We invited Members to send in their favourite outback recipe and many of you did just that! The best recipes, as judged by The Open Road team, were from K Carey (Blackalls Park), M Murray (Bilambil Heights) and N Gault (Grenfell) and are printed below. Also printed are a selection of the many other recipes received - something to tempt those looking for something, sweet, savory and ...unusual.

And the winning recipes were...

MOROCCAN BEEF WITH COUSCOUS

Ingredients

• 1 cup water
• ½ cup couscous
• 500g beef strips
• ½ dried currants
• 1 medium red onion
• 1 medium carrot, grated
• ⅓ cup fresh mint finely chopped (or ½ teaspoon dried mint)
• 2 tablespoons pine nuts
• 2 teaspoons cumin seeds
• ¾ cup French dressing

Method

• Bring water to boil in medium pan, remove from heat 
• Add couscous, cover and leave to stand for around 5 minutes or until all liquid is absorbed 
• Meanwhile, cook beef until brown 
• When couscous is ready, fluff with a fork, add currants, onion, carrots and mint. 
• Place pine nuts and cumin seeds in small dry pan over low heat and stir until seeds are fragrant and nuts are just toasted
• Combine seeds, nuts and dressing in a small bowl
• To serve - place beef over couscous and drizzle with dressing mixture

Mervyn Murray
Bilambil Heights NSW

EASY APPLE PIE

Ingredients

• 1½ cups self-raising flour
• 1 egg
• 125 g melted butter
• ½ cup sugar
• vanilla

Method

• Mix above ingredients with a fork
• Press ¾ mixture into pie plate, spread around top with tin or stewed apples
• Drop dobs of remaining mixture on top of apples
• Sprinkle top with sugar and cinnamon
• Place 20cm pie dish on trivet in camp oven. Put to side of fire and close lid
• Place coals on top. Cook 15-20 minutes.

Kath Carey
Blackalls Park

CAMP OVEN PINEAPPLE & PECAN UPSIDE DOWN CAKE

Ingredients

• 2 tablespoons butter
• ½ to ¾ cup of brown sugar
• 1 x can of pineapple rings
• 2/3 cup pineapple juice
• Glace cherries
• ½ cup of pecan halves
• ½ cup chopped pecans
• 1 x (470g) butter cake mix
• 2 eggs
• 3 tablespoons macadamia oil

You will also need:

• 1 12 inch camp oven
• 1 22cm x 6cm cake pan
• 1 Wire Rack to fit in camp oven

Method

• Melt the butter in the bottom of the cake pan 
• Sprinkle brown sugar evenly over the butter 
• Place pineapple rings over the mixture and place a glace cherry half inside each pineapple ring 
• Place pecan halves among the pineapple rings 
• In a bowl, combine cake mix, macadamia oil, eggs, pineapple juice and the chopped pecans. 
• Mix for 4 minutes 
• Carefully spoon the mix evenly over the pineapple rings 
• Place the cake pan on the wire rack in the camp oven. 
• Bake at 350 degrees (10-12 coals on the bottom and 12-14 coals on the top) for 40-45 minutes or until cooked 
• While still hot, turn cake out onto cake cooler
• Serve with freshly whipped cream (if you have it!)

N Gault
Grenfell

Other recipes we received that you might like to try...

Main courses

SHEEP'S HEAD BROTH

Ingredients

• 1 sheep’s head
• 3 litres of water
• 2 carrots
• 1 turnip
• 2 sticks of celery
• 1 onion
• Salt and pepper
• 100 grams rice

Method

• Wash head well, removing the brains
• Soak the head in salted water for one hour
• Place in a camp oven with the water and salt and pepper and bring to boiling point 
• Cook until the meat leaves the bone
• Carefully remove the head, strain the liquid and skim away the fat
• Return liquid to the camp oven, add the washed rice and diced vegetables
• Simmer gently for about two hours
• Cut the meat into small pieces and add to the broth
• Serve very hot
  
  Sydney Buckler
  Wanniassa ACT 

CAMP OVEN POT ROAST

Ingredients

There is no need to use prime been for this recipe

• 500ml beef stock
• 4 nice pieces of rump steak or any other cuts
• 1 cup red wine
• 1 small onion, finely cut
• 1 teaspoon mixed herbs
• ⅓ cup olive oil
• 8 baby onions
• 2 tablespoons flour
• 4 large carrots sliced
• Salt and pepper to taste
• Few drops of gravy browning
• 1 tablespoons of chopped parsley

Method

• Place the steak in a dish with the wine, stock, chopped onion and herbs and marinate for about two hours turning occasionally
• Drain the meat and keep the marinade
• Put the olive oil in a pan (or camp oven on top of the fire), add the meat and onions and fry until browned
• Transfer the meat and onions to a camp oven or dish 
• Add the flour to the remaining oil in the pan and gently fry until browned
• Stir in the marinade bring to the boil
• Put all in the camp oven with the meat then add the seasoning and gravy browning 
• Cover and cook slowly camp oven style for one hour
• Garnish with chopped parsley just before serving
• Serve with mashed potatoes and greens.

