Paddle Meals : Add a Flash of Lash

February-March 2001

This is an article from WaveLength Magazine, available in print in North America and globally on the web.
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by Deb Leach

Following a feast featuring Dave's "Bengali Bambi" and "Stewart-Cassiar Highway Huckleberry Pie", Lasha served us shots of a thick pink liquid at their home near Victoria airport. Pepto Bismol from Nurse Reid? No-a creamy strawberry liqueur (Baja Rosa) that capped our Yuletide merriment. Soon to be a staple on camping trips. This winter expect to find Lasha coaching paddlers on rolling in the pool, surfing her RPM at Jordan River or telemark skiing. Next season Lasha and her faithful Welsh terrier Sadie will be canoeing or ocean kayaking or heading off to rendezvous with Dave, who flies choppers up North. At home or off in the wilderness, Lasha enjoys entertaining and appreciates the effort put into making a meal. Recipes that her paddling pod recommends are:

Mandarin Orange Salad

In a salad bowl [or Ortleib basin] toss:
1-2 heads of torn leaf lettuce [or washed and trimmed Romaine that travels well]
1/2 cup slivered almonds-toasted
1 can Mandarin orange sections-drained

Shake dressing in a glass [or plastic] jar:
1/2 cup olive oil
3 tbsp balsamic vinegar
2 tbsp sugar
squirt of prepared mustard
1-2 cloves garlic, minced

Lasha's White Chili

Cook this at home (A) or dehydrate ingredients for camping (B). Use
fresh or (B) dehydrate separately:
1 lb. ground turkey or chicken
1/2 cup diced raw potato
1 onion, chopped
2 stocks celery, chopped

Spices (B - in a ziploc bag)
1 tsp ground cumin
1 tsp ground thyme
1/2 tsp chili powder
1/2 tsp salt
pinch cayenne pepper
1 bay leaf

2 cloves garlic, minced
1 tbsp chopped pickled jalapeno pepper
2 c cooked white kidney beans, drained
1 cup chicken stock
1 tbsp fresh lime juice

(A) In a large saucepan, heat oil. Cook turkey, celery, garlic and onions until well cooked. Stir in
jalapeno and spices. Cook, stirring 1 minute. Add beans, stock and potato; bring to a boil. Reduce heat
and simmer, partly covered for 30 minutes. Discard bay leaf and stir in lime juice just before serving.

(B) Put dehydrated turkey, potato, celery and onion in a pot. Cover with boiling water. Let sit 1 hour.
Drain. In large pot, heat garlic in oil, add rehydrated food and rest of the ingredients except lime
juice. Cook 15-20 minutes. To serve, remove bay leaf and stir in lime juice.

Guggle-hupf (Lemon Bundt Cake)

This cake lasts well on trips
Grease and flour a bundt pan. Preheat oven to 375.
Mix together in a large bowl:
1 cup margarine
1 1/2 cups sugar
3 eggs
grated rind and juice from 1 lemon

Mix together in a smaller bowl:
3 cups flour
3 tsp baking powder
handful of raisins or craisins (dried cranberries)

Add dry ingredients to margarine mixture alternately with
1 cup milk

Mix together and pour into bundt pan.
Turn oven down to 350. Bake for 1 hour.
Invert on cooling rack and sprinkle with icing sugar.