In this piece, we share a couple of Sephardic recipes conducive to backcountry cooking. Common ingredients include chickpeas, ground lamb or beef, dried and fresh fruits, stuffed vegetables, and a wide array of flavorful spices.
Just like the cuisine of Jews from Eastern Europe, Sephardic cooking includes slow-cook Shabbos recipes.
I personally favor Sephardic to Ashkenazi cooking. Many who enjoy the broader range of flavors and ingredients feel this way. My middle daughter, who is descended from Iberian Crypto-Jews in addition to my Ashkenazi heritage, compelled us to broaden our horizons.
For wilderness travel, we have some very exciting offerings.
Shakshouka comes in many different forms. Tunisian Jews introduced the spicy egg variation to Israel after the mass exodus of Jews from Arab lands.
Moroccan Jews have a variety of variations on paprika-sauced fish, and we have one that you can either use salmon (for an Ashkenazi twist) or wild-caught white fish.
Shakshouka
Ingredients:
1 tbsp olive oil
1 red bell pepper
1 banana or poblano pepper
1 small onion
3 cloves garlic
2 tsp paprika
1 tsp cumin
12 oz can of tomatoes, diced
2 eggs (or egg substitute equivalent)
salt and pepper to taste
1. Seed and slice your peppers.
2. Dice your onions, mince your garlic.
3. Heat oil over medium heat. Once hot, add peppers and onions, stir them to coat in oil, and cook for another 5 minutes (or browning). Add garlic and spices and cook until you can smell it, likely under a minute.
4. Add tomatoes—do not drain can! Simmer for around ten minutes.
5. Crack the eggs into the sauce, trying to keep them apart. Cover them with the mixture and cook until the whites solidify and the yoke is as consistent as you like. Try and perpetually cover the eggs with the sauce as you cook.
6. Season to taste. Some folks like to pack feta or other cheese to top.
KB’s Paprika Fish
Ingredients:
2 fillets of white fish, wild caught or packaged
2 tbsp dried cilantro
1 red bell pepper
1-2 large garlic cloves
1 dried red chili pepper
Pinch tumeric
1/2 cup water
1 tbsp olive oil
1/2 tbsp paprika
salt and pepper
Prior to cooking, you’ll want to seed and slice your bell pepper. Chop your garlic in big chunks.
1. Place peppers and cilantro at bottom of a skillet, preferably as large a one as your pack allows.
2. Put your fillets on top of those ingredients, and then season with salt/pepper and your pinch of tumeric.
3. Add some of your water to the pan, cover it, and start your stove on high – bring to a quick boil, then immediately reduce to medium. Uncover your pan. Lightly simmer and baste your fish occasionally.
4. Mix your olive oil and paprika together, and pour this red oil over your fish, trying to get them coated. Let it simmer for 10-15 minutes longer, basting again. Once the fish is red, and your water has reduced, it’s mostly good to go.
Additional Recipes
Do you have additional Sephardic recipes you’d like to share, especially ones you’ve made on the trail? Please comment below, or send them to us at mailadmin@kosherbackpacker.com.
We highly suggest you try your hand at making some of the delicious Sephardic deserts, which work well with little honey packets.
Last modified: November 4, 2020
