THE 1ST SLIEMA SCOUT GROUP COOK BOOK
Where It All Began
The idea behind this book came about during a camp in Bahar ic-Caghaq in November 2021. I was still a very new scout, having joined the 1st Sliema Scout Group in April 2020, however I was extremely passionate about scouting and the history of the group. During this camp, I tasted Pasta Subtle for the first time, and discovered the history behind the recipe. A discussion arose around dinner time, with members who have been in scouting all their life, mentioning various recipes that they have cooked or been fed reguary in their time at the 1st Sliema Scout Group. I was very interested to learn about all this, since they spoke fondly of the memories associated with these recipes.
From then, even though I was still doing my myInduction for the Rover Programme, I knew that gathering this knowledge for current and future generations of the 1st Sliema Scout Group was going to be my myDeparture project. My aim is to immortalise these recipes that have been repeated over the years as well as the memories that go along with them, keeping them alive and accessible for past, current and future generations of the 1st Sliema Scout Group, other scout groups as well as other adventurers!
Warning
Most of these recipes were made up on the spot, and everytime they are cooked, they change based on the chef and the available ingredients. Take every single recipe as a guideline, and customise it as you see fit.
Couldn’t
Have Happened Without You
Thank you to all the 1st Sliema Scout Group Alumni that shared their memories of their time in scouting. The amazing community came together to help create this book for present and future generations of the 1st Sliema Scout Group.
Matthew Cassar | Jaz Fenech Henson | Timmy Cutugno | Marc Ferrigi | Simon Corrieri | Sam Cremona | Kevin Camilleri | Chris Mercieca | Ian Abela | Andre Cauchi | Andre Soler | Michael Sapienza I David Mallia
Camps
Recipes that are cooked at the 1st Sliema Scout Group Camps
The 1st Sliema Scout Group organises various camps throughout the year, including Easter Camp (group camp), Summer Camp and Christmas Camp. Most of the food at camps is cooked in a kitchen, either at our Head Quarters, at campsite kitchens like Ghajn Tuffieha Campsite, or in a pop up kitchen set up specifically for camps like at Verdala campsite for Easter Camps.
Bison Stew
Creator: Marc Ferrigi
Role of Creator: Camp Chief of Easter Camp
Event Created: Easter Camp 2018
How It Was Created: The theme of the Easter Camp was Historical Eras For the Stone Age Era, the Camp Chief, Marc Ferrigi wanted to rework the food of the day to match the theme of the day which was Stone Age. A beef stew turned into the infamous Bison Stew!
Recipe
Servings: 6
Total Time: 3 Hours 30 Minutes
Ingredients:
• 1.4kg boneless beef chuck, cut into 3.75-cm pieces (or Bison meat)
• 2 medium yellow onions, cut into 2.5cm chunks
• 7 cloves garlic, peeled and smashed
• 2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
• 1½ tablespoons tomato paste
• 32.5g all-purpose flour
• 480ml dry red wine
• 480ml beef broth
• 480ml water
• ½ teaspoon dried thyme
• 1½ teaspoons sugar
• 4 large carrots, peeled and cut into 2.5-cm chunks
• 454g small white boiling potatoes, cut in half
Method:
• In a large pot, heat 1 tablespoon of the olive oil over medium-high heat until hot and shimmering. Brown the meat in 3 batches, turning with tongs, for about 5 minutes per batch; add one tablespoon more oil for each batch. (To sear the meat properly, do not crowd the pan and let the meat develop a nice brown crust before turning with tongs.) Transfer the meat to a large bowl and set aside.
• Add the onions, garlic and balsamic vinegar; cook, stirring with a wooden spoon and scraping the brown bits from bottom of the pan, for about 5 minutes. Add the tomato paste and cook for a minute more. Add the beef with its juices back to the pan and sprinkle with the flour. Stir with wooden spoon until the flour is dissolved, 1 to 2 minutes. Add the wine, beef broth, water, thyme, and sugar. Stir with a wooden spoon to loosen any brown bits from the bottom of the pan and bring to a boil. Cover the pot with a lid, and let summer for 2 hours.
• Add the carrots and potatoes. Cover and continue to cook until the vegetables are cooked, the broth is thickened, and the meat is tender.
• Serve the stew warm. Enjoy!
Creator: Kevin Camilleri
Role of Creator: Skipper
Event Created: Patrol Leader’s Training Camp at iHQ in July 2005
How It Was Created: The name of this pasta came about since the activity was called Operation Subtle. Regularity of the Recipe: This recipe is one of our most regular recipes at all camps, normally cooked by the GSL, Timmy Cutugno.
