Feral Mike's Campground Stew

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Ingredients

1 onion
2/3 cloves garlic
2 courgettes
1/2 tomatoes
1 red/yellow/orange pepper
Italian herbs
I chicken stock cube
salt and pepper to taste
Cajun seasoning
250 gms tofu
3 or 4 small mushrooms

Couscous or bread roll (or 2)

Chop onion into small pieces and fry in a little oil (spray can canola etc is convenient), add finely chopped garlic. Once they've started to fry gently, toss in chopped courgettes,tomatoes,pepper and add seasoning. Add a little water if it looks like it's sticking to the pan. If there's some white wine lying around, now's a good time to add it. But not too much - it's better drunk. Add seasoning. Allow the whole lot to cook and soften up for 10 to 15 minutes. Then add tofu and mushrooms and let them warm through for a few minutes.

While that's happening, get the couscous ready by bringing water to the boil in the ratio of 1 cup of water to 2/3 cup of couscous. Pour in the couscous, take pot off the heat, add a dash of oil and fluff with fork. Let stand for 5 minutes.

Serve stew over couscous. This should feed one hungry cyclist for two nights.

Variations

Feral Mike's Campground Curry
Same as above but leave out Italian herbs and Cajun seasoning, and substitute curry powder and chilli powder. Serve with rice and poppadoms blasted in the microwave in the campground kitchen.

Feral Mike's Ratatouille
Leave out the tofu and substitute sliced aubergine/eggplant. Maybe a splash more wine and serve with crusty bread. Make sure there's more wine available to drink over dinner. And imagine you are in the Loire Valley, camped in the grounds of a grand chateaux.

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Photos

Little Flame Thrower
I find this little stove by Kovea works well, but there are plenty of other similar designs on the market. It packs into a small plastic box, and its tripod legs keep it well balanced even when it's sitting on grass.

Comments

[Chris Laery]

You are brilliant
Hey Mike, I look forward to reading every blog you write. Some are pure genius, all are entertaining. I want to pack my bags and leave the desk as well... but not to cycle around NZ.

[Jennie]

Campground Stew
Sounds like Loire Valley allright, although I seem to remember it was chickpeas then and not tofu!

[Fiona]

tick of approval
well after seeing that you're more than welcome to come and and stay in Wellington* *prices include one cooked meal by Mike per night :)