As autumn unfolds in all of its natural glory, crisp, clear days and cooler nights signal culinary change. Peta Stavelli suggests ways to set up your RV kitchen for those cosy nights indoors.
You’ve been using the barbecue all summer, but it’s time to set up your RV kitchen for autumn travel. You might be tempted to duplicate the list of everything you’d normally have at home. But stop for a moment to apply the 80/20 rule – or Pareto Principle. You’ll probably find that you use 20 percent of the things you own 80 percent of the time. Try it for yourself and you’ll be amazed by the dead weight of what you don’t use regularly on the road.
Keep it simple
I like to keep it simple. At home, and on the road, I prepare meals that are fast and highly nutritious: mostly one-pot wonders using cast iron fry pan found in the camping aisle of a well-known retail brand. I paid $12 for it – 20 years ago. When I’m with the co-pilot in his caravan, we use a rectangular, boatie-style fry pan with a lid, every single meal. From cooked breakfasts to braised meats, it’s the bee’s knees. You can buy these from any of the RV or marine supply stores mentioned.
We also load a mix of colourful vegetables into a fold-out stainless steel vegetable steamer within a large pot. Cooking smells and steam are contained, and cleanup is a breeze. If you think that one-pot meals might limit your creativity, take some inspiration from other cultures and cuisines. Think wok-style meals, pasta, paella and Indian or Mexican food, just for starters. I like Jamie Oliver’s approach, but YouTube is also a great source of inspiration for single dish stunners.
Seasonal, fresh and local
Begin your preparation with what’s fresh and cheap – and locally sourced is even better. If you’re in Havelock, for example, grab some fresh, green-lipped mussels and give a paella recipe a try. It’s meant to be made with what’s on hand, so don’t be afraid to experiment.
Almost every recipe that calls for meat can be stretched with tinned beans and pulses, canned tomatoes and grains like buckwheat or barley. If the meal is plain, a drizzle of New Zealand- grown extra-virgin olive oil, salsas – like pico de gallo, pickles, olives, capers and pesto, or a handful of toasted nuts or seeds, can brighten any meal.
Any chef will tell you a good knife (and a good chopping board) is essential, but even if your knife skills are lacking, a great little tool is the Zyliss Easy Pull Food Chopper, which makes short work of onions, garlic, cucumber, fresh herbs, tomato or chilli, whatever you need in quick order to whip up a pesto or salsa, and it only needs you to power it.
Silicone steals the show
Veteran RV traveller and MCD writer Jill Malcolm swears by frozen meal prep ahead of trips. Pre-prepared meals are time saving, space saving and money saving – what’s not to love? But if you don’t have the time to batch cook, there are some interesting ready-made options such as Firma Italia meals from Christchurch’s Mediterranean Food Company. They’re cheap too at under $4 per serve.
If you’re investing in new kitchen equipment, it’s hard to go past the bright, light ranges of silicone cookware currently on offer at your favourite RV supply shop. saving, space saving and money saving – what’s not to love? But if you don’t have the time to batch cook, there are some interesting ready-made options such as Firma Italia meals from Christchurch’s Mediterranean Food Company. They’re cheap too at under $4 per serve.
If you’re investing in new kitchen equipment, it’s hard to go past the bright, light ranges of silicone cookware currently on offer at your favourite RV supply shop. I’ve long been in love with my silicone Flat Stacks. These are hard-working storage options that collapse easily to save space. But other flat storage, vacuum seal bags and even recycled takeaway containers can all be godsends for the RV cook.
Silicone is everywhere these days and that’s because it’s a much more environmentally friendly option than plastic, being BPA-free, light, reusable and versatile. Choose from collapsible (space saving) bowls, basins, baskets, strainers, kettles, baking sheets, casserole dishes, muffin tins and drink containers – the list goes on.
Go high or go low (tech)?
Speaking of drinks: coffee lovers might struggle to choose between a coffee machine and a low-tech option like a French press. I’m a coffee lover, and would choose a French press every day, especially over a heavy, bulky machine that dominates the bench and requires expensive, disposable capsules, as well as access to power. Personally, I’d go low tech, off grid, space saving, environmentally friendly, and as light-as-possible for every RV purchase. Except for glassware. I really like the Froli; Strahl (RV Supercentre) and Tritan (RV Mega) ranges of hard-working stemmed and stemless glasses. They are a great alternative to glass, although I still prefer a real champagne glass for my bubbles. Oh, and a thin-lipped china coffee cup or a melamine one like the Southern Alps melamine mug (white) would also be good, thank you.
Simple measures, simple pleasures
Other essential items for off-grid cooking when the RV barbecue has retired for the season include a stainless-steel kettle, a small pot for boiled or poached eggs and an egg timer, a good peeler that doubles its life for making vegetable noodles, a stainless-steel stove-top toaster, and a good glass jar. Yes, a good jar. I recycle peanut butter jars to shake my breakfast omelette – with half an eggshell of water for each yolk, a pinch of salt, and freshly ground black pepper. You can also use a recycled jar to incorporate flour into liquid for thickening sauces, soups or stews, or for making crepes and breakfast pancakes.
My top tip is to make your own mayonnaise in a jiffy using a wide-mouth glass pickle jar and a stick blender (The Guardian’s Felicity Cloake covered this recently). Add gherkins and capers for a seafood sauce; or a piquant paprika for a smoky sensation. In addition to making your own mayonnaise, you can make your own yoghurt, cheating a bit with a packet base and a thermos.
Of course if you’re just setting up for inside cooking, you’ll also need some good utensils. I wouldn’t be without my multi-purpose egg slice, a large slotted stainless-steel spoon for the wok, wooden spoons, spatulas and measuring spoons and cups. Oh, and I just love the ClickClack Magnetic Measuring Set at RV Supercentre – these are space saving and mood saving too, because they stay together in the drawer so you won’t be fossicking around looking for the right one.
Waffle-On
And finally, a word about tea towels. I was overjoyed to recently find a stack of 10 washed and ironed linen tea towels in excellent condition at an opportunity shop in Tasmania. To the serious cook, these are jewels. If you can’t find linen, cotton is a good option. I recently fell in love with my sister-in-law’s cotton waffle bath towels and tea towels. Light and absorbent, these look great and dry really
If you’re just setting out and on a budget, op shops are wonderful places to find good used kitchen equipment. But of course, it’s hard to go past a one-stop shop for everything RV. Pop online, or into your local and be inspired to whip up a culinary storm this autumn fast, which is handy when you’re travelling.
Safety first
• Invest in a multi-use fire extinguisher and mount it near the exit door.
• Keep a fire-proof blanket under the sink to smother flames.
• A gas monitor is cheap insurance against any leaks.
