Q: I received my first Dutch oven for Christmas. I’ve read where you’re a Dutch lover, and I’m wondering if you can recommend a book or favorite website for Dutch oven recipes?
RONNIE LYONS, via email
A: Congratulations! You’re going to have a blast cooking with a Dutch oven.
It makes home, picnic and camp cooking so much easier and fun.
First of all, I’d go with the Dutch oven cook books that I’m familiar with and guess what? They’re written by Idaho river runners and outdoors folks. That’s all the better.
The books offer recipes, tips on the how-tos of caring for Dutch ovens and other camping information.
“The Outdoor Dutch Oven Cookbook (Second Edition),” by Sheila Mills of Boise is a good place to start.
Sheila Mills and her husband, Dave, have been running the Middle Fork of the Salmon River since 1978. They are the owners of Rocky Mountain River Tours, a rafting outfitter.
She is the creative force behind the extraordinary fare served on their Middle Fork whitewater tours. Sheila has published three cookbooks.
They are available at outdoor shops and other outlets.
For details, go to:
rafttrips.com/cuisine.html.
Maria Eschen, a river runner and gourmet cook from Boise, has a book out called, “River Otter - Handbook for Trip Planning.”
It’s about planning for river trips, but is packed with camping and Dutch oven tips.
It also has recipes, like my favorite, “Maria’s Cherry Fudge Cake.” (I got to taste this cake when Maria was doing a Dutch-oven demonstration. Incredible!)
Her book is available at outdoor stores, such as REI, Cascade Outfitters and Idaho River Sports in Boise.
C.W. “Butch” Welch, a retired Idaho Department of Fish and Game officer, has four Dutch-oven cook books out. The first two that I am familiar with are “Cee Dub’s Dutch Oven and Camp Cookin’ ” and “More Cee Dub’s Dutch Oven and Camp Cookin.’ ” He’s a cooking instructor and gives clinics around the West.
Welch is coming back to Idaho from Texas this spring. He’ll be living in the Treasure Valley and giving cooking clinics.
Get more information at his webiste at ceedubs.com.
OK, here’s the topper. Here’s Maria’s recipe for the cherry fudge cake for camping:
(Prepare the ingredients in packets at home and store them separately for your camping trip. Also, save an empty and clean 8- to 12-ounce tomato sauce can with the lid and bottom cut out.)
Packet 1
Æ 1/2 cup margarine or butter
Æ 3/4 cup oil
Æ 2 teaspoons vanilla
Æ 3 1/2 cups sugar
Packet 2
Æ 6 shelled eggs
Packet 3
Æ 1/3 cup powdered milk
Packet 4
Æ 4 cups flour
Æ 1 1/3 cups cocoa
Æ 2 teaspoons soda
Æ 2 teaspoons salt
Packet 5
Æ 1 cup dried cherries
Æ 2 cups chocolate chips
Æ 1 can fudge frosting
Æ 2 cups sour cream
Æ Water
In a bowl, or into packet 1, add eggs, 1 cup water, 2 cups sour cream and powdered milk. Mix well, then fold in and mix dry ingredients (some lumps are OK).
Oil 16-inch Dutch and place oiled, empty can in center. Pour mix around can. Sprinkle cherries and chips on top.
The can in the middle of the Dutch oven acts like an angel food cake pan. It allows for even cooking so you don’t get soggy spots in the cake.
For 16-inch Dutch, bake with 34 coals - 22 on top and 12 under. Bake 45 minutes, rotating 3 times. Then move all bottom coals to the top and bake 15 minutes more.
Frost with canned frosting.
Good camping and have fun cooking with your Dutch oven.
Pete Zimowsky: 377-6445
