mins...I'd you have some fresh crab or any seafood from where your staying plonk this in as well
It's a good meal from packets and tins, feeds 4 generous helpings ...mmmm yummy can cook this in large pan on the b-b-q
dane
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As promised...
Leek, Chestnut and Feta Cheese Pasta.
Ingredients (feeds 2 hungry people)
1 leek
100g cooked chestnuts
Couple of slices of Feta cheese
A few handfuls of Pasta shapes.
Butter
Random dried herbs
Olive Oil or Rape Seed Oil or some other oil (not engine oil, especially not used engine oil).
Salt and Pepper
Instructions.
1. Start boiling water for pasta.
2. Chop chestnuts into little pieces. Sprinkle with salt and fry in a knob of butter and some oil for 5-10 mins until starting to go crispy. Put to one side.
3. Slice leek and fry on low heat in a knob of butter and oil for 10 mins or so until silky.
4. Around the same time, chuck pasta in water and cook for as long as it says on the packet.
5. Take leeks off heat, stir in chestnuts.
6. Drain pasta, pour pasta into leek/chestnuts and mix it all up.
7. Stir in cheese. sprinkle some random herbs and pepper to taste.
8. Eat.
Leek, Chestnut and Feta Cheese Pasta.
Ingredients (feeds 2 hungry people)
1 leek
100g cooked chestnuts
Couple of slices of Feta cheese
A few handfuls of Pasta shapes.
Butter
Random dried herbs
Olive Oil or Rape Seed Oil or some other oil (not engine oil, especially not used engine oil).
Salt and Pepper
Instructions.
1. Start boiling water for pasta.
2. Chop chestnuts into little pieces. Sprinkle with salt and fry in a knob of butter and some oil for 5-10 mins until starting to go crispy. Put to one side.
3. Slice leek and fry on low heat in a knob of butter and oil for 10 mins or so until silky.
4. Around the same time, chuck pasta in water and cook for as long as it says on the packet.
5. Take leeks off heat, stir in chestnuts.
6. Drain pasta, pour pasta into leek/chestnuts and mix it all up.
7. Stir in cheese. sprinkle some random herbs and pepper to taste.
8. Eat.
dane
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Another autumn pasta.
Ingredients (feeds 2 hungry people)
few handfuls of Pasta shells
Salt and Pepper
2 table spoons Olive oil
75g Pancetta or chopped bacon
1 leek, sliced
125g Chestnut mushrooms
1-2 tablespoons of creme fraiche. Or Yoghart or cream.
Parmesan
1. Boil some water and chuck in the pasta.
2. Heat the oil in frying pan, then fry the panchetta for a few mins.
3. Add the leeks and mushrooms to frying pan and season with salt and pepper.
4. Drain pasta, chuck in pancetta, leek and 'shrooms. Stir in creme fraiche.
5. Serve with parmesan sprinkled on top.
6. Eat.
Ingredients (feeds 2 hungry people)
few handfuls of Pasta shells
Salt and Pepper
2 table spoons Olive oil
75g Pancetta or chopped bacon
1 leek, sliced
125g Chestnut mushrooms
1-2 tablespoons of creme fraiche. Or Yoghart or cream.
Parmesan
1. Boil some water and chuck in the pasta.
2. Heat the oil in frying pan, then fry the panchetta for a few mins.
3. Add the leeks and mushrooms to frying pan and season with salt and pepper.
4. Drain pasta, chuck in pancetta, leek and 'shrooms. Stir in creme fraiche.
5. Serve with parmesan sprinkled on top.
6. Eat.
dane
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On the grounds that no one can be bothered to make meatballs in the van...
2 juicy fat beefburgers (from the butchers, not one of the big processed food boys), cut into bite sized chunks.
Some sort of green vegetable. Broccoli florets worked well, kale would probably be okay.
2 tablespoons of pine nuts.
Chopped garlic
Pasta shapes.
Handful of greated cheese, something local to where you are camping
1. Get the pasta going in plenty of salted water.
2. Start to fry the burger bits.
3. After about 5 mins, throw in the the broccoli (or whatever you are using) and chopped garlic into the frying pan.
4. At the last minute, add the pine nuts.
5. Drain the pasta, saving a few tablespoons of the water.
6. Mix the pasta, the cheese and enough of the reserved pasta water to bring it all together.
7. Season and serve with some more cheese!
2 juicy fat beefburgers (from the butchers, not one of the big processed food boys), cut into bite sized chunks.
Some sort of green vegetable. Broccoli florets worked well, kale would probably be okay.
2 tablespoons of pine nuts.
Chopped garlic
Pasta shapes.
Handful of greated cheese, something local to where you are camping
1. Get the pasta going in plenty of salted water.
2. Start to fry the burger bits.
3. After about 5 mins, throw in the the broccoli (or whatever you are using) and chopped garlic into the frying pan.
4. At the last minute, add the pine nuts.
5. Drain the pasta, saving a few tablespoons of the water.
6. Mix the pasta, the cheese and enough of the reserved pasta water to bring it all together.
7. Season and serve with some more cheese!
KateCLLRS
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Not do much a recipe but a suggestion for a selection: I carry a copy of 'Cooking in a bedsitter' by Katherine Whitehorn, in the Bus. All dead easy recipes which can be cooked on one or two rings. Assumes that you've limited time, kitchen utensils and preparation space. Had a copy since 1972 and learned to cook with it, my original paperback fell apart as I used it so much, so I've got the revised edition now & it's available on Kindle too.