River Cottage on Fire

Under the expert guidance of Gill Meller, author of the River Cottage Outdoor Cooking Handbook, this one-day course will equip you with the skills and confidence to cook successfully over fire. You’ll learn to build and manage a fire while using various techniques to produce amazing tasting results.

The day begins with a hands-on approach as you build your own individual fire. Gill will teach you how to ignite your fire and manage fuel and heat while considering the various factors involved. Once you grasp the principles of cooking over the fire, you’ll prepare your breakfast of mushrooms and sourdough toast over it.

Next, you’ll prepare a hearty meaty stew that will simmer over your fire throughout the day. While your stew cooks, you’ll learn to cook with an earth oven. This ancient technique involves burying a shoulder of lamb in a pit in the ground, allowing it to cook slowly during the day.

After a substantial morning, Gill will guide you through techniques and recipes to create delicious flame-cooked veggie dishes, proving that cooking vegetables outdoors can be just as satisfying. Enjoy these dishes as part of a light lunch.

In the afternoon, Gill will demonstrate how to plank cook and clay bake fish. Finally, it will be time to retrieve your pit-cooked lamb for an early supper before you head home.