Bill Hodgetts
Fine Flower NSW

VEGETABLE DAMPER

Ingredients

• 1 red capsicum chopped
• 1 onion, chopped
• 1 small zucchini, finely chopped
• 1 clove garlic, finely chopped
• ⅓ cup olive oil
• 2 cups self-raising flour
• ½ teaspoon salt and pepper
• ¾ cup milk
• 1 tablespoon lemon juice
• ¼cup chopped parsley

Method

• Preheat the camp oven and lightly oil the bottom and scatter some flour, shake away the excess
• Cook the vegies in oil in a separate pan or saucepan until softened
• Place the vegies in a large bowl and sift the flour, salt and pepper then make a well in the centre
• Add the milk and lemon juice and mix well until all is blended, scattering in the parsley
• The mixture should have the texture of a scone mix
• Turn out on a floured board and kneed lightly
• Flatten to about four centimetres thick in a round shape 
• Place in the camp oven and dig a hole next to the fire to a depth of the height of the camp oven leaving a gap around the edge and on top. To cook properly the camp oven must have consistent heat all over
• Cook for approx ½ hour checking occasionally that it isn’t burning
• Check with a thin stick or skewer, if skewer comes out dry the damper is cooked

Bill Hodgetts
Fine Flower NSW

CAMEL STEW

Ingredients

• 3 medium sized camels
• 1 tonne pepper
• 200 bushels carrots
• 1 tonne of salt
• 500 bushels of potatoes
• 3800 sprigs of parsley
• 2 small rabbits (optional)

Method

• Cut camels into bite sized pieces (this should take about two months)
• Cut vegetables into cubes (another two months)
• Place meat in a pot (extra extra large) and cover with 1000 gallons of brown gravy, simmer gently for about four weeks)
• Shovel in pepper and salt to taste
• Add vegetables when meat is tender. 
• Simmer (another two weeks)
• Serve with a garnish of parsley
• Will serve 3800, but if more are expected, add two small rabbits

Noeline Jury
Kearns NSW

BARRAMUNDI BARBECUE

Ingredients

• 1 barramundi (2- 3kg)
• 1 lemon
• 1½ cups cooked rice
• 1 stick celery
• 1 onion
• ¼ cup canned pineapple pieces
• ½green pepper
• ½ teaspoon sage
• 1tblspn chopped parsley
• Salt and pepper
• 1oz butter
• 2 teaspoons lemon juice

Method

• Remove eyes from fish
• Rub fish inside and out with cut lemon 
• Combine rice, chopped celery, chopped onion, chopped green pepper, pineapple pieces, sage, parsley, salt and pepper. Mix well 
• Fill fish firmly with stuffing
• Melt butter, add lemon juice
• Brush fish well with butter and lemon juice, then wrap in aluminium foil. Put on coals
• Cook approximately 45 minutes or until tender, turning once

This can also be cooked on the BBQ or in the oven.

May Burgemeister
Gilgandra NSW

CAMP OVEN COBBLERS

Ingredients

• 2 cans fruit (peaches, cherries, pineapple, apricots)
• 1 small carton sweetened condensed milk
• 1 box white cake mix
• Cinnamon, almonds, walnuts etc.

Method

• Start fire so that there are plenty of hot coals.
• Line camp oven with aluminium foil. Spray foil.
• Mix fruit with ½ cake mix, cinnamon and almonds, place in camp oven.
• Mix condensed milk with remaining cake mix, pour over top.
• Place top on camp oven with coals on lid, cook 40-60 mins.
• Check at 40 minutes.
  
  Greg Daly
  West Pymble NSW
  

PIGS IN BLANKETS

Ingredients

• Sausages
• Sliced Cheese
• Bacon Rashers
• Toothpicks

Method

• Boil sausages at home for five minutes
• Slit part-way through lengthwise and freeze
• At the camp place a slice of cheese in the slit and wrap a bacon rasher around the sausage; use a toothpick to join ends of bacon together
• Cook on fire until heated through – only takes a few minutes

Juliet Olive
BLAXLAND NSW

BEEF IN RED WINE

Ingredients

• 1.5kg stewing steak
• 3 cloves of garlic, skinned and crushed
• 8 small or pickling onions, skinned and left whole
• 2 carrots, chopped
• 8 small whole potatoes
• 2 bay leaves
• Good pinch of dried thyme
• Half a cup of red wine
• 2 tablespoons of brandy – not essential but good!
• ⅔rds cup of beef stock (the powder will suffice mixed with water)
• 1 tablespoon of flour
• Salt and pepper to taste

Method

• Brown the meat over a shovel full of coals taken from the fire and placed in a shallow hole (not as hot as over the fire for the cook!) or over gas
• Add first four ingredients plus garlic and stir a minute or so longer
• Add all the other ingredients
• Stir through the liquid 
• Place the camp oven in a position where the meal will cook slowly (a gentle bubble) – either over a low flame or over a small shovel of coals in a hole with a small amount of coal on the lid
• Be prepared to add a few more if the coals cool too much
• Take a glass of your favourite beverage, find a comfortable spot and relax for about an hour and a half while your dinner cooks
• Serve with your favourite bread or damper

