Go Gourmet on Your Next Camping Trip

By Andrew Zimmern

For camping trips, I will make the vinaigrette for the mixed veg ahead of time. It keeps for three days very easily and is a great sauce for other grilled poultry or fish when you are looking to shine up a cookout meal.

Campfire Lamb with Mixed Grilled Vegetables

Ingredients

1 leg of lamb, boneless works best
Salt
Pepper
1 very large rock with a flat side or flat section on one face of the stone. The flat side needs to be at least 8 inches across to avoid any mishaps.

Grilled Vegetables

1 large eggplant
2 red onions
1 red bell pepper
1 yellow bell pepper
2 green zucchini
2 yellow zucchini
1 fennel bulb
Olive oil for seasoning

Vinaigrette

1/2 cup olive oil
2 cups chopped ripe tomatoes and their juices (canned is fine)
1 tablespoon tomato paste
2 tablespoons fresh tarragon leaves
1 tablespoon minced parsley
1/2 lemon, sliced as thin as possible with the seeds removed.
1 tablespoon white wine vinegar

The Garnish

6 ounces of Valbreso French Feta or Bulgarian feta
10 slices of Italian-style baguette, brushed with oil and garlic and grilled.

Instructions

Campfire Lamb

Servings: 4-6 hungry campers

Let a large campfire burn down to hot coals. Season the lamb with salt and pepper.

Place the rock (river rock works really well) in the middle of the fire (flat side up) and lay the seasoned lamb directly on the hot coals, fat side down. Cook for 4 minutes, turn and cook for 4 minutes more. Place lamb on flat side of rock and allow to cook for 25 to 40 minutes depending on whether or not you like your lamb medium rare or well done.

Let lamb rest off the fire for 10 minutes, slice and serve.

Mixed Grilled Vegetables with Tomato Vinaigrette & Feta

Servings: 8–10 people as a side dish

Slice the eggplant into 1/2-inch thick rings.

Quarter the onions, leaving the stem end intact.

Slice the sides and bottoms off the peppers, so you have attractive ‘flat’ pieces.

Slice the zucchinis at a 45-degree angle into 1/2-inch thick slices.

Discard the fennel tops and slice the bulb into thin slices, leaving the stem end intact.

Brush all the vegetables with the oil, season with salt and pepper and grill over high direct heat for several minutes until just crisp-tender. Season with sea salt and white pepper. Serve with the vinaigrette, sprinkle with the feta and garnish with grilled bread.