Recipe
Servings: 6
Total Time: 30 Minutes
Ingredients:
• 1kg pasta mafaldine
• 200g cream
• 300g mushrooms
• 6 medium onions, chopped into small pieces
• 12-14 slices of bacon
Method:
• Thinly slice the mushrooms and chop the bacon.
• Bring a large pot with salted water to a boil, add the mafaldine pasta and cook until al dente according to the package instructions.
• While the pasta is cooking, heat a large skillet over medium-high. Add bacon and cook until crispy and golden brown. Transfer to a plate layered with a paper towel. Try to leave 1 tbsp bacon grease in the skillet.
• Add the onions and cook until translucent.
• Add the mushrooms, cook until they release their moisture and start to brown. Add oil if the skillet is too dry. Stir in salt and pepper.
• Pour in cream. Bring to a simmer and let it simmer for 2 minutes.
• Toss in mafaldine pasta and bacon.
• Serve immediately. Enjoy!
Mince & Pita
Creator: Kevin Camilleri
Role of Creator: Skipper
Event Created: Easter Camp 2006
How It Was Created: The troop leaders wanted an excuse to use the Pressure Stoves, so they gave each patrol a stove and a ration of ingredients to see what the troop can create! It was also an excuse to get the pressure stoves cleaned by the troop after they finished cooking.
How It Was Improved: During a Falcon Patrol 35km hiking journey in December 2018, Mince and Pita was on the menu during their stop at Raddiet ir-Roti. ASL Jaz Fenech Henson prepped the ration of ingredients, this time including a huge tub of Mixed Herb Seasoning, expecting them to use just a bit to add flavour. Max Busuttil ended up pouring almost the whole tub of seasoning, to everyone’s horror, thinking that it would be ruined. Turns out that it was a huge success, forever changing the traditional Mince and Pita recipe.
Recipe
Servings: 6
Total Time: 30 Minutes
Ingredients:
• 1kg minced meat
• 6 medium onions, chopped into small pieces
• 1 large tub of mixed herbs
• 12 pita bread
Method:
• Heat a small skillet over medium-high heat, add oil and cook the onions until translucent. Add the minced meat and let cook until lightly golden.
• Throw in the mixed herbs to taste, and then throw in some more. The more the better!
• Stuff your pita bread with the mix and serve. Enjoy!
Tonio’s Pudina
Creator: Tonio Mercieca
Role of Creator: A father of 3 scouts who helped out on the kitchen team during camps
Event Created: Troop Camp in January 2008
How It Was Created: The troop leaders wanted an excuse to use the Pressure Stoves, so they gave each patrol a stove and a ration of ingredients to see what the troop can create! It was also an excuse to get the pressure stoves cleaned by the troop after they finished cooking.
How It Was Improved: This was a constant changing secret recipe created as a way to get rid of all the sweet items left at the end of camps including a lot of breakfast cereal, jam and biscuits.
Recipe
Servings: 6
Total Time: 4 Hours
Ingredients:
• 800g bread/cereal/biscuits
• 50g margarine
• 100g sugar/jam
• 3 eggs
• 50g mixed peel, chopped
• grated rind of an orange
• 2 tablespoons cocoa
• a drop of vanilla essence
• 200g sultanas
• brandy
• 1 banana, mashed
• a pinch of nutmeg
• 1 tablespoons mixed spice
• 1 tablespoons baking powder
• 350ml milk
Method:
• Soak the sultanas, mixed peel, and the banana in brandy overnight.
• Cut the bread into pieces, crush the cereal and biscuits into pieces and place in a bowl, cover with milk to soak for an hour.
• Mix all the other ingredients together in a bowl, add the bread/cereal/biscuits and continue to stir till all the mixture is well combined.
• Pour the mixture into a pre-greased baking dish.
• Bake in a moderate oven for approximately 4 minutes or check by inserting a skewer in the center, if the pudding is cooked, this should come out clean.
• The pudina may be eaten warm or cold. Enjoy!
Creator:
Ian Abela
Role of Creator: Scout in Troop
Event Created: Gregory’s Cup 2005
How It Was Created: This was a random recipe created during Gregory’s Cup which involved copious amounts of soy sauce!
Recipe Servings: 6
Total Time: 30 Minutes
Ingredients:
• 1.5kg chicken breast
• 9 tablespoons soy sauce
• 6 tablespoons honey
• 6 tablespoons mustard
• 3 tablespoons lemon juice
Method:
• In a large skillet, over medium-high heat, add some oil. Next, add the chicken to the pan and cook for 3 minutes on each side.
