This text is part of the special book Plaisirs
It’s certainly not the biting cold of February that will prevent us from going outside to play in the coming weeks. Why not take the opportunity to reinvent the winter picnic, starting by dropping the usual sandwiches and their accompaniment of raw vegetables? Here are some tips for eating hot, even when hiking!
It is often said that there is no bad weather, only bad clothes. A saying that could very well be transposed to lunches that we bring on our winter hikes. To warm up and fill your stomach after a few hours of walking on snowy trails, there’s nothing like a comforting soup in a thermos or even a cheese sandwich grilled on the fire.
Manon Lapierre, alias La petite bette, named after her gourmet blog, has become a reference in terms of nomadic cuisine. In the recipe book In fire ! (Éditions Cardinal), she presents her best tested and approved ideas for eating well when you go on an adventure. “The wraps always work great and they’re easy to carry around without adding too much weight to the backpack,” she says. Before leaving, you can, for example, put marinated meat or fish and root vegetables such as small potatoes. We then add shallots and oil, then we preferably place our papillotes in a plastic bag to prevent it from leaking on the way. »
Use your judgement… and your nose!
The blogger and author also recommends using thick aluminum foil, to properly insulate and protect the food. “In general, it’s not recommended to cook over an open flame, but aluminum allows us to cook directly in the fire zones without having to wait for enough embers as is the case for cooking indirect,” she says. However, make sure to turn the packets from time to time (about every 5 to 10 minutes) so that everything cooks evenly without charring. “You have to use your judgement… and your nose: when it burns, it smells!” »
Another similar idea: ready-to-heat burritos, still wrapped in aluminum foil. “In this case, I would brush them with oil before closing the foil and I would place them around the fire for a little more indirect cooking,” she advises. Same thing for the grilled cheeseeasy to reheat on a campfire.
“For a winter picnic in a slightly lazier version, I like to prepare an aperitif board with cheese, cold meats and bread to grill on the fire, she lists. The only thing we have to do before we leave the house is to cut the bread. The classic sausages stuck on a stick – Manon Lapierre suggests using telescopic sticks designed for this kind of use – are also always popular with young and old alike. “Sausages on the fire are always good, except in the case of vegan sausages,” she warns. I find they don’t grill well and haven’t had very good results. »
Eat hot, even without a campfire
It is not always possible to light a fire while hiking, recognizes Manon Lapierre. “In winter, you don’t necessarily have the opportunity to make a fire in the middle of nowhere. Already, for our fire to give off enough heat, you need hardwood such as oak, apple or sugar maple, or even elm, larch or gray birch for medium heat. It will never work so well with spruce or fir! This is likely to add weight to the backpack! Same thing if you intend to carry around a grill or a stove, as compact as they are.
“One of my favorite ways to eat hot while hiking is cooking in a thermos, a technique well known to people who go boating,” she explains. This very simple (and fast!) method consists of pouring the ingredients that have previously been simmered into a preheated thermos, without letting them cook completely. Perfect for pasta, lentil soup or Mexican rice. “It avoids ending up with a pasty noodle soup or an overcooked meal turned into a puree. »
Whether we opt for cooking over the fire or in a thermos, summer or winter, one rule remains: leave nothing behind after our picnic, reminds Manon Lapierre. “I always bring a plastic bag for waste,” she says. This is the basis ! »
This special content was produced by the Special Publications team of the Duty, pertaining to marketing. The drafting of Duty did not take part.