Planning on an outdoor get together, getting out into the fresh air to celebrate the longer Spring days? Here are some delicious recipes, great for cooking in your back garden or prepare ready to enjoy on your first campout of the season.
GRILLED CHICKEN WITH GREEN TAHINI SAUCE
Seasonal colour and fresh ingredients are the foundation of Camp Yoshi's kitchen. This dish captures our philosophy while celebrating spring. You can substitute the chicken with any seafood or vegetable that can be cubed and skewered.
CHICKEN SKEWERS
- 500g organic chicken breast cut into 2 inch pieces
- 2 teaspoons ground cumin
- 2 teaspoons of paprika
- 2 teaspoons of chili flakes
- ¼ cup green tahini sauce
- 8 inch bamboo skewers
GREEN TAHINI SAUCE
- ¾ cup of coarsely chopped fresh coriander
- ¾ cup of coarsely chopped fresh parsley
- 4 garlic cloves, smashed
- ½ green chili pepper, seeded and chopped
- 1 teaspoon of ground cumin
- 3 teaspoons of salt
- 1 cup of tahini
- 2 tablespoons of apple cider vinegar
- ¼ cup of fresh lime juice
- 2-3 tablespoons of warm water to thin sauce if needed
METHOD
Add coriander, parsley, garlic, pepper, and cumin to a blender and blend until smooth. Add tahini and lime juice; blend for 30 seconds. With the motor running, gradually drizzle in ¾ cup warm water and process, adding more water to thin if needed, until sauce is light green and the consistency of sour cream. Season with salt. The sauce will last for 3 days in the fridge. Toss chicken with cumin, paprika, red pepper flakes, and a quarter cup of green tahini sauce. Cover and chill for at least 2 hours or overnight. Prepare grill for medium-high heat and oil the grate. Thread the chicken onto bamboo skewers. Grill, occasionally turning, until cooked through, about 8–12 minutes. During the last minute of cooking, baste the chicken with the extra sauce using a brush. Serve with green tahini sauce.
Note: Chicken can be marinated and skewered 12 hours ahead.
FRESH HERB SALAD
For the loose greens:
- 2 cups coriander leaves
- 1 cup flat-leaf parsley leaves
- 1 cup small dill sprigs
- 1 cup basil or mint leaves
- 1 cup rocket leaves
- 2 cups lettuce leaves
For the dressing:
- 4 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 1 cup sliced almonds
Seasoning
- Salt and coarsely ground black pepper
- ¼ teaspoon red chile flakes or 1/2 teaspoon crushed pink peppercorns (optional)
- 3 tablespoons lemon juice, more to taste
- 2 tablespoons olive oil, more to taste
For the dressing, melt the butter in a frying pan until it sizzles, then add the almonds. Sauté the mixture over low heat until the almonds are golden and the butter is browned. Remove the almonds and drain on paper towels while reserving butter. The butter can be kept for one day. Melt and cool the butter again before assembling the salad.
To serve, place all the greens in a serving bowl and add the dressing and seasoning and toss together gently.
SIMPLE FRIED RICE
INGREDIENTS
- 1 cup of freshly cooked rice
- 1 tablespoon, avocado oil, butter or cooking spray
- 150g assorted green vegetables (recommended: bok choy, kale or peas)
- 4 slices of cooked bacon or ham, chopped
- 4 Large Garlic Cloves, minced
- 2 Scallions, white and green parts
- 2 large eggs, beaten for scrambling
- 3 tablespoons of soy sauce
METHOD:
In a pan or wok, sauté garlic on medium heat. Add in vegetables and spring onions, and sauté over medium heat until cooked, approximately 2-3 minutes or until soft. Add in bacon or ham and toss to coat and heat, approximately 1-2 minutes. Add in cooked rice and gently toss to combine all the ingredients. Add in a little oil if anything begins to stick.
Once all ingredients are incorporated, part rice to the sides of the pan, and scramble eggs over low heat in the centre for about 60 seconds. Once the eggs are cooked, continue to incorporate all ingredients until evenly distributed. Finally, over medium-low heat, add 3 tablespoons of soy sauce, and continue to toss and evenly coat ingredients until rice begins to fry, and change colour, about 2-3 minutes.
Season with salt and pepper to taste and enjoy!
CRUSTY CAST IRON BREAD
What's a more delicious accompaniment to a fresh spring meal than a crusty loaf of newly-baked bread? Bake it using the Cast Iron Oven in the Kojin Grill or regular oven.
INGREDIENTS:
- 1 ½ tablespoons yeast
- 1 ½ tablespoon salt
- 6 ½ cups plain bread flour, more for dusting dough
- Cornmeal
METHOD:
In a large bowl, mix the yeast and salt into 3 cups of lukewarm water (about 100 degrees). Stir in flour, mixing until combined. The dough should be quite loose. Next, cover the dough with a damp kitchen towel. Let the dough rise at room temperature for at least two hours or up to five hours.
When you're ready to bake, sprinkle a little flour on the dough. Turn the dough in your hands and lightly stretch its surface, making a smoother, rounded top with a lumpy bottom. Put the dough on top of parchment paper to rest and sprinkle with cornmeal. Let the dough rest for 40 minutes.
Dust the dough with flour, slash the top four times in a square or hash shape using a sharp knife. Grab parchment and lower dough into a hot Cast Iron pot. Please be careful, the pan will be very hot. Bake until the bread until well browned, about 30 minutes. Remove the lid, and allow the bread to bake for another 15 minutes or until the desired colour is achieved. Then, remove the bread and let it cool completely for approximately 60-120 minutes.
OVEN BAKING:
To prep oven: Place the Cast Iron Oven on the middle rack and set the oven to 220 degrees C; heat pot at that temperature for 30 minutes ready to put in the bread dough
KOJIN BAKING:
To prep the Kojin for baking bread, it's necessary to add an additional grill plate, which is sold separately. Add ample charcoal at the bottom grill insert and to the grill insert just above where you'll be baking the bread in the Cast Iron Oven. The key is to get the Kojin as hot as possible while providing ample airflow to bake the bread. You'll need a lot of coal to get the temperature up to over 250 degrees or more. Keep it hot by keeping the door to the Kojin closed! Please note, if using the Kojin Grill, baking times may vary slightly. Feel free to bake longer after removing the lid.
Recipes gathered by Savannah Frimouth
