The Quick Cook: Campfire treats - Brief Article - Recipe

Sunset, July, 2000 by Andrew Baker

Snacks in 30 minutes or less

* If camping, in your book, means ending the day around a fire, swapping stories and toasting tidbits on the end of a stick, these morsels-- savory and sweet--are for you. You don't even have to leave home to enjoy the fun--a fireplace, firepit, or barbecue can be the center of the action. Long sticks may not be as available there as they are out in the wilderness, but long skewers with wood handles (or hot mitts to protect your hands) and long forks designed for campfire cooking (see page 148) are ready, reusable alternatives.

Sausage-Tortilla Rarebits

PREP AND COOK TIME: About 25 minutes

3 flour tortillas (10 in.)

MAKES: 18 pieces

2 tablespoons honey mustard

6 ounces jack cheese with chilies

18 cooked mini-sausages (2 in. long; about 1/2 lb. total)

1. Stack the tortillas and trim 2 opposite edges off straight to make the center section 6 inches wide; discard the trimmed pieces. Cut the stack lengthwise into 2-inch-wide strips, then cut each strip in half crosswise. Spread mustard evenly onto 1 side of each tortilla piece.

2. Thinly slice cheese; arrange the slices equally on top of the mustard on each tortilla strip, patching the cheese, if needed, to cover the strip (use all the cheese). Lay a sausage across 1 end of each strip and roll the tortilla and cheese to enclose it.

3. Thread 3 tortilla rolls crosswise, through seam, sausage, and opposite side of tortilla, onto the tines of a campfire fork or metal skewer (at least 20 in. long). Repeat for each portion, or reuse fork or skewer.

4. Hold the tortilla rolls about 4 inches above heat source (a campfire or an ignited gas or charcoal barbecue), and turn as needed to cook on all sides until cheese is softened and tortilla is lightly browned, about 1 minute per skewer. Pull rolls off skewers to eat.

Per piece: 89 cal., 52% (46 cal.) from fat; 4.5 g protein; 5.1 g fat (2.2 g sat.); 6.1 g carbo (0.3 g fiber); 194 mg sodium; 18 mg chol.

Anchovy-stuffed Tomatoes

PREP AND COOK TIME: About 15 minutes

18 cherry tomatoes (1 1/4 in. wide; about 3/4 lb. total)

MAKES: 18 pieces

1 can (2 oz.) anchovy fillets Fresh-ground pepper

1. Rinse tomatoes. With a sharp knife, core tomatoes and squeeze gently to remove some of the seeds.

2. Drain anchovies and divide into 18 equal portions. Roll each fillet (or fillet pieces) snugly from a narrow end. Gently push 1 portion into each tomato.

3. Thread 3 tomatoes crosswise onto the tines of a campfire fork or metal skewer (at least 20 in. long). Repeat for each portion, or reuse fork or skewer.

4. Hold tomatoes about 4 inches above heat source (a campfire, or an ignited gas or charcoal barbecue), and turn as needed to cook all sides until tomatoes are very lightly charred and anchovies begin to sizzle, 1 to 2 minutes per skewer. Sprinkle with pepper to taste. Pull from skewers to eat.

Per piece: 9.2 cal., 29% (2.7 cal.) from fat; 0.9 g protein; 0.3 g fat (0.1 g sat.); 0.9 g carbo (0.2 g fiber); 93 mg sodium; 1.4 mg chol.

Prosciutto-wrapped Apricots

PREP AND COOK TIME: About 15 minutes

MAKES: 18 pieces

3 ounces thin-sliced prosciutto

18 dried apricots

1. Cut prosciutto slices lengthwise into 18 equal strips. Wrap I strip snugly around each apricot.

2. Securing the prosciutto ends, thread 3 wrapped apricots onto the tines of a campfire fork or metal skewer (at least 20 in. long). Repeat for each portion, or reuse fork or skewer.

3. Hold fruit about 4 inches above heat source (campfire, or ignited gas or charcoal barbecue) and turn as needed to cook all sides until prosciutto is lightly browned and sizzling, about 2 minutes per skewer. Pull from skewers to

eat.

Per piece: 30 cal., 21% (6.3 cal.) from fat; 1.6 g protein; 0.7 g fat (0.2 g sat.); 4.9 g carbo (0.6 g fiber); 88 mg sodium; 3.8mg chol.

Cinnamon-Hazelnut S'mores

PREP AND COOK TIME: About 15 minutes

NOTES: Cocoa-hazelnut spread, such as Nutella, is sold in well-stocked supermarkets and in specialty food stores.

MAKES: 12 pieces

12 cinnamon graham crackers (about 2 1/2 by 5 in.)

3/4 cup cocoa-flavor hazelnut spread

24 marshmallows (about 1 in. wide)

1. Gently break graham crackers in half to form squares. Cover 1 side of each of the 24 squares equally with the cocoa flavor hazelnut spread.

2. Thread 2 marshmallows onto a campfire fork or metal skewer (at least 20 in. long). Repeat for each portion, or reuse fork or skewer.

3. Hold marshmallows about 4 inches above heat source (campfire, or ignited gas or charcoal barbecue) and turn as needed until marshmallows are golden brown on the outside and soft in the center, 1 to 2 minutes.

4. Lay 2 toasted marshmallows on coated side of 1 graham cracker square; top with another square, coated side down. Hold crackers together and pull fork from marshmallows. Repeat to make additional s'mores.

Per piece: 182 cal., 28% (51 cal.) from fat; 2 g protein; 5.7 g fat (0.7 g sat.); 32 g carbo (0.4 g fiber); 106 mg sodium; 0 mg chol.

Ginger-Lemon S'mores

PREP AND COOK TIME: About 15 minutes

MAKES: 12 pieces

Follow directions for cinnamon-hazelnut s'mores, preceding, omitting graham crackers and cocoa-hazelnut spread. Instead, use 24 thin ginger snap cookies (about 2 in. wide) and coat flat sides equally with lemon curd (about 1/2 cup total). Toast 12 marshmallows; for each s'more, sandwich 1 marshmallow between coated sides of 2 cookies.