• Add the soy sauce, honey and mustard to the chicken. Season with salt and pepper. Cook for 6 to 8 minutes on medium-low heat until the chicken is tender.
• Add the lemon juice and serve. Enjoy!
Ommi Ma Fajitas
Creator: Julian Pace
Role of Creator: Rover in Crew
Event Created: Abseiling Activity at Wied Babu in January 2021
How It Was Created: This was Julian’s first time organising an activity since he joined the Crew. He needed to come up with a quick and easy recipe that can be cooked out at Wied Babu on an open fire, for 10 people. Over time, this recipe got nicknamed as Ommi Ma Fajitas since Ommi Ma was Julian’s catch phrase during that time.
Recipe
Servings: 6
Total Time: 1 Hour
Ingredients:
• 6 wraps
• 1.2kg chicken, cut into bite sized pieces
• 2 bell peppers, cut into thin strips
• 2 medium onions, chopped into small pieces
• random spices and herbs to taste
• 1 lemon
Method:
• Heat 1 tablespoon of oil in a large heavy skillet on medium high heat.
• Add the onions and cook until translucent.
• Add the chicken and cook for 2 to 3 minutes on one side until caramelized. Turn and cook the other side for 2 to 3 minutes till done.
• Add the bell peppers and cook for another 2 minutes.
• Season with salt, black pepper and any random herbs and spices you have available. Squeeze the juice of a lemon.
• Add the mixture to a wrap and roll. Enjoy!
Creator: Elisa Calleja
Role of Creator: Rover in Crew
Event Created: iScout Camp 2021
How It Was Created: This was Elisa’s first iScout and first camp that she organised. Since it was at HQ, she wanted to introduce some healthy recipes compared to the unhealthy food that is normally eaten at camps. This recipe was prepped as a packed lunch for a kayaking day.
Recipe
Servings: 6
Total Time: 30 Minutes
Ingredients:
• 1kg pasta penne
• 400g pesto
• 1kg chicken breast, chopped into 1 inch pieces
• 480g frozen spinach, defrosted
• 300g sundried tomatoes, chopped
• 100ml milk
• 180g cream cheese
• grated cheese
Method:
• Cook the pasta penne in a large pot according to the package instructions until al dente.
• Add butter and oil to a large skillet over medium heat. Add chicken and cook for a few minutes until golden on bottom, flip over and cook another few minutes until cooked through.
• Once the pasta is cooked, reduce the heat, stir in the chicken, pesto, spinach, sundried tomatoes, milk and cream cheese.
• Simmer over low heat for a few minutes until sauce lightly thickens.
• Serve warm or cold, ideal for a packed lunch. Enjoy!
Creator: Matthew Cassar
Role of Creator:
RCC
Event Created: Crewster Camp 2017
How It Was Created: The crew was asked to vote which of Matt’s favourite recipes they would prefer to eat during the Crewster Camp Feast. Mac n Cheese was a clear winner, and Matt truly delivered a recipe that has become a regular request.
Recipe Servings: 6
Total Time: 40 Minutes
Ingredients:
• 600g chicken breast
• 500g pasta elbow macaroni
• 300g shredded cheese (mix of feta, red leicester, cheddar)
• 60g butter
• 30g all-purpose flour
• 475ml milk
• 1 chili, finely chopped
• spices and herbs, to taste
• mozzarella (if an oven is available)
Method:
• Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Cook pasta elbow macaroni in the boiling water, stirring occasionally until cooked through but firm to the bite, 8 minutes.
• Season the chicken with salt, pepper and a mix of random herbs and spices. Cook the chicken in a deep skillet over medium heat until golden brown. Remove from the deep skillet and reserve for later.
• In the same skillet, melt the butter over medium heat.
• Add flour, salt, and pepper and stir until smooth.
• Pour in milk slowly, while stirring continuously. Continue to cook and stir until mixture is smooth and bubbling, about 5 minutes, making sure the milk doesn’t burn.
• Add the shredded cheese and the chili, stir until melted, 2 to 4 minutes.
• Drain macaroni and fold into cheese sauce until coated.
• If you have an oven available, pour the pasta into an oven safe dish, and top with mozzarella cheese. Put into the oven until the mozzarella melts and a nice crispy layer forms.
• Plate the mac n cheese, add the chicken on top and serve hot. Enjoy!
