Archive for the ‘Recipes’ Category

Creme Brulee

by Zachary on July 9th, 2011

Here at ECHO we love cooking on the river and sometimes we get a wild hair to try things out of the ordinary. Last week we decided to try and make Creme Brulee from scratch. We found a great recipe on the internet and scaled it up for a group of 30.

Ingredients

36 egg yolks
2-1/4 cups white sugar, divided
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
15 cups heavy cream
3/4 cup brown sugar

Directions

1. Prepare 2 dutch ovens by heating the lids and lighting 50 coals.

2. Separate 36 egg yolks. Add 4 tablespoons sugar and vanilla in a mixing bowl and beat until thick and creamy.

3. Pour cream into a dutch oven and stir over low heat until it almost comes to boil. Remove the cream from heat immediately. Stir cream into the egg yolk mixture; beat until combined.

Audrey Stirring the Cream in a Dutch Oven

Audrey Stirring the Cream in a Dutch Oven

4. Pour cream mixture into the top of a double boiler. You can create a double boiler by placing a dutch oven in a bigger pan or a dish pail. Stir over simmering water until mixture lightly coats the back of a spoon; approximately 3 minutes. Remove mixture from heat immediately.

Zach and Audrey Using the Homemade Double Boiler

Zach and Audrey Using the Homemade Double Boiler

5. Separate cream mixture into 2 dutch ovens. Bake for 30 minutes. Remove from oven and cool to room temperature by holding the dutch ovens in the river.

Baking the Custard in Dutch Ovens

Baking the Custard in Dutch Ovens

6. Refrigerate for at least 1 hour by putting the dutch ovens on ice in a cooler.

Custard Dutch Ovens on Ice

Custard Dutch Ovens on Ice

7. In a small bowl combine the remaining brown and white sugar.

8. Scoop the custard into small bowls (sierra cups work great) and use a spoon to create an even top surface. Sift the sugar mixture evenly over the top of each cup.

Adding Custard to Sierra Cups

Adding Custard to Sierra Cups

9. Use small propane torch or creme brulee torch to carmelize the sugar. It should melt into a solid layer on top of the custard.

Carmelizing the Sugar

Carmelizing the Sugar

Serve and enjoy!

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Sometimes the Key Ingredient isn’t Actually in the Food

by ECHO Staff on April 5th, 2011

Here at ECHO, we redefine gourmet. As a company that specializes in family friendly trips, we have customers of all shapes, sizes and tastebuds and oftentimes the smaller the tastebud, the harder to please. Because of this, ECHO gourmet means using flavor filled ingredients to create amazing meals with a pinch of fun!

Pancakes on the Middle Fork

Pancakes on the Middle Fork

It’s the combination of awesome flavors and a fun setting that make cooking on the river the perfect environment to introduce kids to meals they may not try at home. Simple salmon steamed over open coals and finished with a squeeze of lemon may typically elicit a response sounding similar to ‘ew,’ but on the river, be prepared for a shocking inclination for your child to try new things. Evidently the same sense of adventure that has them laughing and screaming through a wild rapid transfers readily to the dinner table.

That’s why our menu focuses on flexibility. Kids and adults alike can easily modify each meal we make. Crispy, crunchy taco salad filled with fresh avocado, ripe mango and drizzled with a mix of beans, corn and fresh spices can become a bowl of tortilla chips and a side of salsa. Although it’s rarely turned down, fresh fruit dipped with smooth, creamy chocolate fondue can easily turn into chocolate-covered marshmallows. And of course, there are always more creative substitutes such as a morning pancake turned smiley face with the introduction of fresh blueberries for eyes and a dollop of whipped cream for the nose.

As adults, we often lose ourselves in the idea that good food needs to be fancy. Gourmet easily translates to complicated, intricate and exotic. We at ECHO formally invite you to experience the kid gourmet, where trying something new is all it takes and having fun in the process is the most important part. Try your new philosophy on the following recipes, or better yet, join us on the water, where fun is emphasized even beyond the kitchen.

Chocolate Fondue

For a group of 5 people:
2 bags of chocolate chips (the better the chocolate the better the fondue)
1 can of evaporated milk
Fresh strawberries, cherries, pears or bananas. Common favorites also include shortbread cookies (or better yet homemade shortbread), marshmallows or fingers (after the chocolate has cooled)

Heat chocolate chips and evaporated milk over a double boiler, constantly stirring and being careful not to burn. When completely melted and homogenous, dip away to your hearts content.

Chocolate Fondue on the Middle Fork

Chocolate Fondue on the Middle Fork

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Curry Chicken Salad

by ECHO Staff on July 3rd, 2008

We have had several requests for our Curry Chicken Salad recipe over the past week, so we thought we would share it with the world!

The ingredients
6 large cans of chicken (or chicken cooked the night before)
4 green apples
1 lb cashews
1/2 lb raisins
Curry Powder
Mayonnaise

Optional ingredients
1 red onion
3 tomatoes
1/2 bunch of celery

Directions
Mix diced green apples, crushed cashews, raisins, and chicken in a large bowl. The optional ingredients can also be added, but thorough testing has proven that the simpler, the better. Add mayonnaise and curry powder to taste. As with all ECHO meals, the most important ingredients are attention to detail and lots of love. Serves 20 in bowls or wraps.

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River Guacamole

by ECHO Staff on February 1st, 2008

“River guacamole” is our famous guacamole recipe that originated with world traveler and ECHO guide extraordinaire Jeremy Thomas. He says “Keep it simple – mayo / sour cream are for crazy Russians (Vlad) to eat right out of the tub – THEY DO NOT GO IN GUAC.”

The ingredients
10 moderately squishy avocados
6 tomatoes
2 yellow onions
3 Jalapeno peppers
1 bunch of cilantro
4 limes
Salt

Directions
Fill up your ECHO cup with a fresh Riverita™. Mash the avocados, tomatoes, onions, and peppers in a bowl. The 3 Jalapeno peppers will make it spicy, so add more or less depending on your tolerance. Cut the limes in half and squeeze lime juice on top. Add salt to taste. Continue tasting the guacamole and drinking your Riverita™ until you deem it perfect.

The two most important parts of this recipe
1. You’ll want to get just the right amount of salt. This may take many taste tests.
2. Be sure to drinks Riveritas™ in an ECHO cup during the whole process. The recipe for Riveritas™ is an ECHO secret, so you’ll have to come on one of our trips for the full river guacamole experience.

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