All Fired Up!

BY KEANE STRAUB PHOTOS BY DONG KIM

The countdown to the May long weekend is on! Time to take stock of what to bring, what to wear, and most importantly, what to eat! Whether your idea of roughing it is within the walls of a lakeside cabin or a four-person tent, your outdoor meals can be simple and spectacular.

This month, four Alberta chefs have provided some great cabin-or-camp friendly fare, from starting salads to decadent brownies. They’re quick to prep, easy to serve, and take you beyond the realm of hotdogs and s’mores (nothing wrong with those!) Stoke your fire, get the coals glowing, and let your weekend begin!

If you peruse the menu of Edmonton’s Rosewood Foods, two defining factors will probably come to mind: fresh and uncomplicated. “We’re inspired by simply prepared and delicious food,” says owner Jesse Gado.

The Kale Gomadare salad is Jesse’s favourite dish on the menu: “When I first started going out to eat sushi, I was obsessed with Spinach Gomadare Salad, which is essentially wilted spinach tossed in a savoury and sweet sesame dressing. We worked hard to replicate a similar dressing to give us a beautiful and fresh result that travels well.”

By prepping all of the ingredients ahead of time, the only thing left to do when you arrive at your long weekend destination is put everything in a bowl, dress, and season the salad. “You can add grilled or fried chicken, or any other protein to the salad if you like, but frankly this salad is great on its own!”

Rosewood Kale Gomadare

Serves 4

4 bunches of leafy green kale

1 pint of grape tomatoes

4 Persian cucumbers or two large

English cucumbers

4 fresh radishes

Dressing

2 cloves of garlic

1 tsp (5 mL) sesame oil

¼ cup (60 mL) mirin

½ cup (125 mL) canola oil

½ cup (125 mL) rice wine vinegar

¾ cup sugar

¾ cup (180 mL) soy sauce

1¼ cup white sesame seeds

To taste lemon juice

1. Wash, destem and chop the kale into small strips. Place the strips into a large stainless steel salad bowl and massage them thoroughly.

2. Slice the cucumber and tomatoes into chunks and slice the radish very thin. Place these into the salad bowl with the massaged kale.

3. Place all the dressing ingredients into your blender and blend thoroughly. Taste for seasoning.

4. Dress the salad to your liking, adding dressing one tablespoon at a time, and finish by adding fresh lemon juice to taste.

At Edmonton’s Smokey Bear you’ll find Chef Riley hard at work creating dishes using a wood-burning grill and quality, local ingredients. “My cooking is inspired by my surroundings - the people, the land, the animals and plants - and telling a story of beautiful ingredients prepared with little intervention over an open fire to make them shine.”

When it comes to the menu, he leans towards vegetable dishes, especially during the warmer months. Fifth Gen Gardens does the growing for Smokey Bear, so you know you’re getting some of the best the province offers. “We spend lots of time preparing them fresh but also fermenting, pickling, and drying for the long winter months,” Chef Riley adds. With cucumber salads popping up on menus all over Alberta, there’s no better time to try your hand at Chef Riley’s creation during that first trip to the cabin at the end of May. This Cucumber Salad with Charred Pesto was made for grilling – easy to prep and store, and leaving minimal waste.

An inside tip from chef himself: “Get some mesh strainers from the dollar store and flatten them to make your very own campfire pan. And don’t be afraid to really char your veg! The smoky flavour will shine through.”

Cucumber Salad with Charred Pesto

Serves 6

12 small cucumbers

2 limes

1 bunch dill

2 bunches garlic scapes

150 g pickled green veg (beans, asparagus, whatever is kicking around in the back of your fridge!)

150 g pistachios

50 g parmesan, grated

3 Tbs + 1 tsp (50 mL) oil

To taste salt

1. Peel your cucumbers reserving the skins for your pesto. Rough chop the peeled cucumbers into bite sized pieces.3. In a mortar and pestle (you can also use a blender or even just a knife) begin to mash your charred veg into a pesto.

2. Zest and juice your limes reserving each component separately.

3. Cut your dill into fine chiffonade (use the whole thing!) reserving some of the tops for finishing the salad.

4. Rough chop your scapes and pickled vegetables. Set aside 50 g of veggies for finishing the salad.

Charred Pesto:

1. Turn your BBQ on to high heat, alternatively you can use a fire!

2. In a strainer basket above your BBQ place your garlic scapes, cucumber trim, pickled veg and pistachios. Spray with a small amount of oil and cook until you begin to get some char. Place in a bowl and allow to cool.

3. In a mortar and pestle (you can also use a blender or even just a knife) begin to mash your charred veg into a pesto.

4. Once a paste has formed, add in your lime zest, juice, parmesan, and oil. Season with salt to taste.

Finishing the Salad:

Toss your cut cucumbers in your pesto. Allow at least 24 hours for the flavours to infuse into your cukes! When ready to serve finish with fresh dill and salt if required.

* The cucumbers will last for up to 1 week in a sealed container.

As Culinary Director for both Brix & Barrel and Rooftop in Calgary, Chef Ty’s inspiration when it comes to creating dishes, is people. “Making food for people to enjoy and talk about to their friends and family is what makes me want to continue to make great food.”

