Cooking for large sports teams

Sparks

Just a random thought to start a thread, this. Over the last week, the Irish Olympic shooting team was competing in InterShoot in the Hague. Seven adults - six competing in a sports event, one working 12-14 hour days looking after all the paperwork, and generally doing the dogsbody work, with at least two miles and more usually four walked in temperatures of about -6C along with all of that, and as we were in a self-catering chalet in a nearby campsite, three guesses who was doing all the cooking (well, except on the day I was competing when the dinner had to be cooking - thanks Caroline! ).

So, given fairly large caloric requirements (I think we were burning around 4-5,000 calories per day or so); the standard sports nutritional requirements, and limited cooking facilities (we had gas hobs, a microwave oven, a kettle, and for the love of truffles, the only sharp knife in the place was my 1.5" long penknife, suitably sterilised), and limited time, what would you cook?

My solution was lots of cous-cous, rice, some pasta (penne and macaroni), ragu bolognaise, marinated chicken (soy, olive oil, lemon, anything I could get my hands on) poached in sauce (chicken stock with either tomato passata or barbecue sauce), or chicken risotto; but I'm betting that there were better options we could have chosen had we had more prep time and planning; so in the spirit of helping the Irish team do it better next time (when we'll have an even larger team), what would you have done?

Bannasidhe

Sparks wrote: »

Just a random thought to start a thread, this. Over the last week, the Irish Olympic shooting team was competing in InterShoot in the Hague. Seven adults - six competing in a sports event, one working 12-14 hour days looking after all the paperwork, and generally doing the dogsbody work, with at least two miles and more usually four walked in temperatures of about -6C along with all of that, and as we were in a self-catering chalet in a nearby campsite, three guesses who was doing all the cooking (well, except on the day I was competing when the dinner had to be cooking - thanks Caroline! ).

So, given fairly large caloric requirements (I think we were burning around 4-5,000 calories per day or so); the standard sports nutritional requirements, and limited cooking facilities (we had gas hobs, a microwave oven, a kettle, and for the love of truffles, the only sharp knife in the place was my 1.5" long penknife, suitably sterilised), and limited time, what would you cook?

My solution was lots of cous-cous, rice, some pasta (penne and macaroni), ragu bolognaise, marinated chicken (soy, olive oil, lemon, anything I could get my hands on) poached in sauce (chicken stock with either tomato passata or barbecue sauce), or chicken risotto; but I'm betting that there were better options we could have chosen had we had more prep time and planning; so in the spirit of helping the Irish team do it better next time (when we'll have an even larger team), what would you have done?

If you had gas hobs one pot dishes such as stews, curries, chili, goulash etc would be a good option - little prep involved, once they are 'on' simmer an occasional stir takes care of the cooking duties plus all the vitamins are retained in the dish. Carbs such as rice, spuds etc could be done on the other hob.

Mellor

Sparks wrote: »

So, given fairly large caloric requirements (I think we were burning around 4-5,000 calories per day or so);

I'd say 5k calories is a bit of an over estimation tbh. But maybe i'm missing something.

As for food stuffs and meals. I'd go for simialt stuff. Wet, saucey meals served with rice od pasta. Spag bol, a basic chilli, a slow cooked curry etc.
Should be pretty easy to get the nutriental requirements up. Carbs from pasta/rice, protein for meat, fats from coconut milk, or other sauce bases. The calories add up easily.

Basically something that can be prepared and reheated with ease.

Sparks

Mellor wrote: »

I'd say 5k calories is a bit of an over estimation tbh. But maybe i'm missing something.

Over five days, lost five pounds while eating 2-3 plates heaped with rice/couscous/pasta and bolognaise or 2-3 chicken breasts along with bread, nuts, fruit, and cereal bars and the like. Standing still only *looks* like it doesn't burn energy 5k might be high for me, but I don't think it's completely out of bounds, and I'd say it might have been low for three of the team who were also swimming and jogging every day.

Wet, saucey meals served with rice od pasta. Spag bol, a basic chilli, a slow cooked curry etc.

Curry would have been a bloody good idea actually. Just wasn't prepared for how basic the kit and ingredients available would be. Next time, I think some zip-top bags and tupperware containers of herbs/spices and that kind of thing would be a bloody good idea. Anyone got any thoughts on contents for a culinary grab-bag or bug-out-box, so to speak?

Sparks

(And I was kindof hoping someone might have slightly more detailed ideas btw )

irish_goat

A good hearty Minestrone might be good.

http://allrecipes.com/recipe/jamies-minestrone/

Plenty of veg and carbs plus you can use canned beans which saves on prep time.

Mellor

Sparks wrote: »

Curry would have been a bloody good idea actually. Just wasn't prepared for how basic the kit and ingredients available would be.

Pick up some Mae Ploy red or green curry paste. Available in a big tub.
Fry it in a little oil and add coconut milk. Makes a really good Thai curry base. From there I add chicken, onions, peppers, green beans and bean sprouts, but tbh just the base and neat would be fine to keep it simple. Serve over rice.

To avoid carrying lots of tins of coconut, you can get died coconut milk. Just add water. Just make sure it's dried milk especially for that and not just ground coconut.