Three Square
Chef Tanya Petrovna’s hearty, plant-forward campfire recipes from California’s low desert
Black Bean Sweet Potato Chilaquiles
Have a big trail day planned? Chilaquiles might be the ideal breakfast. This version is savory and hearty, even without the eggs used in a traditional chilaquiles recipe. It’s one of those dishes that tastes like it was a lot of work, but it’s a simple and quick preparation—exactly what you want when camping. Though this recipe has a mildly spicy kick from the enchilada sauce, you can take that up a notch by adding your favorite hot sauce and sliced, pickled jalapeños.
- 3 to 4 tablespoons olive or vegetable oil
- 1 medium-sized yam or sweet potato, grated
- 1 zucchini, grated
- 1 bunch cilantro stems, chopped into ¼-inch pieces
- 1 cup lightly chopped cilantro leaves
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 bag corn tortilla chips
- 10-ounce can El Pato enchilada sauce
- 1 cup water
- 1 can black beans
- 1½ cups grated vegan cheese
- 1 to 2 avocados, chopped or sliced
- Heat oil in a cast-iron skillet and add yams, zucchini, cilantro stems, and salt, and sauté about 3 minutes, stirring occasionally. Stir in tortilla chips.
- Pour El Pato sauce over the mixture, add the water and black beans, and combine lightly so the chips don’t shatter. Let simmer on medium-low heat 10 to 15 minutes, until a bit of the liquid is absorbed and the veggies have softened.
- Remove from heat, sprinkle cheese on top, and cover so the cheese melts. Garnish with chopped avocado and cilantro leaves and serve with hot sauce or salsa. Bonus: Leftovers are excellent as a burrito wrapped in a fresh tortilla with salsa.
Mushroom Bourguignon
The phrase “rib-stickin’ meal” could have been coined for the traditional French dish boeuf bourguignon, which is savory, rich, and about as comfortable as comfort food gets. This vegan version substitutes mushrooms and tofu for the beef and the result is just as rib-stickin’ and delicious. Though this dish can certainly be prepared using a camp stove, Petrovna prefers cooking it over an open fire. It adds a rustic touch and you get the bonus of staying warm on a crisp evening while you cook.
- 1 pound firm tofu, drained
- ¼ cup olive oil
- 1 pound mushrooms, sliced
- 1 medium onion, diced into ¼-inch chunks
- 2 carrots, sliced into ¼-inch pieces
- 2 cloves garlic, chopped
- 2 tablespoons flour
- 2 cups vegetable broth
- 2 cups red wine
- 2 tablespoons tomato paste
- 1 tablespoon dried black garlic
- 1½ teaspoons dried thyme
- 2 teaspoons salt
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- 1 cup peeled pearl onions (frozen is fine)
- 1 or 2 dried bay leaves
- Slice tofu into pieces about ¼” x 2″ long. Place the tofu on a cast-iron griddle over a fire. When the tofu slices lift easily without sticking, flip to sear the other sides, then remove and set aside.
- Heat 3 tablespoons of olive oil in a Dutch oven and sauté mushrooms until brown, then remove and set aside.
- Pour the remaining oil into the Dutch oven, add diced onions, and sauté for 1 to 2 minutes, then add carrots and garlic and sauté another 2 minutes. Sprinkle in the flour and stir so it browns lightly with the onions and the carrots.
- Add broth, wine, tomato paste, dried black garlic, thyme, salt, and pepper to the Dutch oven. Stir, then simmer, covered, for 10 to 15 minutes. Next add tofu, mushrooms, pearl onions, and the bay leaf. Let everything simmer for another 25 minutes, though cooking time will depend on the heat of your fire. Watch the simmer and taste while cooking.
- Serve in a bowl with a slice of crusty grilled bread.
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