Campfire Chickpea Picatta

Here is a camp modified recipe of a PPK favorite: Chickpea picatta! You can find the original here. You can also check out the slightly more complex Seitan Picatta in the Veganomican cookbook. These recipes have produced some of the more special vegan home cooking that we have ever pulled off...usually reserved for Christmas and anniversaries. But I thought after trying the PPK chickpea version that it could be even more simplified for camping. Warning: this recipe involves a lot of shallot chopping! This is not your friday night, just rolled into the campsite meal. Save it for day 2 or 3, when you have your campfire mojo in check and have the time to lovingly tend to a meal over the fire. It will be worth it.

What you need:

Large cast iron skillet (you can do this over a camp stove - but directly over the fire in a large skillet is the preferred way)

1 can opener

1 TBSP olive oil

A cup of shallots (thinly sliced)

6 cloves garlic (thinly sliced)

1 broth cube (good for 2 cups of water)

2 cups water

1/2 cup white wine (we usually pick up a small travel bottle at the liquor store)

Pre-prepared spice blend: (2 TBSP bread crumbs, pinch dried thyme, pinch pepper)

16 - 24 oz can chickpeas (depending on how many people you are serving)

1/4 cup capers with brine

1 large lemon

4 cups arugula (or other seasonal green, last time we used asparagus)

4 - 6 potatoes - depending on how many you are serving

salt to taste

Instructions:

1) Boil potatoes in a covered pot of water over the fire or roast in foil. I would recommend starting this before you even chop a shallot, this can take much longer than the stove top at home. Cut potatoes into spall pieces to speed things along. 

2) Heat pan on grill over cooking fire. In olive oil, sautee shallots and garlic until golden, aprox 5-10 minutes

3) Add crumb minutes, toast until a little darker, about 2 minutes. 

4) add crumbled both cube, water, wine and salt to taste

5) Boil and reduce to half

6) Add chickpeas and capers. Heat through. Cut lemon in half and squueze apric 3 TBSP lemon juice in. 

7) Drain cooked potatoes reserving a small amount of liquid (couple tablespoons) in the pot. Mash with fork.

8) Fill bowls with large spoonful(s) of mashed potatoes. Sprinkle 1 cup arugula on each. Top with Chickpea Piccata sauce. 

This was from last year when we proteined out with both seitan and chickpeas. It can happen!