Pasta National Camp
Creator: Andre Cauchi
Role of Creator: ASL
Event Created: National Camp 2006
How It Was Created: During this year, there was an Easter Camp and a National Camp right after each other. The leaders decided that it would not be nice to charge the scouts for food for National Camp since their parents/guardians had just paid the Easter Camp fees. So National Camp was a low budget food menu based on some leftover tins from Easter Camp (which was not a lot since they had a troop of hungry boys). On one of the days, Andre cooked a pasta dish with all the leftover ingredients. It turned out to be such a hit that they also had the Chief Commissioner and Chief Scout having lunch with them.
Recipe
Servings: 6
Total Time: 30 Minutes
Ingredients:
• 1kg pasta
• 6 medium onions, chopped into small pieces
• 140g polpa
• 40g kunserva
• mixed herbs - basil, chives, oregano, whatever you have available
• 1 chicken/vegetable cube
• 300g grated cheese
Method:
• Bring a large pot with salted water to a boil, add the pasta and cook until al dente according to the package instructions.
• While the pasta is cooking, heat a large skillet over medium-high. Add the onions and cook until translucent.
• Once the pasta is cooked, throw in the onions, polpa, kunserva, crumbled chicken/vegetable cube and all the mixed herbs you can find.
• Serve and top with grated cheese. Enjoy!
Creator: Andrew Ellul in 2008, later on updated by Matthew Cassar
Role of Creator: Andrew Ellul - VSL, Matthew Cassar - RCC
Event Created: National Camp 2006
How It Was Created: This recipe has been around for quite a while, however Matt learned about the recipe from his cousin Andrew DeGabriele who was in Unit a couple of years before. He updated the recipe and changed it to make it easier and overall sweeter. This has become the standard recipe for hot chocolate during the more recent years at the 1st Sliema Scout Group.
Recipe
Servings: impossible to calculate, we can only teach you the ratios
Total Time: 1 Hour
Ingredients:
• 200g Cadbury Dairy Milk chocolate
• 125g unsweetened condensed milk
• 1l full fat milk
• Baileys (for the adults)
Method:
• Break the chocolate into small pieces.
• Pour the milk into a large pan on low heat.
• Add the condensed milk and the chocolate to the milk, stirring constantly.
• Keep stirring until the chocolate has melted.
• Serve with a large ladle into cups. Enjoy!
• Crew Amendment - Crew normally add Baileys to the hot chocolate once it is served.
• Tip - If there is any leftovers, pour into empty plastic bottles, store in the fridge and serve it the next day as chocolate milk for breakfast.
Backwoods
Recipes that are cooked at the 1st Sliema Scout Group backwoods activities
Backwoods cooking is a method of cooking without the use of kitchen utensils like pots and pans, taking place over an open fire. Meals can either be cooked on embers of a fire, or on an open flame, based on the food item. Use the recipes below as a guideline for the concept of backwoods cooking, however most food items are replaceable.
Photos from different years
Creating ‘Containers and ‘Utensils’
• Cabbage leaves, lettuce leaves or newspaper make great plates.
• Potatoes, bell peppers, tomatoes, oranges etc.. make great bowls.
• Sticks make great forks.
• Hands make great knives.
• Household aluminum foil has many uses in a ‘backwoods’ environment, although ideally you use as many natural items as possible instead of foil to reduce the waste created.
• Disposable wash bowl - dig a small hole in the ground, line it with two thicknesses of foil and fill with water.
• Drinking cup - mold two layers of foil around an old can or large stone and crimp the edges after removing the can or stone.
• Strainer - similar to a drinking cup, but pierce holes in the bottom of the cup
Tips and Tricks
• Always use two thicknesses of foil.
• Keep everything in the cooking area clean.
• Keep the embers hot at all times by adding small amounts of fuel at regular intervals.
• Fold foil so that the contents can be easily checked but no juices are able to escape!
• If you think that the outside of the food is overcooked but the inside is not ready, add another layer of foil.
• Make sure that you have somewhere clean to place the food on when it’s ready.
History: An international scouting recipe done all around the world.
Recipe
Servings: 6
Total Time: 10 Minutes
Ingredients:
• 1kg sweet pastry, defrosted
• 1 jar of nutella
Equipment:
• 6 broomsticks
Method:
• Create a campfire.
• Pull off a piece of pasty and roll it into a long thick string.
• Wrap the string around the end of the broomstick and put over the fire.
• Bake the bread while turning the stick to make sure it is baked from all sides, but do not burn! Or drop it into the campfire.
• The scout bread is ready when the crust is nice, evenly brown and the dough is no longer moist.
• Spread nutella over it. Enjoy!
Ellul’s Mum’s Onions
Creator: Andrew Ellul
Role of Creator: Venture in Unit
Event Created: Cave Night during Easter Camp 2010
Recipe
Total Time: 10 Minutes
Ingredients:
• Onions Method:
• Build a fire and let it settle down to embers.
