With the cold weather here, despite what you might think, it's the beginning of our favorite season to cook in the forest.

Armed with good snowshoes and a sled, there are many new possibilities. With the space provided by the sled, we can bring more equipment for cooking and fire making (serving board, cleaving axe, chainsaw, tarp, pot etc.). Frozen lakes are a great opportunity to explore and discover islands or places that are impossible to access during the warm season.

Winter tips :

1- Prepare at home the steps that require fine manipulation (cutting vegetables, decanting canings into resealable jars, preparing spices and marinades).

2- Avoid excess dishes. Use an insulated cup for drinking and eating stew or soup style meals. In addition, your meal will stay warm longer.

3- Beware of the wood chore. Take the time to test and check each tree before cutting it, make sure it is dry. As Mr. Boivin says, "When you think you have enough wood, double it.

4- Use packaging that can have a second life like aluminum foil, newspapers or garbage bags.

5- Have a plan B like snacks and a burner to melt snow. Winter cooking can be difficult when you have trouble keeping a fire going.

RECIPE FOR ITALIAN WEDDING SOUP

Ingredients (6 servings) :

Meatballs :
- 2 cups crushed bread crumbs
- 1/3 cup of milk
- 3 cloves of garlic
- 1 cup grated Parmigiano Reggiano
- 1.5 lbs of ground beef
- Salt and pepper to taste

Note: Since we cooked this recipe in the winter, we prepared the meatballs before leaving by layering them in a dish with parchment paper.

Broth :
- 1 package fresh baby spinach
- 2 liters of homemade chicken broth
- 1 cup grated Parmigiano Reggiano cheese
- 2 eggs
- Salt and pepper to taste

Preparation :

1. Soak the bread crumbs in the milk in a bowl.

2. Add remaining dumpling ingredients and mix well.

3. Shape into 1-inch balls.

4. Toast the dumplings in the soup pot and set aside.

5. Deglaze pot with chicken broth.

6. Add the spinach to the broth and close the lid to let the spinach fall out.

7. Stir in meatballs.

8. Beat eggs and Parmesan in a bowl and stir into soup.

9. Adjust seasoning and enjoy.

 

BON APPÉTIT !
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