Sweetcorn salsa and salads: Joe Woodhouse’s recipes for camping out

These recipes are really easy to pull together, even in a field with a tree stump as a countertop. Once the tent is up, I start on the food. It’s a good idea to have a small box of dedicated camping essentials: salt, vinegar, mustard, pepper mill, small knife, corkscrew, plastic bowls and boxes. I keep mine in the boot of the car. I’d happily have this trio as the meal with some crusty bread, although they accompany a barbecue well. I always hope there will be some left to make a flavourful breakfast the next day, with a fried egg or grilled halloumi – always the antidote to a deflated mattress or leaky tent.

Moroccan carrot salad

This salad has some of the flavours I associate with Morocco, but really it reminds me of my childhood summers. My mum would always have a variation of this on the table at parties. It’s very simple and keeps well if made ahead.

Prep 20 min
Serves 4-6, as a side

60g almonds, skin on, ideally, but blanched or flaked work
600g carrots, coarsely grated
1 banana shallot or 3 spring onions, finely sliced
60g raisins, soaked in a cup of hot water for 15 minutes
25g mint, leaves picked and chopped
1 tbsp cumin seeds, lightly toasted and roughly ground
1 tsp cinnamon powder
1-2 lemons
Flaky salt

Roughly chop through the almonds. Add these to a large mixing bowl along with the rest of the ingredients, except for the lemons.

Add a good pinch of salt and mix everything well with the juice of one of the lemons. Taste, season, and add more salt and lemon juice to taste.

Shredded cabbage, blue cheese and kidney bean salad

Really quick to pull together as a light meal or a solid side offering. Great on the table during a barbecue, or piled into burgers, wraps or sandwiches.

Prep 15 min
Serves 4-6, as a side

200g full-fat natural yoghurt
2 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
1 heaped tsp garlic granules or powder, or one clove crushed to a paste
Juice of half a lemon, or to taste
Flaky salt and black pepper
1 white cabbage (around 750g)
1 tin kidney beans (drained weight 240g)
15g parsley, finely chopped
150g blue cheese, crumbled

In a mixing bowl, combine the yoghurt, oil, garlic and lemon juice with a good pinch of salt. Stir well to combine, check the salt and lemon levels and adjust accordingly. The dressing should be quite punchy, but keep the saltiness of the blue cheese in mind.

Trim the tough stalk from the cabbage and remove the outer leaves. Cut the cabbage in half and cut out a triangle of the majority of the stalk. Slice as finely as you can from the top to the stalk end of the cabbage (a mandolin is particularly good for this).

Add the cabbage to the yoghurt dressing, massaging the dressing into the cabbage so it becomes well combined. It benefits from resting a little bit.

When ready to eat, add the rest of the ingredients and toss well to combine. Taste, adjust seasoning and lemon juice, and serve.

Sweetcorn salsa

I love this on top of refried beans, sometimes with a fried egg too. It can be used in place of a relish or as an ingredient in other dishes such as quesadillas, or sprinkled over nachos. It’s also great in a simple wrap or sandwich with some feta and shredded lettuce.

Prep 20 min
Serves 6 as a side, topping or filling

300g corn kernels, best fresh, but frozen or tinned are fine too
1 red onion, peeled and finely diced
1 red chilli, chopped, with or without seeds to your taste
200g baby tomatoes, roughly diced to a similar size as the corn kernels
15g coriander, finely chopped, stalks and all
Zest and juice of 3 limes
Flaky salt

If using fresh or frozen sweetcorn, blanch it in boiling water for a couple of minutes until tender. Drain and refresh in cold water. This step can be done ahead – alternatively, use tinned corn.

Combine the onion, chilli, tomatoes, coriander, lime zest and juice in a mixing bowl and add the drained corn. Season with salt and leave to sit for 15 minutes for the flavours to get to know one another. Serve.