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Scouts next week is Ready-Steady-Cook-kinda themed, and I'm organising it.
My thoughts are to have four groups of 'stuff'
- Protein (so maybe mince, quorn pieces, eggs, lentils/pulses etc)
- Carbs (so potatoes, pasta, rice, couscous etc)
- Veg (a selection thereof)
- 'Store cupboard' stuff (onions, tinned toms, flour, oil, milk, herbs/spices, etc etc)
Each group gets a choice of one protein, one carb, probably two veg and can then get whatever store cupboard stuff they need to create a, ahem, 'delicious' meal. They'll have a two-ring gas camping stove and general pots and pans to work with,
So, I'm after ideas for things to have in each group of stuff. Ideally stuff that won't cause too many problems if a bit undercooked...
I'd also quite like to work out a way of getting them to do a dessert, I was thinking maybe this is a set recipe that they all follow to see who does the best, but open to ideas.
Anyone?
Are you running before they can walk?
I literally watched a 14 yr old make beans on toast for the first time last week and be very excited about not having gone wrong! Whilst I appreciate not all have lived such a sheltered life I’m guessing not many will have even followed a recipe without being directly walked through every step never mind asked to invent something from scratch. Adding in camping stove / facilities limitations and you will really have fun!
Are you running before they can walk?
Nah, I don't think so, most have the basic skills from cooking on camp and we do various bits of cooking stuff through the year, and some of them clearly do quite a lot at home.
I'm not saying it'll be gastronomy, but it should be edible. Just 🙂
We have an Aldi close to our hut, so we send the PLs off with £5 each to select the main ingredients (subject to dietary requirements in their patrols) themselves.
Explorers have played RSC roulette- food already bought & rolls of the dice determine protein/carb/veg choices so they end up with some weird concoctions!
We did something similar for the Scouts back in the spring. The consensus was that if we give them too much choice then the end result for some will be too weird and/or inedible.
I think we asked them (in their packs) what they fancied cooking from the ingredients available, and steered them away from anything that wouldn't work. Chicken might have been the main protein, and that IIRC was pre-cooked to reduce the risk of cross-contamination. Beyond that, it was pick something like rice vs spaghetti vs noodles... add some veg, eg stir fry... bit of sauce, eg soy vs tomato/pasta... job done.
Some 11 year olds are very capable and enthusiastic in the kitchen, just as some far older ones have no idea nor enthusiasm.
Just keep them engaged and ensure that all contribute and have a say in what's going on. It'll be cool.
I think we asked them (in their packs) what they fancied cooking from the ingredients available, and steered them away from anything that wouldn’t work. Chicken might have been the main protein, and that IIRC was pre-cooked to reduce the risk of cross-contamination. Beyond that, it was pick something like rice vs spaghetti vs noodles… add some veg, eg stir fry… bit of sauce, eg soy vs tomato/pasta… job done.
Explorers have played RSC roulette- food already bought & rolls of the dice determine protein/carb/veg choices so they end up with some weird concoctions!
I think my plan is somewhere between these two - make them think a bit, but give them guidance along the way.
I'm also thinking of doing some pre-mixed herb/spice mixes, like an 'Italian' one and an 'Indian' one (or I might just buy packet mixes)
Dessert-wise, any ideas for a simple-ish recipe for them to follow? I'm thinking of somethning that invilcves a few steps/techniques, kinda like the Technical Challenge on Bake-Off (only not very technical, and not too much of a challenge...). My initial ideas are either something that can be cooked in a pan, like pancakes or fritters, or something that's cold like Eton Mess.
Dessert-wise, any ideas for a simple-ish recipe for them to follow?
Banana custard, using Birds (rather than making it from eggs etc!)