Mexi-Stacks

Fall 2009

Outback Oven adds a whole new element to kayak cooking

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

To download a pdf copy of the magazine click here: DOWNLOAD

By Hilary Masson

The Outback Oven is a practical, lightweight and compact camp kitchen gadget that will get you breaking out from the normal camp-cooking paradigm. The possibilities of baking with it in combination with a one-burner white gas stove, a double-burner propane stove or a campfire make this tool versatile and worthwhile. Baking bread, cake, crumbles, pizza, tarts, cinnamon buns, lasagna or anything else you could bake at home can suddenly be made on the beach.

The oven consists of a heat disperser, which is placed on the stove/fire, then the non-stick pan with a thermometer on the lid and a Kevlar hood with a hole in the top. The heat is dispersed evenly around the inside of the hood and out the top without scorching the bottom of the pan. The thermometer has a scale of warm, bake and burn; the instructions say to keep the dial on the ‘e’ in bake. If you are using a camp stove, modulate the heat as needed; if you are using a campfire, make sure it is only coals and remember the bake time will be shorter than on a stove.

This Mexi-Stack recipe is ideal for feeding hungry paddlers, and is a good way to use a variety of ingredients in just one dish. Start by lightly greasing the bottom of the non-stick Outback Oven pan. Then start by layering flour tortillas slightly overlapping. Add a layer of refried beans, chorizo sausage, grated cheese, then another tortilla layer. Now place chopped onion, corn kernels, diced tomatoes and slices of red and yellow peppers. Top with cheese and another tortilla layer; continue by repeating these same ingredients in the same order. The top layer should be grated cheese with a sprinkle of chili powder and cumin. Bake for 25 minutes in the Outback Oven. Garnish with cilantro and have salsa or hot sauce on the side for those who like it hot. This recipe should feed six hungry paddlers. You can also add zucchini slices, spinach, bok choy or any veggies you want in the layering process.

If you have leftover ingredients try making tiny personal pizzas. Place one tortilla in the oven, spread refried beans thinly and evenly then add chorizo, the veggies and top with cheese, chili powder and cumin spices. Bake for five minutes for each individual pizza. Cut in pizza slices and enjoy!

Ingredients:

12 medium flour tortillas
1 can refried beans
2 chorizo sausages, sliced
1 ½ cups grated cheese
1 onion, diced
1 can of corn kernels
3 tomatoes, diced
1 red pepper, sliced
1 yellow pepper, sliced
1/2 teaspoon chili powder
1 teaspoon cumin
3 sprigs of cilantro

Hilary Masson is a guide and part owner of Baja Kayak Adventure Tours Ltd. Visit www.bajakayakadventures.com.