Camp-oven Cook-off recipes
See the 2011 Cook-off story and slideshow here, the comments included below are from organizer Vince Skeehan.
First Prize
Phil Brownbill’s Sri Lankan pepper beef curry
1 tbsp coriander seeds
2 tsp cumin seeds
1 tsp fennel seeds
1 tbsp black peppercorns
3 tbsp oil
1 kg beef chuck steak (cubed)
2 onions finely diced
4 cloves garlic (crushed)
3 tsp ginger (grated)
1 red chilli – seeded, finely chopped
8 curry leaves
1 stem lemon grass (white part only finely chopped)
2 tbsp lemon juice
250ml coconut milk
250ml beef stock
Method.
Dry fry the coriander seeds, cumin seeds, fennel seeds and black peppercorns in frying pan over meciium-Nqh heat for 2-3 mins or until fragrant. Allow to cool. Using a mortar and pestle (or spice grinder) crush or grind into a powder.
In a heavy-based saucepan, heat the oil over a high heat, brown the beef in batches and set aside. Reduce heat to medium add the onion, garlic, ginger, chilli, curry leaves and lemon grass and cook for 5-6 minutes or until softened. Add the ground spices and cook for a further 3 minutes.
Put the beef back into the pan and stir well to coat in the spices. Add the lemon juice, coconut milk and beef stock and bring to the boil. Reduce heat to low and cook for 2.5 hours or until the beef is very tender and the sauce has reduced. While cooking skim any oil the comes to the surface and discard.
Best Visual. Mattie’s ‘Three Picket’ Roast Roo
Equipment: One bullet, three star pickets, a bit of fencing wire and a fire.
Procedure: head shoot a one and a half year old grey (13 kg dressed). Skin and hang in a cool room seven days optimum. Skewer carcass onto a picket, stuff the rib cage with pork fat and pineapple for flavour and moisture.
Make a bucket of marinade with whatever is in the cupboard and to your liking; soy, honey, garlic, lemon, lime and a litre of oil, cooking oil (not diesel). Drive the other two star pickets into the ground and use ‘S’ hooks or fencing wire through the picket holes to sling the tucker. Pick and choose height according to the fire.
Cook, turn and baste every ten minutes, the star picket skewer latches on each turn~ 1/3 at a time.
Allow five to six hours cooking time. The back straps are ready in about two hours. Carve as you go for the haunches so they don’t dry out. Any beer left from your six pack can go into the marinade for the final baste.
Crowd Pleaser. Victor Hulley’s Southern Gumbo
Cajun Spice Mix*
3 tbsp. cayenne pepper (add more to taste)
2 tbsp. paprika
freshly ground black pepper(to taste)
1 tbsp. garlic powder
2 tsp. dried basil
1 tsp. chili powder
1/2 tsp. dried thyme
1 tsp. ground mustard
6 ground cloves
* You can buy Cajun Seasoning pre-mixed (McCormicks) and add a bit more of what you prefer
Other ingredients
1kg skinless chicken thigh fillets
1kg peeled large raw prawns
1kg chorizo sausage, skinned and finely diced vegetable oil 3Ma tablespoons plain flour
1 full bunch of celery stalks, finely chopped
4 onions, finely chopped
3 green capsicums, seeded and chopped
6 garlic cloves, crushed
400 g can chopped tomatoes (no added salt)
|1 litre chicken stock
200 g okra, thinly sliced (optional but traditional)
1 cup chopped fresh parsley
1 teaspoon dried thyme
4 bay leaves
Cooking time is about Four beers.
Method
Cut chicken into small pieces; sprinkle with salt and pepper to taste,then toss with flour. Heat oil in a heavy pan over medium heat; add chicken. Cook, stirring, until browned. Transfer to a separate dish. Brown the sliced chorizo; put aside with chicken. Put chopped onion, capsicums, and chopped celery in a bowl. Set aside.
Make the roux. In a large heavy pot, heat the oil, add the flour. Cook, stirring constantly until the mixture is about the colour of dark peanut butter. You can do this over a medium to medium-high heat, but stir and watch carefully. Do not burn.
When the roux has reached the colour you want, add the vegetables and stir briskly. Continue to cook, stirring constantly for about 3-4 minutes until the vegetables are soft.
Add the chicken stock, seasonings, chicken, okra and sausage. Bring to a boil then cook for about one to one and a half hours. Meanwhile drink some beer.
Add the prawns and parsely and simmer just until the prawns are cooked.
Drink the last beer and serve gumbo in bowls over a bed of rice or with crusty bread.
The winning recipes, Sri Lankan pepper beef curry, Three picket roast roo and Southern Gumbo.