Jennifer Capel
Narrabri NSW

COQ AU VIN á là CAMP OVEN

Ingredients

• 2 tablespoons butter
• 1 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 piece chicken Maryland per person (no more than 4 per camp oven, otherwise use chicken legs)
• 4 medium mushrooms per person
• 3 small onions per person, if large ones cut in half
• 2 strips of bacon per person
• 1 cup of red wine
• 1 teaspoon crushed garlic
• 1 one serve sachet of Masterfoods chicken stock
• Pepper and salt
• 1 cup plain flour
• Plastic bag
• Spade

Method

• Have a good fire with ample embers
• Into a hot camp oven place the oil, butter and garlic
• Add to this the onions and let brown. Take out and put aside
• Add the chicken to the oven, which has been shaken in plastic bag with flour
• Brown the chicken, add ¾ cup red wine
• Add embers to top of camp oven with spade. Care should be taken not to burn the chicken, remove embers if too hot
• Let it cook for about ¾ of an hour, turning occasionally
• Add the onions and balance of wine
• Add mushroom and bacon which has had the rind removed and cut in half
• Return oven to embers
• About 15 minutes later add chicken stock, pepper and salt to taste, also a little water if the sauce is too thick.

Enjoy this meal with boiled rice, which has had added to it a small can of corn niblets and ½ cup of peas. This can all be cooked at home and popped into boiling water to warm and then drained. It is all easily carried in a plastic bag.

John McIntyre
Cronulla NSW

OMELETTE 'ON THE ROAD'

Ingredients

• 4 eggs
• 4 tablespoons water
• 1 or 2 potatoes diced
• Grated cheese
• 4 rashers bacon, chopped
• 1 onion – chopped
• Sliced tomato

Method

• Beat eggs and water together
• Par boil potatoes
•  In frypan fry onion and bacon, add potatoes and brown (add a little butter if necessary 
• Lower heat; add eggs and water and a little cheese 
• After a couple of minutes top with tomato and grated cheese
•  Allow to set. 
• If you have a grill, you can brown it, otherwise fold in half and continue cooking a little longer 
• Cut in halves to serve with a nice glass of white wine
• Eat as the sun sets

Mrs. Judith Dixon
Padstow Heights, NSW

HARICOT MUTTON

Ingredients

• 1lb neck chops
• 1 tablespoon seasoned flour
• 1 onion
• 1 dessertspoon dripping
• 1 dessertspoon plain flour
• 1 cup water
• ½ teaspoon salt
• ¼ teaspoon pepper
• 1 carrot
• 1 turnip

Method

• Trim chops and coat with seasoned flour
• Cut onion into rings
• Heat dripping in saucepan and fry chops until brown
• Lift out and brown onion in pan, then lift out. 
• Stir in flour and cook until brown, add water and stir until boiling and thickened
• Add pepper and salt
• Place chops and onions in the pan, cover and simmer for one hour
• Cut and dice carrot and turnip, add to meat and cook for a further ¾ hour or until meat and vegetables are tender

Note: potatoes may be used instead of turnip, peas can be added

W Cevaal
Jindera NSW

NACHOS IN A CAMP OVEN

Ingredients

• 1 packet corn chips
• 1 small onion, finely chopped
• Chilli sauce
• 2 rashers bacon finely chopped
• 1½ cups grated cheese
• Sour cream

Method

• Into camp oven, sprinkle a small amount of bacon
• Pour in ½ of corn chips, sprinkle some chopped onion and bacon over the top and add ½ cup of grated cheese
• Repeat the process with the remaining corn chips, bacon and cheese
• Drizzle chilli sauce over the top and put on the camp oven lid
• Shovel hot coals on top of the lid
• Cook over medium heat for 5 mins or until all the cheese has melted
• Serve with sour cream.

J Mchugh
Umina Beach Drive, NSW

IRISH STEW

Ingredients

• 500g lean lamb cubed
• 1kg potatoes thinly sliced
• 2 onions sliced
• 4 medium carrots sliced
• Mixed herbs
• Freshly ground pepper
• 2 cups of stock

Method

• Remove all visible fat from lamb
• Line the bottom of a camp oven with a layer of potatoes
•  Add layer of onions, then carrots, then lamb
• Continue layering, seasoning each layer with a pinch of mixed herbs and pepper
• End with layer of potatoes
• Pour in the stock and bring rapidly to the boil
• On low heat, cover and simmer gently until meat is tender, approximately 2 hours. 
  Delicious with dumplings.

J. McHugh
Umina Beach Drive, NSW

BEEF IN RED WINE

Ingredients

• 740g steak cubed
• 1 can of tomatoes
• 1 tablespoon oil
• 1 can mushrooms in butter sauce
• ¼ cup of red wine
• 1 bay leaf
• 1 packet French onion soup

Method

• Brown cubed meat in the oil
• Place into camp oven and combine remaining ingredients and add to steak
• Stir
• Cover and cook for 1½ hours.

