Guy Radford April 16th, 2011
With Burdock you can eat the root. The root contains a lot of starch. To get to the root you need to dig next to the plant, the root can go down 12 inches or more and will easily snap if pulled.
To cook there are to main ways, throw it on the embers like a potato. Once cooked you can eat the starchy middle. Or you can chop it up and add it to stews.
Guy Radford April 6th, 2011
Whist down in the wood I decided to take some trout for lunch, there are many ways to cook fish on a fire but one of my favourites is ponassing.
People are often worried about the bones in fish, but they can be easily removed with the correct technique. After gutting and cleaning the fish make a ring cut round its tail and just behind its gills. Now gently run you thumb and first finger up along the spine, this will gently pull the spine and bones out the fish. I find it easier to to one side at a time. Once the bone has been separated from the fish you have a lovely boneless fillet ready for cooking.
Trout cooking over a fire
Beautifully cooked trout
As with most food, when cooked over a fire they taste so much better. This was no exception!
Guy Radford April 2nd, 2011
Jack by the hedge has a garlic smell and taist. It is very common and as it’s name suggests it often found in hedge rows and on the edge of woods. Unfortunately it does not keeps it flavour during cooking so much better eaten in a salad.
Guy Radford March 30th, 2010
When I go camping or do a course I like to try out new ideas with food and try to go as light as possible as if I was having to carry all my food.
I have done drying before and it is very easy and very successful. I am luckyI have access to an Aga and the warming oven is perfect, but even a normal oven can be used.
To start I wash a prepare all the tomatoes and mushrooms, they don’t need to be cut up too small as they will shrink by about 75%. I lay them out on a sheet I have non stick sheet a non-stick baking tray works just as well. Once you all done place when in the oven.
Tomatoes and Mushrooms ready to be dried
If you are using an Aga or simillar put the trays in the warming oven and leave to door just ajar to let out the moisture. With a conventinal oven turn onto about 50 deg Cenlcius, dont turn on the fan and again leave the door just open to let out the moisture. You may need to hold it open with something if it is a self closing door, I the past I used a tea-towel, but that is probably a fire hazard, so I suggest you try something better!
You need to leave to door ajar to let out the moisture otherwise they will cook and not dry out.
I find that for mushrooms and tomatoes they only take one night, timings will vary and it is not an exact science. Also as the process is slow the odd extra hour makes very little difference.
Once they are done, remove them from the oven and allow to cool before bagging them up. If you don’t let them cool first the condensation will make them go rotten.
Dried Tomatoes and Mushrooms
If you keep them in a dry, cool, dark place they should last for weeks, but you noise will tell you if they are ok.
Guy Radford December 8th, 2009
We booked a beautiful house by a lake, about an hour north west of Harare in a place called Mazvikadei. Upon arrival we discovered that the power was off and had been for nearly a week. Then we discovered that there was also no water! This caused a problem since we had two toddlers. As the house was on the lake and there was a BBQ we decided to use the BBQ as a fire for cooking and boiling water. There was plenty of wood and dry grass to start a fire.
The lake water contained Bilharzia, which is a parasite that attacks the kidneys and then the brain, if not treated it basially kills the brain. However boiling the water will kill all parasites and bacteria making it safe to drink.
Picture of the BBQ as we boiled water with the lake in the background.
Guy Radford December 15th, 2008
I love Bannock bread, it is a great way to have a sustaining tasty fresh bread whilst out and about. Traditionally bannock is cooked in a frying pan, but I was looking for an alternate way of cooking it, not for any reason other can an experiment. The idea came from a video I found on YouTube, where someone cooked pancake mix in a cup floating on water, which made a tasty little cake.
By doing this you don’t care what temperature the fire is, as you are only boiling water, which can be used to make a cuppa tea or cooled for you water bottle so it is not waisted.
I made the Bannock in the normal way:
3 units of plain flour
2 units of dried milk powder
1 teaspoon of baking power (only a pinch if making a small amount)
or
3 units self raising flour
2 unit dried milk power
Mixed up with water to make a dough, I used flour to stop it sticking, i patted it into a flat disc and put it in the top of my billy can.
Bannock Cooking in my billy can
I was using a Zebra billy with the bowl that fits into the top, this is great as the steam keeps it really hot but not burning.
You could use any heat proof container that floats or hangs on the side.
For this experiment I was using the aga(I know its cheating). I then put on the lid as walked away. I checked it and turned it a few times until it was light brown and cooked to perfection. It took about one and a half hours, but there was no burnt bits or wastage, it was all soft and fluffy and all edible.
This would only be a useful technique when sitting round the fire in the evening as it dose take a long time. but worth it!
