THE GUYROPE GOURMET
CAMPSITE COOKERY
Al fresco improv
Thinking on your feet is key to tent-side cuisine, says Josh Sutton
T
he campsite kitchen isn’t much different to the home kitchen – it just takes a bit of getting used to. You might be bereft of modern conveniences – a warmer drawer would come in handy – but my camp kitchen is almost as versatile as the hotchpotch Heath Robinson affair I cook in back home. The thing I love about the camp kitchen is you have to think on your feet; improvisation is key. Improvisation, of course, extends to utensils as well as cooking techniques. I’d be lost without my trusty Swiss army knife; I use it to secure the gas hose to my stove, to open tins of tomatoes, and it’s great for chopping garlic. I am, however, forced to admit that I’ve never actually used the tool for getting things out of horses hooves! The Swiss army knife is simply the best and most versatile birthday present I’ve ever received, right down to using it to open a bottle of Finca la Colina, which goes so well with this recipe for an al fresco warm salad. Chorizo is an ideal camping staple. It’s an ambient food, so doesn’t need refrigerating and keeps well. Everyone should have some stashed in their camp larder (vegetarians may disagree, but you could use it as a spare tent peg or something – it will come in handy!). A key aim of the Guyrope Gourmet is to use food that’s available locally to the campsite you’re staying on, and I’m pleased to say that, increasingly, chorizo is being made here in the UK by adventurous farmers, butchers and charcutiers. Andrew Wincott at Woodhouse Farm in Elmesthorpe, Leicestershire, is a shining example of a local chorizo champion. His air-dried, gluten-free Spanish-style sausage is made on the farm and sold via his virtual farm shop – www.woodhousefarm.co.uk – as well as in his real shop on Burbage Common Road, Elmesthorpe. It’s perfect for this warm salad, which always stirs up fond memories of the sirocco wind tousling my hair, as I dip my toes in the pool. It tastes just as good standing ankle-deep in a puddle during storm force winds, which is handy for UK campers. It only takes a few minutes to make and, weather aside, is an excellent addition to any al fresco feast, be it on the campsite or in your own back yard at home. Q
Sunshine salad
Forget about cheap bangers and baked beans, campsite food can be so much more
The Guyrope Gourmet’s warm salad of chorizo, potato, rocket and cherry tomato Serves 4
* 8 -12 whole baby new potatoes
(Jersey Royals if you can get them)
* 1 chorizo sausage * 1 bag rocket leaves * 1 handful cherry tomatoes, halved * 3 cloves garlic, finely chopped * Olive oil * Black pepper and sea salt to taste
Sausage and spuds, Spanish campsite style
1 Par-boil the potatoes, whole, for four or five minutes. Don’t overcook them – they should be firm when stabbed with your Swiss army knife and stick to the blade, rather than sliding off. Remove from the heat, drain well and halve. Allow to cool a little. 2 While the potatoes are cooking, heat a little olive oil in a pan and add the chopped garlic. Cut the chorizo into 1cm chunks, turn up the heat and add the meat to the pan together with the potatoes. After a couple of minutes of frying, the ingredients will take on a deep red colour as the oil and paprika work their way out of the chorizo. Turn down to a gentle simmer for five minutes to finish cooking the potatoes. Season to taste. 3 Spread out a couple of layers of kitchen roll in a bowl and tip the chorizo and potatoes on top to absorb excess oil. Leave to cool for a minute while you halve the cherry tomatoes. Remove the kitchen roll and add the tomatoes and bag of rocket. Mix, drizzle with a glug of good olive oil and serve warm.
The Guyrope Gourmet (Josh Sutton) is an outdoor-loving Yorkshireman. His aim is to inspire young and old to blend excellent food with good camping. He says campsite food should be about far more than bangers and beans – www guyropegourmet.com
60 Great Food Magazine