Why one-pot cooking suits cabin kitchens

Cabin kitchens are charming but rarely generous. You might have a two-ring hob, a single saucepan, a blunt knife and a washing-up bowl the size of a cereal bowl. The last thing you want after a day of walking is a sink full of greasy pans. One-pot cooking solves that: everything goes in, everything comes out, and you have one pan to wash — often while you eat.

These recipes are forgiving. They rely on storecupboard staples, tolerate improvisation and bubble away happily while you light the woodburner or pour a glass of something red. Treat the measurements as guides, not laws.

Stock your cabin larder before you arrive

If you're driving to your cabin, pack a small crate of basics so you're not hunting for a village shop after dark. If you're arriving by train or on foot, buy these on the way.

• Long-life basics: olive oil, salt, black pepper, dried oregano or mixed herbs, chilli flakes, bay leaves, stock cubes or pots, tomato purée.
• Tins and jars: chopped tomatoes, chickpeas or butter beans, lentils, a jar of pesto or harissa.
• Dry goods: dried pasta or orzo, rice, red lentils, onions, garlic, potatoes, carrots.
• Nice-to-haves: a wedge of hard cheese, crème fraîche, a lemon, a bottle of red or white for cooking.

If the cabin has a fridge, add bacon lardons, sausages or chicken thighs. If not, tinned fish, chorizo and cured meats keep well in a cool box.

Hearty stews and casseroles

A stew is the ultimate cabin meal. It takes minutes to assemble and then looks after itself.

Sausage, bean and smoked paprika stew. Brown six sausages in a splash of oil, then lift them out. Soften a sliced onion and two cloves of garlic in the same pan. Stir in a teaspoon of smoked paprika and a tablespoon of tomato purée, tip in a tin of chopped tomatoes, a tin of drained butter beans and a splash of water or stock. Return the sausages, cover and simmer for 25 minutes. Finish with a handful of spinach if you have it, and serve with crusty bread — no second pan required.

Chorizo and red lentil pot. Fry a chopped onion, a diced carrot and 100g of diced chorizo until the oil runs red. Add 150g red lentils, a tin of tomatoes, a teaspoon of smoked paprika and 750ml stock. Simmer for 20–25 minutes until the lentils collapse. The chorizo does the seasoning for you.

A cast-iron casserole or a heavy-based saucepan works best, but any pan with a lid will do. Keep the heat low, stir occasionally, and add a splash of water if it starts to catch.

Soups and broths for chilly evenings

Soup is quick, cheap and warming, and it's the best use of whatever vegetables are wilting at the bottom of your bag.

Root vegetable and thyme soup. Sweat a chopped onion in butter or oil, add diced carrot, potato and swede — about 700g in total — with a few sprigs of thyme and 1 litre of stock. Simmer for 25 minutes, then mash roughly with a potato masher. No blender needed. Stir through a spoonful of crème fraîche or grated cheese.

Chicken and lemon orzo soup. Simmer 1 litre of stock with a diced carrot, a stick of celery and two chicken thighs for 20 minutes. Lift out the chicken, shred it, and return it with 100g orzo and the juice of half a lemon. Cook for another 10 minutes. A handful of frozen peas at the end adds colour and sweetness.

If you only have a kettle and a microwave — some glamping pods are that basic — instant couscous or noodle pots with a stock cube and chopped veg will still beat a cold sandwich.

One-pot pasta and rice

Forget boiling pasta separately. Cooking it in the sauce saves water, saves fuel and gives you a starchier, silkier result.

One-pot tomato and mozzarella pasta. Put 300g penne or fusilli in a wide pan with a tin of chopped tomatoes, two cloves of sliced garlic, a teaspoon of dried oregano, a pinch of chilli flakes, a tablespoon of olive oil and 700ml of water or stock. Bring to the boil, then simmer for 12–15 minutes, stirring often, until the pasta is tender and the liquid has thickened. Tear over mozzarella or grated cheddar and cover for two minutes to melt.

Mushroom and spinach rice. Fry a sliced onion and 250g sliced mushrooms in oil, then add 250g long-grain rice, 600ml stock and a knob of butter. Cover and cook gently for 15 minutes without stirring, then fold through a handful of spinach and some grated cheese. Rest for five minutes off the heat.

Small touches that make a difference

• Toast your spices. A few seconds in hot oil before the liquid goes in wakes up paprika, cumin and curry powder.
• Acid at the end. A squeeze of lemon, a splash of vinegar or a spoonful of pickle lifts a heavy stew.
• Use the residual heat. Switch off the hob and let the pan sit with the lid on. Cabins can be draughty, but a covered pan holds heat well.
• Bread is your friend. It thickens soup, mops sauce and saves washing a second plate.

One pot, one bowl, one mug of tea, and the rain on the roof. That's the whole point of a cabin evening.