Recipe: Potato supreme parcels

POTATO parcels are easy to make and taste delicious. They can be cooked over the coals, on the barbecue or in your camp oven. they also make a great side dish to your favourite cut of meat.

Ingredients

Serves 4

• 4 large sheets of heavy-duty foil (enough to wrap each potato well – if using thin foil, double it up)
• 4 large, washed potatoes thinly sliced (I prefer Ruby Lou potatoes; they are very versatile), or use 2 small potatoes for each person
• 2 to 4 rashers of bacon sliced or diced (or use ham)
• 1 small, red onion thinly sliced (or use whatever onion you have. Red ones just have a stronger flavour)
• 2 or more spring onions finely chopped (optional)
• 1 packet of French onion soup (I prefer the salt-reduced version)
• 1 cup of grated cheese (optional – tasty or mild)
• Salt and pepper to taste
• Butter
• Sour cream/cream
• Sour cream for serving (extra – optional)

Instructions

Step 1: Spray each sheet of foil with cooking spray to help stop the potato slices sticking to the foil (if you want, you can also line the foil with some baking paper to stop the potatoes sticking).
Step 2: Fry the bacon until lightly browned. Drain it on some paper towel.
Step 3: In the middle of each piece of foil, arrange the potato slices and then top with red onion slices and bacon pieces.
Step 4: Sprinkle a little of the soup mix evenly over the top (not too much).
Step 5: Sprinkle on some grated cheese and spring onions and season well with salt and pepper.
Step 6: Add 1 tsp of butter (more or less) on top of the potato mix. You can also add a dollop of cream or sour cream, if you like (I think it’s best if you spread the cream evenly over the potato slices).
Step 7: Wrap each packet up securely, crimping the foil edges together to get a good seal all around.
Step 8: Place them on top of a barbecue grill and cook for about 30 minutes or until the potato slices are tender. Don’t cook on a high heat – you’ll burn the bottom of the potatoes.

Cooking time will depend on how thick your potato slices are and how much potato you have in the parcel.

If baking in the oven, preheat it to 180°C/350°F and then place the potato-foil parcels on a baking tray and bake for about 30 minutes or until the potatoes are tender.

If baking in your camp oven, place them on a trivet to lift them off the bottom of the camp oven so you don’t burn them.

If you have time, let them stand for about 10 minutes before serving.

Serve them topped with a dollop of sour cream, if so desired.

Viv’s hint

You can add other ingredients including sun-dried tomatoes, sliced mushrooms, crushed garlic, salami or ham.

You could also use garlic butter, instead of plain butter, for even more flavour.

You could also line the foil with some baking paper before adding the ingredients.