Glam Camp Cooking Tips from Sunset Magazine:
- Prep as much ahead of time as possible. Chop, wash, and make sauces at home and then carry to camp in heavy-duty ziplock bags or tupperware containers.
- Choose cooking styles with bold flavors that are fast, fresh and simple to prepare. Asian cuisine is a great choice.
- The right tools are essential for making your camping excursion as comfortable -- even luxurious as possible. We love to bring along a hand-crank margarita blender and a camp espresso maker along with the bare necessities like a good cast iron skillet, a camp stove and plenty of s'mores fixins.
- Speaking of s'mores-Let your inner Girl Scout get creative and indulge in extras like peanut butter cookies, gingersnaps, bananas, caramel, Nutella and strawberries.
Ingredients:
For sauce:
- 3 T vegetable oil
- 1/3 c minced shallots
- 2 t minced garlic
- 1/4 c tamarind concentrate
- 1/4 c packed brown sugar
- 2 T Asian fish sauce
- 2 t chili powder
- 2 t lime juice
- 1 c shredded carrots
- 1 c rinsed bean sprouts
- 1/4 c chopped cilantro
- 1/4 c chopped green onions
- 1/2 c chopped roasted peanuts
- 1 package (14 oz.) dried rice noodles
- 1 lime, cut into wedges
- 1 pound frozen cooked shelled shrimp or 1 pound firm tofu, cut into 1 inch chunks
At home:
- Buy pad thai sauce, or make your own. Pour 3 tablespoons vegetable oil in an 8- to 10-inch frying pan over medium heat.
- When hot, add 1/3 cup minced shallots and 2 teaspoons minced garlic and stir until limp, 3 to 4 minutes.
- Stir in 1/4 cup tamarind concentrate (or substitute 1 tablespoon dark molasses and increase lime juice to 1/4 cup), 1/4 cup packed brown sugar, 2 tablespoons Asian fish sauce, 2 teaspoons chili powder, and 2 teaspoons lime juice; cook 1 minute.
- Let cool; chill airtight up to 1 week.
- Seal 1 cup shredded carrots, 1 cup rinsed bean sprouts, 1/4 cup chopped cilantro, 1/4 cup chopped green onions, and 1/2 cup chopped roasted peanuts in separate plastic bags; chill vegetables and cilantro.
- Purchase 1 package (14 oz.) dried rice noodles, 1 lime, and 1 pound frozen cooked shelled shrimp (pack frozen) or 1 pound firm tofu (cut into 1-in. chunks; seal in a bag and chill).
- Pack a large pan; a pasta insert or a strainer; a medium pan for sauce; and tongs for combining noodles and sauce.
- Halve and slice lime.
- In a large pan over high heat, bring 3 quarts of water to a boil. Add noodles and cook until barely tender to bite, 3 to 4 minutes. Drain noodles and rinse well in cool water. Return noodles to pan.
- In a medium pan over high heat, heat sauce and shrimp or tofu. Add to noodles with carrots, sprouts, cilantro, green onions, and peanuts; mix to coat. Accompany with lime slices.
>> Sunset Magazine article: Portable feasts: 21 great camping eats
Celebration Weekend 2010 Event Information:
Sunset Magazine Celebration Weekend: The West-on-the-Go
Saturday and Sunday, June 5 and 6
Sunset Headquarters
80 Willow Road
Menlo Park, CA 94025
Website: www.sunset.com/celebration.weekend
10am to 5pm
$16 General Admission, $12 Seniors (60+) Free Under 12
Get $1 off if you bike to the event. Get $1 off if you park at Oracle (formerly Sun Microsystems) at 1601 Willow Road, Menlo Park (east of Highway 101) and ride the free shuttles to the event.
Tickets will also be sold at the door and in advance at
For additional questions, call 800-786-7375 and click here for directions.
About Sunset:
Sunset.com is the West's essential how-to guide to all the best things about the region: easy backyard living and gardening, unexpected day trips and destinations, fast and fresh foods, shockingly perfect wine pairings, and innovative home decorating and design.
For more information, visit www.sunset.com
