Fish Dish and Appetizer Recipes

[MuskieBait]

(04-02-2014 04:02 PM)OldTimer Wrote:  The recent discussion here regarding smelt fries got me thinking about other amusing cooking things from the past.

The following is a pleasant memory of one such treat that was both fun and quite tasty too:

Clay Mud Spuds:


The lake my family had a cottage on had an inlet near us where the bottom of the lake was bluish gray clay that many youngsters modeled into animals or ash trays or….?

It was also great for use in cooking potatoes in a camp fire.

Process was quite simple – go get a gallon bucket of the mud – wash some medium size russet baking potatoes and prick them a few times with a fork (this pricking is important)……. Then encase them in about a half inch+ thickness of the clay (it must hold together). Place these in the coals of a camp fire that’s been going for a while…… at least an hour+ later – test one immediately for doneness – if ready then pull them out – let them stand 5-10 minutes – crack the now hardened brittle clay carefully and remove (as best ya can with a fork) the potato from the inside to a clean dish……. Add butter, salt and pepper……… amazing flavour with a bit of smokiness.

The blackened skin will mostly stick to the clay…… while some will come off….. it tastes good too…. in an earthy gritty sorta way…..smile.

A real adventure should you try doing this without a good bright flashlight……. And a helper.

Our family typically did this show near the end of a “bon-fire” night as an interesting diversion (as the fire was dying down) that many enjoyed, along with a few stick camp fire cooked hot dogs (or pre-boiled sausages) on a freshly fire toasted (aka blackened) bun with a great big squirt of grainy mustard and some smoky camp fire onions……….

But camp fire onions are another recipe for another time…………….

Cheers,

OldTimer

MMM...that all sounds fantastic!

I love corn on cob and sweet potatoes wrapped in foil and placed over ambers. Yeah, that bit of smokiness from the burnt skin adds a whole lot of good flavour to the corn and sweet potatoes.

I know about this ancient Chinese recipe that use mud to encase a whole chicken to be cooked in a pit filled with hot coal. Similar concept. Never tried it since I like my chicken skin not gritty.

I find really good use for those hot dog roasters (wire clam shell ones sold at dollar stores) for foods other than hot dogs. They are great for fire grilled steaks, chicken breast, whole fish, and vegetables such as zucchini, tomatoes, mushrooms, eggplants...etc. They can hold food safely a good height over the hot coal...close enough to cook but not too close to burn.