J. McHugh
Umina Beach Drive, NSW

SAUSAGE & BEAN HOT-POT

Ingredients

• 1 large onion, chopped
• 2-3 rashers bacon, diced
• 1 clove garlic, chopped finely or crushed
• 500g gourmet sausages cut into chunks (chipolatas work well)
• 1-2 400g tins tomatoes (depending on how far you want to dish to go)
• 1 400g tin red kidney beans (drained)
• 1 dessertspoon each of brown sugar and French mustard (optional, but they add to the flavour)
• Olive oil
• Seasoning to taste

Method

• Sauté the onion and garlic in the oil for a couple of minutes
• Add the bacon and sausages
• Cook together with occasional stirring until sausages are lightly browned then pour off surplus fat or mop with paper towel before proceeding
• Add tinned tomatoes, sugar, mustard and seasoning, then simmer gently for 20-30 minutes 
• When you feel the sausages are adequately cooked, add the kidney beans and continue to simmer until they are heated through
  Serves 2-4, depending on the accompaniments

Glenda Smith
Trevallyn via Paterson NSW

HEARTY CASSEROLE

Ingredients

• 1.5kg cubed chuck steak or lamb (can be cryovacced by butcher for long life
• Plain flour
• Vegetable oil
• 4 onions sliced
• 4 potatoes (old if possible) peeled and sliced
• Other sliced/diced and peeled vegetables to make large bowl from this list::  parsnip, swede, turnip, carrot, eggplant and celery – all diced or sliced. Try different mixtures to taste
• 3 cups of beer
• 2 cups beef stock
• 2 tablespoons soy

Method

• Toss meat in flour and brown in heavy based pot/fry pan over medium heat
• Combine meat and all other ingredients in camp oven
• Dig hole next to campfire – place shovel loads of hot coal in bottom
• place camp oven on top so that top is level with ground
• Cover with a shovel of hot coal
• Cook two hours till meat is tender 
  Serve with damper or crusty bread.

Mrs Andrea Ennis
Burnside S.A.

TUNA CASSEROLE

Ingredients

• Large tin tuna
• ½ cup cream
• 2 chicken stock cubes
• 3 tablespoons flour (any)
• Mushrooms
• Green capsicum
• 1½ cups water
• 4oz butter

Method

• Slice mushrooms
• Dice capsicum
• Melt butter and sauté
• Remove from pan
• Add flour to pan and stir until just browning
• Turn off heat, add water and stir until mixed
• Add stock cubes and return heat, stir until thickens
• Add cream, tuna, capsicum and mushroom.
  Serve with rice. (Note: tinned capsicum, mushrooms and long life cream may be used.)

Lynda Penfold
Howes Valley NSW

TEX MEX POTATOES

Ingredients

• 4 large potatoes, unpeeled
• 10gm butter
• 1 onion chopped
• 2 rashers lean bacon, sliced
• 1 x 35g taco seasoning mix
• 1 x 440g can baked beans
• 1 cup grated cheese
• ½ cup light sour cream
• 1 small packet natural corn chips

Method

• Prick potatoes and wrap in foil
• Place potatoes in hot coals until tender
• Melt butter and sauté onions, bacon and taco mix
• Add baked beans and simmer until heated through
• Cut deep cross into cooked potatoes and open out
• Top with baked bean mixture
• Sprinkle top with cheese, sour cream and arrange few corn chips

Chris Jackson
Bateau Bay NSW

LECHO

Ingredients

• 1 kg green capsicum
• 500g tomatoes
• One good size onion
• Half tablespoon of Hungarian paprika (sweet or hot, depending on your tastebuds)
• 30g smoked sausage (if not available, use frankfurts and/or bacon)
• Cooking oil (or a dab of margarine will serve the same purpose)
• Salt
• Clove of garlic if you like

Method

• Cut tomatoes in quarters
• Remove cores and cut capsicum into rings
• If using bacon, dice into small pieces and fry
• Add the oil and finely chopped onions
• Fry until golden (do not brown the onions)
• Mix in paprika
• Add the prepared tomatoes and capsicum, salt, chopped garlic and cook on medium heat for about 15 minutes
• Add the smoked sausage or frankfurts and cook on low heat a further 10-15 minutes or until tender
  Lecho should have a tomato sauce consistency
  Serve with bread or damper

Vilmos Kemenes
Cook NSW

INDIAN CURRY

Ingredients

• ½kg neck chops (best end)
• 1 onion
• 1 carrot
• 2 potatoes
• 3 lemons
• Small amount of any spices, e.g.; curry, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg etc
• Milk
• Rice
• Cabbage

Method

• Place oil on or fat in bottom of saucepan
• Slice onion and fry in same fat
• Cut small pieces off chops, add bones and fry in oil until the juice comes out of meat
• Dice potatoes, carrots, and cook and then add to the meat plus the juice of two or three lemons, depending on size plus any of spices chosen
• Before serving, add creamy milk
• Serve with cabbage and rice.

To cook cabbage

• Shred cabbage and cook in a little milk, water and salt in the bottom of a saucepan
• Before serving add a beaten egg.

