Food writer Claire Thomson shares her family’s favourite recipes for camping trips
photographs MYLES NEW
family
Claire Thomson is a chef and food writer with credits including BBC One’s Saturday Kitchen, BBC Radio 4’s Woman’s Hour and Cerys Matthews’ BBC Radio 6 show. She is the author of seven cookery books, including Camper Van Cooking. Her latest, Tomato (£22, Quadrille), is out now. @5oclockapron
Blackberry & hazelnut crumble flapjack
These flapjacks get even better the day after they’re baked. Use any soft, seasonal fruit you have, such as blackberries, cherries or strawberries, and experiment with different nuts, such as pistachios, almonds or walnuts.
MAKES 12
PREP 15 mins plus cooling
COOK 35 mins EASY V
225g unsalted butter, plus extra for the tin 225g spelt flour 1 ½ tsp baking powder 225g rolled oats 225g light brown soft sugar 2 tbsp pomegranate molasses 60g chopped hazelnuts 200g blackberries
1 Heat the oven to 180C/160C fan/gas 4. Butter a 20cm square cake tin and line with baking parchment. Combine the flour, baking powder and oats in a large bowl. Set aside.
2 Tip the butter, sugar and molasses into a saucepan over a medium-low heat and stir for a few minutes until just melted. Remove from the heat and pour into the dry ingredients, then stir to combine.
3 Spoon half the crumble mixture into the prepared tin, pressing it down in an even layer and making sure the surface is level.
4 Scatter over the hazelnuts and blackberries, then spoon over the remaining crumble mixture – no need to level it out too much. Bake for 30 mins until golden, then leave to cool in the tin for 10 mins. Cut into squares to serve. Will keep in an airtight container for up to five days.
PER SERVING 403 kcals • fat 21g • saturates 10g • carbs 47g • sugars 21g • fibre 4g • protein 6g • salt 0.6g
Merguez wraps with minted date & yogurt sauce
Sausages are a camping staple, and merguez are one of my favourite styles. A highly seasoned lamb sausage, merguez are often made with harissa, cumin, coriander, fennel seeds and paprika. They’re also an excuse to enjoy tzatziki, lemony shredded cabbage and cucumber, all rolled up in a flatbread.
SERVES 4
PREP 20 mins
COOK 10 mins EASY
120g Greek-style yogurt 6 dates, pitted and finely chopped pinch of dried mint 1 lemon, juiced 1 cucumber, peeled, deseeded and finely chopped 1 red onion, finely chopped 2 tbsp olive oil (optional) 8 merguez sausages, or use a thin, spiced sausage of your choice ½-1 small pointed cabbage, finely shredded 4 flatbreads
1 Combine the yogurt, dates, mint and a quarter of the lemon juice in a bowl, then season. Set aside.
