camping packets

Eating right is always a challenge when cooking in the great outdoors. With a little preparation you can make healthful gourmet meals right in your own campfire by creating foil packets. They pack well, are quick and easy to prepare and require next to no cleanup. We've enjoyed polenta stuffed mushrooms, cajun spiced catfish, artichokes and even chana masala warmed up in the fire!

The stuffed mushrooms, artichokes and chana masala were prepared at home and placed in the aluminum foil packets. They were packed in the cooler fold up in plastic baggies to protect them against melting ice and protect the other food against potential leaks. It's sort of cheating to prepare the food ahead of time, I know, but isn't camping mainly about relaxing? You throw those babies in the fire for a few minutes and you're in business.

The catfish should not be cooked ahead of time so pack them the same way but make sure your cooler is iced up until you're ready to eat. To create foil packets cut off a small square of foil and, shiny side down, place one filet per square on top - season the fish with anything you like - cajun seasoning, a little butter and lemon, garlic, rosemary and thyme - lift the lengthwise sides up to meet in the middle above the fish then fold the foil together from the top 3 or 4 times as if you're folding a paper fan. Fold in the sides in a similar fashion. You want to keep some space between the food and the folds and not wrap the foil tightly around the food. This allows the air to circulate within the foil creating a mini-oven effect. When placing the packets in the fire, try to keep them fold up and as level as possible so you don't lose too much of the wonderful juices. I'm using catfish as an example but any type of fish will work - try salmon with dill and hollandaise or tilapia with kale pesto.

Quick note, though I appreciate a good deal along with the next gal, two things I don't skimp on are cotton swabs and aluminum foil. Just like generic cotton swabs tend to be lacking in cotton, generic foil doesn't have the strength to hold up to the task. Go with the good stuff, it'll cost you less in the end.

The fish only needs to be in the fire about 5 minutes depending on the thickness. To check, take the packet out using a fire glove and carefully unfold the top - watch out for the steam heat - it's...well...hot! Poke the fish with a fork to make sure it's cooked through. When it's ready, serve it up with some arugula, a black bean salad and some mango - find some reggae on your transistor radio and you be jammin'. You can eat the fish right from the foil for easy cleanup. Convenient and tasty. Happy camping!