Recipe: Five Spice Coconut Campfire Slump

I am a cook who prioritizes properly satisfying meals, no matter the surroundings. So while I don't have a tripod stand or even one of those Dutch ovens with the skinny legs, I have learned how to adapt my kitchen kit to cooking around a campfire (and at the cottage).

For me, a regimented meal plan is a non-negotiable necessity. A vacation cooking strategy allays fears of being unprepared, a big deal for those of us who count unfettered access to pantry stocks a creature comfort. My key is skewing bold with seasonings, carrying a cluster of dried chiles in a repurposed pill case along with pinch provisions of multipurpose spices and dried herbs, plus tubes of anchovy or umami paste and Marmite for gutsy salinity. I am sure not to forget the buoyant twang of citrus and vinegars. Or hot sauce. Or mustard. There's no need to lug around an enormous quantity of any one, but these are high-impact ingredients that can save rustic cooking from mediocrity.

With such a plan, I do my best to prepare as much as I can before departure. This cuts down on what we carry and also minimizes prep, which is needed when one is sunbaked and tired. I recruit for this endeavour – getting the kids involved at home cuts down slightly on the frequency of the "what's for dinner" question as they already know the game plan, and I find they're more inclined to help with cooking when the time comes as they feel part of the process.

We make dry mixes for pancakes and skillet cornbread with the instructions written in Sharpie on the outside of the container. We fill jars with robust salads that will be none the worse for wear after a car ride, such as marinated beans and kale, or a layered construction with shredded carrots in a harissa dressing on the bottom, then chickpeas, cherry tomatoes, topped with greens and mint – for same-day eating, I sneak some feta in too.

For campfire occasions when dessert beyond s'mores feels needed, I suggest a fruit slump, which gives the same impression as a cobbler but without the necessity of baking. Simply, a slump is stewed fruit with a biscuit-ish dumpling topping. Cooked under a lid, the batter steams and fluffs, so what were discrete mounds of dough swell up to impressively crenellated proportions.

My camp-friendly rendition has the dry ingredients assembled in advance with the fruit chopped on site, and is brash with both fragrance and a hint of heat. Marked with Chinese five spice, the dumplings taste very much like summery-gingerbreadish spiced doughnut holes, and a sprinkling of coarse sugar before serving helps underscore the effect. (Bonus tip: a couple packets of raw sugar from a coffee stop on the way to camp will be enough for the recipe if you don't want to carry it from home.)

This slump is vegan, with both coconut milk and its oil in place of dairy, so what's more, the ingredients won't take up valuable space in the cooler. Flaked coconut provides a hint of structure; thus, even as the dumplings wallow in the exuberant claret juice coaxed from a mess of scarcely-sweetened berries and rhubarb, they do not succumb to gumminess. Candied ginger sparkles in the filling.

A purist might sniff at the suggestion of tinned custard, but it is sublime here. There is no worry about food safety, but if you have the means to put a bit of a chill on the can – either in a cooler or in a sealed bag in a stream – the shiver of cold, lush custard meeting up with the jammy fruit beneath is something special. Alternatively, offer the slump for breakfast with maple syrup and yogurt, if you have it.

Notes

As pictured, the slump was made with a mix of rhubarb, blueberries and strawberries. However, any fruit used for pies and cobblers will work here; stone fruit, cherries and apples are all candidates.

Up to half the amount of all-purpose flour can be swapped with rye flour. Rye is exceptional in desserts with fruit. I like using a 3/4 cup or so. For a more roughly hewn texture to the topping, substitute white cornmeal for some of the flour instead.

For the lime zest, use a grater if you have one or just cut it off in slices with a knife, then fish the pieces out before adding the topping.

A beaten egg added to the batter with the coconut milk will add richness, but cut back a bit on the milk to balance the extra liquid.

Cooking times will be dependent on the temperature of the fire, use the sensory clues as the definitive guidelines.

Five Spice Coconut Campfire Slump