To cook rice

• Wash thoroughly several times
• Cover with one inch (three centimetres) of water above rice
• Cook fairly slowly until white and fluffy.

Mrs. Dorothy Black
Winmalee, NSW

CHILLI CHICKEN

Ingredients

• 500g chicken wings
• 1 Spanish onion cut into wedges
• 1 teaspoon olive oil
• 1 capsicum sliced
• 1 clove of garlic, crushed
• 1 small slice grated ginger
• ⅓ cup sweet chilli sauce

Method

• Remove wing tips from wings
• Heat oil in pan and add wings, cook well
• When wings are well cooked add onion and capsicum and stir fry until cooked
• Add ginger and garlic, mix well turning wings
• Add chilli sauce
• Remove from heat
• Mix well.
  Serve with rice topped with sliced spring onions.

Don Freeman
Jannali, NSW

THE BUSHMAN’S PUDDING

Ingredients

• Sliced vegetables that are available – tomato, potato, cauliflower, onion
• Breadcrumbs

Method

• Lightly oil a camp oven
• Place a layer of potatoes on the bottom, then alternately slice and place the other vegetables on top of each other until the oven is filled to the top or to a suitable level, repeating the vegetables as you go
• Top with bread crumbs and diced bacon
• Cook on a slow fire for about one and a half hours.
  DO NOT USE ANY WATER.  THE SECRET IS SLOW COOKING.
  The end result is absolutely beautiful and can be eaten with a roast or any other meat.

Brian Fennessy
Bermagui, NSW
 

BULLY BEEF CASSEROLE

Ingredients

• 4 medium potatoes
• 1 large onion
• 4 large cups water
• 1 large cup rice
• 1 packet French onion soup mix
• 1 340g gin bully beef
• Camp oven or large saucepan

Method

• Place water in camp oven, bring to boil
•  Add chopped onion and potatoes and boil for ten minutes
• Add rice and packet soup mix; boil for a further 20 minutes stirring occasionally
• Add the mashed bully beef, simmer for five minutes
• Serve with damper.

B. Jones
Bateau Bay, NSW

DAAL

Ingredients

• 350g red lentils
• 3-4 cloves garlic
• ½ teaspoon garam masala
• ½ teaspoon tumeric
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon chilli powder
• 1 teaspoon cumin powder
• 1 tablespoon chives (optional)
  

Method

• Wash lentils 2-3 times
• Add 1.2 litres water, garlic, ginger, turmeric, salt, chilli, cumin and garam masala
• Bring to boil, then cook over low heat approximately 30 minutes
• Use spoon to break up the lentils
• Cook for about 10 minutes more until all the lentils have become soft and mushy
• Serve of a bed of rice.

N.B. – a mix of measured spices can be prepared previously and sealed in a small seal top plastic bag for convenience.

Kerrie Murray
Bilambil Heights, NSW

LOCAL SEAFOOD WITH SPAGHETTI

Ingredients

• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 3 diced tomatoes
• 1 clove garlic crushed
• 1 cup cooked crab, prawn, yabbies or fish
• ¼ cup packet peas
• ¼ cup corn
• Spaghetti

Method

• Cook spaghetti in salted water
• Add olive oil to pan, add tomatoes, garlic and the cooked seafood
• Mix well and add the peas and corn and again mix well
• Remove from fire
• Drain spagetti and add to pan and mix well.

Don Freeman
Jannali, NSW

SIMPLE FISH BAKE

Ingredients

• 1 piece fish per person – skin and bones removed
• Salt and ground pepper
• Crushed garlic clove
• 2 teaspoons olive oil
• 1 Spanish onion sliced
• 1 capsicum sliced
• 2 cups chopped spinach leaves
• 1 teaspoon apple vinegar

Method

• Sprinkle fish with salt and ground pepper
• Rub crushed garlic on both sides of fish
• Cook fish in one teaspoon of the olive oil and brown both sides
• Remove from pan
• Add one teaspoon olive oil to pan and add one clove crushed garlic, onion, capsicum and mix well till cooked
• Add the spinach and cook for 2-3minutes off the heat
• Drizzle on one teaspoon vinegar
• Place fish on each plate and add vegetables on top.
  Serve hot

Don Freeman
Jannali, NSW

EASY CURRY

Ingredients

• 1 tablespoon butter
• 1 large onion sliced
• 1 clove garlic crushed
• 1 piece steak cubed
• 1 tablespoon curry powder (buy the best)
• 1 pinch chilli powder
• 1 apple cored, peeled and sliced
• 1 large potato diced
• 1 beef stock cube mixed with 2 cups water
• 1 teaspoon tomato paste
• Seasoned flour
• Plain flour

Method

• Melt butter
• Add onion and garlic and cook till tender
• Dust meat with seasoned flour
• Mix meat with onions and garlic
• Brown well.  Stir in curry powder, mix well
• Add the rest to pan, boil and mix well
• Turn down heat, place lid on pan and simmer about one hour
• Stir occasionally
  Serve with rice and crusty bread