Hard-pressed to choose just one fave dish from the menus, Chef Ty names a few: tagliatelle, short ribs, wild mushrooms and burrata, and the jerk chicken skewers. “These items showcase our wide variety of menu items and offer savoury and spicy flavours.”

Also appearing on the menu are Steak and Shrimp Skewers, and he shares the recipe here as a quick and easy dish perfect for grilling at the cabin. “You can elevate your steak experience while camping - it’s really easy and has a ton of flavour,” explains Chef Ty. And, they make for great appetizers or main dish.

Be sure to prep everything beforehand so you can just fire up the grill and get cooking right away – but then slow it down and be patient. “Take your time with the proteins, they’re expensive and you don’t want to ruin them by cutting them wrong. Ensure they are seasoned well, use a thermometer so they don’t overcook - and don’t be afraid to use a little extra butter!”

Steak and Shrimp Skewers

Serves 4

Japanese Steak Sauce

½ cup (125 mL) tahini

2 Tbs (30 mL) minced garlic

4 Tbs (60 mL) soy sauce

½ cup (125 mL) mayo

½ Tbs (7 mL) sesame oil

1 Tbs white sugar

¼ tsp kosher salt

1 Tbs (15 mL) cold water.

Bamboo skewers

Mix all ingredients together in a mixing bowl and once combined, stir in the cold water. Let sit for minimum 2 hours.

Skewers

1 kg striploin

16 - 16-20 shrimp (450 g)

Light olive oil

To taste salt and pepper

1. Cut striploin into 2.5 cm cubes, against the grain. Mix in a bowl with a little light olive oil and salt and pepper.

2. In a new bowl toss shrimp with light olive oil and salt and pepper.

3. Skewer 2 cubes striploin, 1 shrimp, 2 cubes striploin, 1 shrimp, 2 cubes striploin onto 20 cm (8”) bamboo skewers. Place in sealed container.

Black Garlic Butter

1 cup unsalted butter, softened

1 Tbs (15 mL) black garlic, minced

1 tsp (5 mL) garlic, minced

1 tsp parsley, minced

¼ tsp smoked paprika

¼ tsp course ground black pepper

Canola oil for sautéing

To taste kosher salt

2-3 green onions, chopped fine 4 radishes, sliced thin

1. Mix butter, garlics, parsley, paprika, and pepper, together in a bowl until combined.

2. Add a little canola oil to a cast iron or heavy pan, and cook steaks until internal temperature is 125º F.

3. Brush with black garlic butter. Sprinkle with kosher salt.

4. Place on plate, garnish with chopped green onion and radish slices. Serve with Japanese steak sauce to dip!

For Cody Draper, the chef at Calgary’s New Camp, cooking is about sustainability, efficiency, and creativity. “My cooking is inspired by a nose to tail, farm to table approach. In a world of so much waste and shortage, every scrap should be respected and utilized in the most efficient way possible, while still trying to be creative and trying to put an interesting spin on the classics.”

Crispy rice and seared tuna tops the list of Cody’s menu favourites and he finds it refreshing to be able to work with fresh seafood within a landlocked province. And, just because you’re headed out doors or to the cabin, it doesn’t mean you can’t have fresh proteins along the way. “A good trick for longer stays to prolong the use of proteins, consider freezing some items in advance, as they will keep longer in your cooler.”

Planning is key when creating a menu for out-of-home excursions. Keep meals simple, and don’t forget about dessert, too. This simple Skillet Fudge Brownie can be prepared up to three days in advance and kept in the fridge or cooler until it’s needed. Plus, it’s gluten-free, so more can enjoy it – and that includes wildlife!

“Take precautions to keep yourself and your food safe. Be sure to store your food least 100 metres away from your campsite. Cooking or eating in your tent should be avoided, and properly dispose of any food waste to prevent attracting wildlife to your campsite.”

Gluten-free Skillet Fudge Brownies

Serves 3-4

500 g washed and drained cooked black beans

1½ cups white sugar

½ cup cocoa powder

6 whole eggs

6 Tbs (90 mL) vegetable oil

2 tsp (10 mL) vanilla extract

½ tsp salt

½ cup chopped nuts or chocolate chips (optional)

1. In a blender or food processor, combine the beans, sugar and cocoa powder until smooth.

2. Remove from processor and whisk in the eggs one at a time, oil, vanilla and salt. Stir in the chopped nuts or chocolate chips if using. This batter can be prepared at home up to 3 days in advance and cooked on site.

3. Preheat a 20-24 cm (8-9”) skillet in the coals of your fire or in an oven, keeping in mind the handle will be hot, safety first! The skillet should be hot enough that a water droplet ‘dances’ on its surface. Pour in the brownie batter and bake 25-35 minutes. Can be served still gooey in the center, if desired. As long as it’s hot to the touch, the soft batter is every bit as safe to eat as a sunny side up egg.

4. Throw on top your favourite iced cream or caramel sauce as desired. Enjoy!

Keane Straub has travelled from Tofino to Charlottetown, sampling the different flavours Canada offers. The passion people have for their craft and culture inspires Keane to tell their stories.