• Throw an onion in the fire with the skin on.
• Cover the onion in embers using a stick and let it cook for 30 minutes.
• Use a stick to uncover the onion.
• Once it cools down, peel the onion and eat. Enjoy!
“Once we chucked on Ellul’s Mum’s onions onto the fire, completely forgot about them, and peeled away the char to eat them hours later” -
Jaz Fenech Henson
Master Baster
Creator: Andrew Soler
Role of Creator: Rover in Crew
Event Created: Fenkata December 2016
How It Was Created: The crew bought alive rabbits and killed them for the fenkata. During the fenkata, someone brought out a jar of honey to lightly coat the rabbit for extra flavour and crispiness. However, “in all my Solerness, I basted the rabbits with copious amounts of honey. I’m talking about honey running down their backs and into the fire”. The smell of honey roasted rabbit was in the air. Safe to say that the rabbits were succulent, crunchy and overall yummy. That is how the Master Baster was born.
Recipe
Servings: 6
Total Time: 1 Hour
Ingredients:
• 3 rabbits
• 3 honey jars
Method:
• Build a fire surrounded by stones.
• Pass a long wooden stick through the middle of the rabbit.
• Rest the rabbit on the stones over the fire.
• Make sure to constantly rotate the rabbit to avoid getting it burnt.
• Slather the rabbit in as much honey as possible, never enough honey!
• Once it is caramalised and full cooked, remove the rabbit off the spit, pull off a piece and munch. Enjoy!
Cake in Orange
Recipe
Total Time: 30 Minutes
Ingredients:
• cake batter
• oranges
Method:
• Build a fire and let it settle down to embers.
• Cut the top of the oranges off, about ⅓ down. Hollow out the oranges as much as possible.
• Pour the cake batter into the oranges and place in the hot embers.
• Cook until the cake batter is solid and a stick comes out clean when dipped into the orange.
Eggs in Potato/Tomato
Recipe
Total Time: 45 Minutes
Ingredients:
• eggs
• potatoes/tomatoes
Method:
Recipe
Total Time: 30 Minutes
Ingredients:
• minute steak
• onion
• carrot
• potato
Method:
• Build a fire and let it settle down to embers.
• Create a small bag with the foil.
• Chop the meat, onion, carrot and potato into small bite sized pieces.
• Place all the ingredients in the foil bag.
• Put the bag on the hot embers, taking care not to tear the foil.
• Cook for 8 to 12 minutes and eat straight out of the bag.
Burgers in Leaves
Recipe
Total Time: 25 Minutes
Ingredients:
• cabbage leaves
• burgers
Method:
• Build a fire and let it settle down to embers.
• Place 3 layers of cabbage leaves directly on the hot embers.
• Put the burgers on top of them.
• After around 10 minutes, turn the meat over and add 3 new cabbage leaves.
• Repeat until the meat is cooked.
Mud Ovens
Recipes that are cooked at the 1st Sliema Scout Group mud oven activities
A mud oven is an outdoor oven using reclaimed metal boilers insulated with stones and mud. A fire is made underneath to create an oven hot enough to cook meals! Any normal recipe made in a home oven can be made in a mud oven, as long as it fits in the boiler.. although warning, it will take twice as long to cook, but that is part of the fun!
Photos from different years
Equipment
• Metal Boiler
• Cardboard Tube
• Chicken Wire
• Firewood
• Water
• Mud/Soil
Method:
• Dig a trench, not too wide that the boiler falls in, and long enough to have access to both ends. It’s important that the trench faces the direction of the wind so oxygen is fed in from one side, and smoke is exhausted from the other.
• Place the boiler on top with the hatch perpendicular to the trench and a cardboard tube on the downwind side of the trench, stones will help you prop everything in place. Cover as much as you can with more stones, this will create air gaps and help insulate! Seal it all in place with lots of mud, making sure you are still able to open and close the hatch.
• Place the chicken wire inside to act as a flat surface for you toplace your mess tins.
• Feed the fire into the windward side of the trench, allowing air to flow under the boiler, and exhaust outside the other face. Be mindful of where you construct the mud oven and consider where the smoke will go!
Even though this was not an actual recipe, it was unearthed during the research and we cannot let this memory disappear.
Pizza Rubei
“Pizza Rubei was a chomba we did to a guy called Rubei. We basically had a lot of leftover Ingredients from a pizza night and decided to cover Rubei in them. Again, not really a recipe you can publish but it brought back some funny memories :)” - Simon Correri