Don Freeman
Jannali, NSW

CHICKEN AND PINEAPPLE

Ingredients

• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 chicken breast cut into strips
• ½ cup sweet chilli sauce
• 1 can pineapple slices
• 1 can apricot halves
• Lettuce leaves to cover serving plates

Method

• Heat oil in pan and cook chicken
•  When chicken is cooled, drain oil from pan and add chilli sauce, mix with chicken and then add the pineapple pieces and about ½ cut pineapple juice and drained apricots
• heat through.  Mix well.
  Serve on lettuce leaves. (can also use steak or fish)

Don Freeman
Jannali, NSW

PEPPER STEAK

Ingredients

• 1 piece of steak per person – t-bone or similar
• Freshly crushed peppercorns to taste (approx 2 tablespoons per steak)
• 3-4 tablespoons butter
• Half cup brandy
• 2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
• 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
• Half cup cream

Method

• Push peppercorns into both sides of steak with the back of a spoon
• Heat pan over coals or BBQ
• Add butter and when hot, place steak into pan
• Cook for a few minutes each side then take away from fire and put the brandy on top.
  IMPORTANT – you will need to take away from the fire for this stage to prevent the brandy from igniting whilst you are pouring it over the steak. 
• Return to the fire and let the flames ignite the brandy and let burn off until flames go out in pan
• Place steaks into another pan or onto a heatproof plate on the cooler side of fire covered in foil to rest leaving pan juices in original pan
• Into original pan add sauce, mustard and cream and stir through until heated
• Serve over the steak and with herbed potatoes and salad.

HERBED POTATOES

Ingredients

• Potatoes
• Chopped garlic
• Herbs (rosemary, thyme and tarragon are quite nice)
• Oil

Method

• Cut washed potatoes into smallish wedges (no need to peel potatoes)
• Place wedges onto foil, drizzle with oil, add chopped garlic and a sprinkle of herbs
• Wrap well in foil and place on side of BBQ and let cook slowly until cooked through, turning the whole package after about 15-20 minutes

.  The potatoes will crisp up and taste delicious.

L Dailey & M Allibon
Jewells, NSW

THAI GREEN VEGETABLE CURRY

Ingredients

• 1 packet of Thai green curry paste
• ½ cup dried coconut milk
• 2 chicken stock cubes or two teaspoonfuls of chicken stock powder
• 2 medium onions
• 4 cups chopped fresh vegetables e.g. potatoes, sweet potato, carrots, pumpkin, eggplant, zucchini, baby squash depending on availability
• Packet of dried peas

Method

• Chop onions and brown lightly in oil
• Add curry paste and cook 1 minute more
• Add 1-2 cups of water, chicken stock and all chopped potatoes, carrots and pumpkin
• Cook for 10 minutes then add one packet of dried peas, baby squash and eggplant and cook a further 5 minutes
• Add coconut milk powder and zucchini and cook a further 5 minutes
• Add some fresh coriander if available and serve with jasmine rice.

G Higgins
Rozelle

SUMMER SALAD

(adapted for camping from a Peter Doyle recipe)

Ingredients

• Kipfler potatoes, boiled and cut in pieces
• 1 x can Borlotti Beans (drained)
• 1 x can chick peas (drained)
• 1 small Spanish onion, finely chopped
• 200g green runner beans, blanched
• 1 roasted red capsicum
• 6-8 Roma tomatoes, each cut into 8 pieces*
• Lemon vinaigrette
• Continental parsley, small basil leaves (optional)

Method

• Mix together all ingredients and add a generous amount of lemon vinaigrette
• * If fresh beans, capsicum and tomatoes unavailable, substitute vacuum packed semi- dried tomatoes and cook a packet of dried peas.

G Higgins
Rozelle

SPAGHETTI BOLOGNESE (CAMP OVEN)

Ingredients

• 1 tablespoon of oil
• 1 medium onion, grated
• 1 clove of garlic, crushed
• 500g minced beef
• 425g canned tomatoes
• ¼ cup water
• ¼ cup tomato paste
• 2 beef stock cubes
• ½ teaspoon of sugar
• ½ teaspoon of dried basil leaves
• 375g spaghetti

Method

• Heat oil in a camp oven
• Add onion and garlic; cook together, stirring with a wooden spoon, until onions are soft
• Add mince to camp oven
• Cook until mince is well browned
• Add undrained tomatoes; crush well using a potato masher
• Stir in paste, water, crumbled stock cubes, sugar and basil
• Cover and simmer for about 15 minutes or until sauce is slightly thickened
• Add spaghetti to large pan of boiling water and boil, uncovered, for about 11 minutes or until spaghetti is just tender. Drain
• Serve Bolognese sauce over spaghetti

J Graham
Woolgoolga

CHICKEN WINGS IN CAMP OVEN

Ingredients

• 1kg chicken wings
• ½ cup soy sauce
• 1 cup sugar
• 1 cup water
• 1 tablespoon of grated ginger
• 3 tablespoon of sherry
• 1 ½ cups of uncooked rice

Method

• Mix the soy sauce, sugar, water, grated ginger and sherry in hot
  camp oven and bring to the boil
• Lightly sprinkle 5-spice powder over the chicken wings
• Add chicken wings to boiling mixture
• Cook gently for 45 minutes
• Cook rice separately and serve chicken wings on rice 
  
  J Graham
  Woolgoolga

TOASTED JAFFLES

• Purchase a jaffle iron from a camping store before going on excursion
• Place your bread slices on jaffle plates with your favourite filling and close and cook
• Fillings could include tinned spaghetti, baked beans, bacon & egg, cheese, tomatoes, leftover meat and potato, or whatever you like best. Nothing tastes better than bread toasted over hot coals. You may also wish to spread butter on the bread slices.
  
