Camp Recipes: Pork, White Wine and Root Veggie Stew & Blackberry Crumble

Words by Kieran Creevy, MSR Chef Ambassador
Photos by Lisa Paarvio Photography

The rain that’s been thundering through the night and early morning stops as though shut off by a tap. The silence is eerie after so many hours, pulling me from a fitful sleep.

Padding downstairs and onto the balcony, the sight that greets me is glorious. From edge to edge, the sky is an unbroken pale blue. After two days of almost constant thunderstorms, we have the perfect weather for a mountain hike and wild dinner in the Swiss Alps.

It’s time to load our packs with food and a camping stove, additional layers, and some minimal camping gear, in case we decide to bivy above the tree line for one night.

It’s just after 11 a.m. when we emerge onto the first plateau, the blue glacial lake below us ringed with granite cliffs and thickly forested hillsides.

Higher still, we pause to refill our bottles and dip our heads in a glacial spring. The icy cold sends shivers down our backs even in this heat.

Finding a tiny patch of open meadow with wildflowers, it’s time to get serious and start cooking.

 

Pork, white wine and root vegetable stew camp recipe

Equipment:

• MSR WindBurner Remote Burner + 1L pot
• (MSR WindBurner top-mounted burner can also be used)
• Bamboo spatula and spoons
• Small chopping board
• Sharp knife
• Insulated food flask – for the pork.

Optional:

• Vegetable peeler for the carrots.

Ingredients: (serves 2)

• 120 g wild pork, boar or farmed pork, chopped into big cubes
• 2 carrots
• 2 large or 4 medium potatoes
• 2 spring onion
• 2 cloves garlic
• 1 onion
• 1 large porcini mushroom
• 1 glass white wine – either take the bottle up the mountain for a dinner tipple, or decant into a leakproof container
• 1 tbsp olive oil – decant into a small leakproof bottle
• water
• salt, pepper and 1 cube vegetable stock – transport in a small leakproof container

Instructions:

Before heading out:

1. Season the pork, and store in a well-chilled food flask. (Depending on the flask, it should keep the food cold between 4 and 8 hours.)
2. Pack the mushroom in a durable container so it doesn’t squash inside your pack. Transport the root vegetables in a silicone drybag.

At lunch/in camp:

1. Peel the carrots and slice into thin rings.
2. Chop the potatoes into thumb sized cubes.
3. Slice the onion into rings.
4. Peel and chop the garlic.
5. Light the WindBurner and add the olive oil.
6. Cook the diced onion and garlic for 1-2 minutes at a simmer.
7. Add the white wine.
8. When simmering, add the stock cube, 1/2 tsp salt and 1 tsp pepper.
9. Add the chopped potatoes and carrots, 1 cube of pork and top with clean water so that they’re all covered.
10. Reduce the heat to a simmer and cook until the carrots and potatoes are barely cooked through.
11. Add the rest of the pork, slice the mushroom, add to the pot and cook until the pork is white all the way through but still juicy.
12. Taste and season more if necessary.
13. Turn off the stove and cover.
14. Finely dice the spring onion.

Spoon one serving into WindBurner bowl, leave one in the WindBurner pot, top both with diced spring onion and any edible wild herbs.

 

Plum, oatmeal, lemon zest, olive oil and blackberry crumble camp recipe

Equipment:

• MSR WindBurner plus WindBurner Ceramic Skillet
• Small chopping board
• Sharp knife
• Stainless steel, titanium or bamboo plates
• Spoons or forks

Ingredients: (Serves 2)

• 10 small ripe plums
• 1 cup porridge oats
• Zest 1 lemon
• Juice 1/2 lemon
• 2 tbsp caster sugar
• 1 tbsp olive oil – decant into a small leakproof bottle.
• 6-8 ripe blackberries

Optional

• Sweet raspberry or strawberry balsamic.
• Wild alpine strawberries, bilberries or raspberries.

Instructions:

Before heading out

1. Mix the oatmeal, lemon zest and sugar together and store in a leak-proof container.
2. Pack the plums and lemon (zested but leave whole) in a silicone dry bag.

In camp:

1. Halve and stove the plums.
2. Light the WindBurner stove, turn to medium and place the skillet on top.
3. When warm, place the plums on the skillet – flesh side down.
4. Char lightly for 1-2 minutes, then flip over.
5. Cook for another minute then add the olive oil and lemon juice.
6. Cook for another 30 seconds, then add the oatmeal mix.
7. Mix well, ensuring the oats are well toasted.

Serve on plates, topped with blackberries or other wild edible berries.

About the Author

MSR Chef Ambassador, Kieran Creevy

With over 20 years of globetrotting experience as an expedition and private chef, along with being an International Mountain Leader, Kieran’s culinary journey has taken him to the farthest corners of the world.

From snowy peaks to scorching deserts, he has mastered the art of cooking in every climate and terrain imaginable. His passion for both adventure and gourmet delights collided during a mesmerizing ski touring expedition in the Finnish Arctic. Picture this: savoring spiced fish soup, root vegetable salad, and a tantalizing Thai-style risotto in the heart of the wilderness! It was then that Kieran’s mission was born—to teach fellow outdoor enthusiasts and instructors the art of cooking divine food in the mountains.

As an official MSR Chef Ambassador since 2018, Kieran has traveled the world igniting tastebuds. From captivating cooking and product demonstrations at national retailer events to European Trade Shows, Kieran’s presence is a recipe for inspiration and adventure. To learn more about him and his culinary adventures, visit www.kierancreevy.com