They say an Army marches on its stomach, so spare a thought for Corporal Liam Francis in Afghanistan.
The Army chef was forced to feed comrades on Spam-based recipes for six weeks when a helicopter bringing their food supplies was shot down by the Taliban.
Racking his brain for recipe ideas, and with no more fresh food able to get through to Forward Operating Bases, in Sangin District, the 26-year-old cook was only able to offer a menu that looked like it had come straight out of a Monty Python sketch.
The Royal Logistics Corp chef said: "We were on compo (compound rations) for six weeks and we only had one menu – Spam.
“I was surprised what we could do: sweet and sour Spam, Spam fritters, Spam carbonara, Spam stroganoff, Spam stir fry..."
A month-and-a-half later, with mutiny no doubt afoot and even the merest mention of the infamous budget tinned pork punishable by death, fresh supplies finally started to get through. And the troops’ celebratory meal? More pork, of course.
"The first day off Spam, I prepared battered sausages, chips and curry sauce,” he said. “The Sergeant Major said it was the best meal he had ever had – he'd never seen morale so high."
Cpl Francis is now back in Camp Bastion, the UK's main base in Helmand province, where Army and civilian chefs currently get through 7,500 burgers a week, 10 tonnes of chicken breast a month, 20,000 baguettes a week, and absolutely no Spam.
PS. Here’s a recipe for spam carbonara if you’re interested.
Ingredients:
Half a normal-sized pack of spaghetti
2 eggs, beaten
Tin of Spam, cut into cubes
Grated parmesan cheese
One onion, finely chopped
2 tbsps olive oil
Ground pepper
Cook the spaghetti and then drain. While it is cooking, fry the Spam and onion in the olive oil until lightly browned. Add the spaghetti, eggs and cheese and toss well. Season to taste with salt and pepper, and then throw in the bin because it’s absolutely disgusting.
The Army chef was forced to feed comrades on Spam-based recipes for six weeks when a helicopter bringing their food supplies was shot down by the Taliban.
Racking his brain for recipe ideas, and with no more fresh food able to get through to Forward Operating Bases, in Sangin District, the 26-year-old cook was only able to offer a menu that looked like it had come straight out of a Monty Python sketch.
The Royal Logistics Corp chef said: "We were on compo (compound rations) for six weeks and we only had one menu – Spam.
“I was surprised what we could do: sweet and sour Spam, Spam fritters, Spam carbonara, Spam stroganoff, Spam stir fry..."
A month-and-a-half later, with mutiny no doubt afoot and even the merest mention of the infamous budget tinned pork punishable by death, fresh supplies finally started to get through. And the troops’ celebratory meal? More pork, of course.
"The first day off Spam, I prepared battered sausages, chips and curry sauce,” he said. “The Sergeant Major said it was the best meal he had ever had – he'd never seen morale so high."
Cpl Francis is now back in Camp Bastion, the UK's main base in Helmand province, where Army and civilian chefs currently get through 7,500 burgers a week, 10 tonnes of chicken breast a month, 20,000 baguettes a week, and absolutely no Spam.
PS. Here’s a recipe for spam carbonara if you’re interested.
Ingredients:
Half a normal-sized pack of spaghetti
2 eggs, beaten
Tin of Spam, cut into cubes
Grated parmesan cheese
One onion, finely chopped
2 tbsps olive oil
Ground pepper
Cook the spaghetti and then drain. While it is cooking, fry the Spam and onion in the olive oil until lightly browned. Add the spaghetti, eggs and cheese and toss well. Season to taste with salt and pepper, and then throw in the bin because it’s absolutely disgusting.
2 comments:
10 tonnes of Chicken! Now thats a lot of chicken!
Post a Comment