  F Purtell
  Lavington

CAMPERS PORK CHOPS

Ingredients

• 1 onion slice
• 4 pork chops
• 1 small can diced red & green peppers
• 1 tablespoon oil or margarine
• 1 can sweet corn kernels
• 1 chicken stock cube
• salt & pepper

Method 

• Fry onion in oil or margarine in a camp oven or frying pan over a camp fire or campers' stove until onion is golden
• Add pork chops and fry gently until golden brown and cooked – about ten minutes on either side
• Add sweet corn, peppers, salt and pepper, and crumble stock over the chops and stir in 1 sweet corn tin of water
• Bring to the boil and simmer gently for 5 to 10 minutes
• Serve with a billy can of boiled potatoes.

L Bate
Mudgee

PORK OR VEAL FILLETS WITH MANGO

Ingredients

• 750g veal or pork fillets
• 250g crushed pecan or macadamia nuts
• 200g wattle seed
• 500g mango puree
• 40g margarine or butter
• Seasoning
• Extra margarine or butter
• Foil

Method

• Cut the fillets into serving size pieces
• Roll fillets in combined nuts and seeds
• Make a parcel of the meat topped with nobs of margarine or butter
• Roast in oven or ashes

Sauce

• Combine the mango puree, seasoning
• Heat, do not boil

Serve the fillets topped with the sauce.

Dawn Searle
Curtin, ACT

LAMB SHANKS

Ingredients

• Onion
• Garlic
• Capsicum
• Carrots
• Celery
• Zucchini
• Tomatoes (fresh and/or canned)
• Rosemary
• Salt and pepper
• Potatoes (optional)

Method

• Brown lamb shanks in camp oven
• Remove shanks, pour off excess fat
• Chop, slice, dice vegetables and add to camp oven
• Sauté vegetables, add lamb shanks, rosemary, salt and pepper, simmer for 3 hours
• Serve on a bed of mashed potato.  Adjust quantities to suit gathering.

This recipe was really appreciated by neighbouring campers on our last cool, wet camping trip.

 

Deserts, cakes and treats

CHOCOLATE DIPPING SAUCE

Ingredients

• 1½ cups sugar
• ¼ up cocoa
• 1 heaped tablespoon powdered milk
• ¾ cup water
• Two bags of marshmallows

Method

• Place all dry ingredients in a screw top plastic jar
• At campsite put jar contents into a small billy/saucepan and stir in water
• Bring to boil over camp fire, occasionally stirring
• Spike marshmallows onto end of fork/thin bit of branch and dunk into sauce. Delicious!
  
  Juliet Olive
  BLAXLAND NSW

BAKED BANANAS

Ingredients

• Choc Bits
• Banana

Method

• Slit skin and insert choc bits in the flesh of the banana
• Place on coals for 10 minutes

Juliet Olive
BLAXLAND NSW

ROLY POLY

Ingredients

• 2 cups self-raising flour
• Pinch of salt
• 2 tablespoons margarine
• 1 tablespoon sugar
• Crumb above ingredients together
• Tinned fruit or jam

Method

• Add small amount of water to make a dough.
• Roll out onto floured board and add tinned fruit or jam.
• Roll up into horse shoe and place in camp oven.

Sauce

• Boil together 3 tablespoons butter or marg, ½ cup sugar and 1½ cups water.
• Pour sauce on pastry
• Place lid on camp oven
• Place on warm coals with small amount of hot coals on the lid
• Bake for ¾ - 1 hour.
  Serve with long life custard. Serves 6 -8 people.

Susan Wilford
Campbelltown North, NSW

PIKELETS

Ingredients

• 2 cups white self-raising flour
• Pinch salt
• 8 tablespoons sugar
• 2 eggs
• 2 cups milk

Method

• Mix all ingredients adding milk a little at a time.
• For best results, leave to sit for 30 minutes before cooking
• Add a little oil to pan or use non stick pan and add 2 dessertspoons of batter for each pikelet
• Pikelets are ready to turn when bubbles start to appear
• Ingredients such as sultanas, mashed banana, currants, grated apple, cinnamon etc can be added.

N.B. use the same recipe for pancakes by adding more milk to thin batter. Powdered eggs and milk can be substituted if required.

