Fresh Herbs Add Flavor To Your Camp Cooking
"Try one or two new dishes each trip. It's fun, and it'll expand your culinary repertoire," I wrote in my third article, "A Camper's Dozen: 13 Tips To Successful Meals In Camp (Part 2)." "If your family loves chicken, serve it roasted in a Dutch oven with new potatoes, carrots and zucchini. As you lift the oven lid, the sweet scent of rosemary will bring the family running to the table."
Like any cooking, camp meals grow old after a while. Chicken fried in a cast iron skillet or Dutch oven is very good. But the meal is loaded with fat. In today's nutrition conscience world, it's best to balance high fat meals with those that are lower in fat. One way to accomplish this is by using fresh herbs.
Fresh herbs transform any dish into a culinary delight by enhancing the flavor of a dish. Who doesn't enjoy Italian pasta dishes flavored with basil and thyme? Or Mexican meals spiced with cilantro and oregano? Using fresh herbs in camp cooking will produce many flavor-packed meals for your family.
Fresh herbs in camp cooking
According to The New Professional Chef, "Herbs are the leaves of aromatic plants and are used primarily to add flavor to foods." Although most herbs can be purchased dried, fresh herbs are easy to use. Examples include thyme, rosemary and basil.
Select herbs that have a fresh, strong aroma. A weak or stale aroma is a good indicator that an herb sprig may be old. The New Professional Chef says, "They should have good color (usually green), fresh looking leaves and stems, and no wilt, brown spots, sunburn, or pest damage."
To keep herbs as fresh as possible, buy in small amounts. And try not to buy them any sooner that a few days before your camping trip. Wrap sprigs of fresh herbs in a damp paper towel and place them into a plastic storage bag. Store fresh herbs a refrigerator or ice chest.
Use the whole sprig when possible. The recipe for Dutch Oven Roast Chicken with Herbs uses whole sprigs of thyme, rosemary and chervil in the chest cavity of the chicken. This flavors the meat and drippings. If the recipe calls for chopped or minced herbs cut them just before they're needed. (When using dried herbs, add them early in the cooking process -- dried herbs need longer simmering times to enhance flavor.)
Chefs often cut leafy herbs in fine shreds (called a chiffonade cut). Roll or stack the herbs and cut into very fine strips with your cook's knife. Herbs cut in chiffonade are used to flavor many soups, stews and casseroles.
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