Kathryn Murray
Bilambil Heights NSW

BUSH DONUTS

Ingredients

• 1 litre oil, for deep frying
• 1 cup self raising flour
• 1 egg
• Enough milk to make a nice batter
• Jam sandwiches, cut into quarters
• Sugar
• Cinnamon
• Pinch of salt

Method

• Make jam sandwiches and cut into quarters
• Make a batter in a bowl with self raising flour, egg, salt and milk
• Heat oil in a deep frying pan
• Coat sandwich quarters in batter
• Deep-fry until golden brown
• Continue until all batter is used
• Serve warm

Catherine Tempest
Adamstown, NSW

BARBECUED BANANAS

Ingredients

• Bananas
• Foil
• Cinnamon
• Water
• Lemon juice
• Brown sugar
• Margarine

Method

• Peel bananas and place on a double thickness of heavy duty aluminium foil
• Brush with lemon juice
• Sprinkle generously with brown sugar and dust with cinnamon or nutmeg
• Dot with margarine
• Wrap foil securely around the bananas; twisting ends
• Barbeque or grill 7-9mins or on briquettes 4-5 minutes.

If bananas are preferred to spicy bananas, slice bananas lengthways with an opening enough only to place in it one or two small squares of chocolate.  Roll in foil and cook as for spicy bananas.

Mrs. Dorothy Black
Winmalee, NSW

BELINDA’S BREAD

Ingredients

• 2 tablespoons oil
• 2 tablespoons honey
• 2 cups yogurt , buttermilk or sour milk (plain milk if none of the above – will make a fine texture and not so moist but still lovely)
• 2½-3 cups flour
• Pinch of salt
• 2 teaspoons baking soda

Method

• Sit the oil, honey and yogurt together
•  Add the flour, salt and baking soda to form a dough
• Bake until cooked

Madge Stanham
Taree, NSW

BILLY FRUIT LOAF

Ingredients

• 3 cups self raising flour
• ½ teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon mixed spice
• 1 tablespoon ground cinnamon
• 2 tablespoons sugar
• 1 cup bran
• 1 tablespoon butter
• 1 tablespoon golden syrup
• Milk
• 1 cup mixed fruit

Method

• Mix together the flour, salt, spices, sugar and bran
• Rub in the butter, then add the golden syrup mixed with a little milk
• Add more milk slowly, mixing all the time until the mixture is soft dough
• Lastly add the mixed fruit
• Place the mixture in a greased and floured 3pint (2litre) billy
• Put on the lid and bake for 1½ hours (or less) in the ashes or in the oven at about 180˚C, being careful not to burn the loaf.

W. Cevaal
Jindera, NSW

FOOLPROOF SCONES

Ingredients

• 5 cups self raising flour
• 300g cream
• 1 can lemonade

Method

• Measure flour into bowl; add cream and lemonade in any order and mix
• Put on floured board, roll and cut out
• Bake in hot oven or cook in batches in pie dish on trivet in camp oven on side of five coals – cover with shovel load of coals
• Cook for 10 minutes

Kath Carey
Blackalls Park, NSW

 GOLDEN SYRUP DUMPLINGS

Ingredients

• 1 ¼ cups self-raising flour
• Salt
• 1 oz margarine
• 1/3 cup syrup dissolved In 1/3 cup milk

Method

• Mix margarine & flour & salt
• Mix in milk mix – make into soft dough
• Let stand while making syrup.

Syrup

Ingredients

• 1oz margarine
•  ¾ cup brown sugar
•  ½ cup golden syrup
• 1 ½ cups of water 
  

Method

• Bring to the boil in a firm saucepan
• Drop in dough and cover with a lid
• Boil for approximately 20-25 minutes or until dough has risen and cooked
• Serve with hot custard. Serves 6

G Pitt
Wauchope

BUSH BROWNIE

Boil together

• 2 cups sugar
• 2 cups mixed fruit
• 2 cups water
• 2 tablespoons beef dripping

Stand to cool, then mix

• 4 cups flour
• 1 teaspoon carbonated soda
• 1 teaspoon spice
• 1 teaspoon nutmeg
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1 teaspoon ground ginger
• 1 teaspoon ground cloves

Method

• Sift all together
• Pour in liquid and mix well
• Cook about one hour in a large flat tin lined with paper, preferably baking paper
• Set oven at 375 deg. F.  Reset at 180.
   Excellent in drought time.

Mrs Beth O’Keeffe
CHAPMAN

DATE & NUT ROLLS (makes 2)

Ingredients

• 1 cup chopped dates
• ½ cup chopped walnuts
• ¾ cup firmly packed brown sugar
• 1 teaspoon carbonated soda
• 60g butter or margarine cut in to small pieces
• 1 cup boiling water
• 1 egg
• 1 teaspoon spice
• 2 cups of self-raising flour

Method

• Place dates, brown sugar, soda, butter or margarine in a large bowl
• Pour in the boiling water and stir until the butter or margarine has melted
• Leave to cool
• Sift flour and spice together and add to date mixture alternately with the egg and chopped walnuts, stirring until all the ingredients are well combined
• Spoon mixture into tins and bake for 40-45 minutes in moderate oven.

Betty Taylor
Singleton