NATIVE AMERICAN COOKING


Meats

Plains Pemmican

2cups shredded buffalo jerky or beef jerky
1cup chopped dried chokecherries or tart red cherries
.6tablespoons melted tallow(beef fat)or butter
Combine all ingredients and form 6 patties. Refrigerate until serving. Serves6.
The Sioux considered pemmican sacred and it was an honor to receive it.

Pueblo Rabbit

1med. sized rabbit(approx.4lbs.0
2tablespoons vegetable oil
3/4cup chopped onion
4cups chicken broth and 4cups water
1cup red wine vinegar
1tablespoon med. hot ground New Mexican red chili
salt to taste
1/2cup yellow cornmeal or ground sunflower seeds
Tortillas or Adobe bread for serving
Cut rabbit into serving pieces. Heat oil in a heavy Dutch oven and brown rabbit pieces well. Add onion,broth,water,vinegar and chili. Simmer, partially covered for 1/2 hour, until rabbit is tender. Season with salt. Slowly pour in cornmeal, stirring constantly. Let simmer, uncovered, for an additional 10 to 15 min., until sauce is slightly thickened. Serve with tortillas or adobe bread. Serves 4.

Pawnee Roast Prairie Chicken

2Prairie chickens, preferably free-range
salt and pepper,to taste
2cups diced celery
2cups chopped onion
3 to 4 tablespoons chopped fresh sage or 3 to 4 teaspoons dried
6tablespoons honey or molasses
4med. size sweet potatoes
2tablespoons chopped fresh chives
1tablespoon hulled sunflower seeds, lightly toasted
Preheat oven to 350. Rinse prairie chickens and pat dry. Place them in roasting pan. Season cavities with salt and pepper. Mix celery,onion,and sage together and stuff cavities. Truss birds and bruch each with 1 tablespoon of honey. Roast for 2min. per lb., or until juices from thickest part of thigh run clear when pricked, basting occasionally with pan juices.Scub potatoes and prick once or twice with a fork. Roast potatoes in oven with chicken for 45 to 60 min.,or until fork tender. When done, slit potatoes on top and push ends in to plump open.Drizzle with remaining honey and sprinkle with chives and suflower seeds. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Serves 4 to 6.


Breads

Buckskin Bread

2cups unbleached flour
1teaspoon baking powder
1teaspoon salt
1cup water
Preheat oven to 400. Sift dry ingredients into a mixing bowl. Quickly mix in the water. Press dough into a greased 9 inch pie plate. Bake bread for about 30 min.,until very lightly browned on top. Turn bread out and let cool on a rack. Makes one loaf

Cheyenne Batter Bread

1quart milk or water
2cups yellow or white cornmeal
3eggs separated
4tablespoons melted butter
1 1/2teaspoons salt
1/2teaspoon pepper
Preheat oven to 375. Bring milk to a boil in a large saucepan over med. heat. Gradually stir in cornmeal and cook,stirring for a few min. until thickened. Beat in egg yolks,butter,and seasonings. In a separate bowl,beat egg whites until they stand in stiff peaks. Fold whites into corn mixture and pour into a 2quart baking dish. Bake for 20 to 30 min.,until puffed and golden brown on top. Serves 6.

Adobe Bread

1 1/4ounce pkg. active dry yeast
1/2cup lukewarm water
1 1/2cups hot water
2tablespoons lard or vegetable shortening
1tablespoon sugar
1teaspoon salt
4 1/2 to 5 1/2cups unbleached flour
Preheat oven to 375.In a small bowl,dissolve yeast in lukewarm water and set aside. In a large mixing bowl, combine hot water, lard, sugar, and salt. Add 1cup flour and beat well. Stir in yeast until thoroughly combined. Add 3 to 3 1/2 cups flour, beating thoroughly. Turn onto a lightly floured surface and knead for 10 min., adding more flour, if necessary, until dough is smooth and elastic. Place dough in a greased bowl, cover with a towel, and let rise in a warm place until doubled in bulk, about 1 hour. Punch down and divide dough in half. Place in 2 smaller greased ovenproof bowls, turning once so the tops are greased, and bake for 45 to 50 min. or until tops are nicely browned. Turn loaves out and let cool on a rack. Makes 2 loaves or 12 servings.

Arapahoe Jebedanutch Fry Bread

1/2cup dry milk
1/3cup baking powder
7cups flour
1/4-1/2cup salt
3-1/2cups water
Oil or grease
Fill fry pan with oil or grease 1-1/2 inches deep. Sprinkle a little salt in oil to keep it from burning. In a large bowl combine dry milk, baking powder, flour, and salt. Add enough of the water to make a dough. Pull off pieces of dough, roll in a little flour and flatten slightly. Fry in oil until brown on one side. Turn and brown on the other side. Drain on paper towels. Eat soon after frying.

Desserts

Cactus Fruit Jelly

6 to 10 red ripe prickly pear cactus fruits(enough to make 3 1/2cups of juice)
1/2cup lemon juice
4 1/2cups sugar
1 3-fluid oz. pkg. liguid fruit pectin
Carefully remove thorns from fruit by wiping with a paper towel and then brushingwith a vegetable brush under water.Put fruit in a saucepan with enough water to cover.Boil for 15 to 20 min..Pour off water and discard.Mash or puree fruit through a strainer lined with doubled cheesecloth.Strain juice into a large measuring cup.Let juice sit for at least 30min. to allow sediment to settle to the bottom.Pour off juice carefully.You should have 3 1/2 cups.In a saucepan combine fruit juice,lemon juice,and sugar.Bring to a boil 1min..Stir in pectin and boil for 1min. longer.Remove from heat.Stir and skim foam off the top.Spoon into sterilized jelly jars and seal.Makes 3cups

Navajo Peach Crisp

6 large ripe peaches,peeled,pitted and sliced(5 to6cups)
1/4cup granulated sugar
1/2teaspoon cinnamon(optional)
3/4cup unbleached flour
3/4cup light brown sugar
1/4teaspoon salt
1/2cup butter
2tablespoons pinon nuts(pignoli)optional
Preheat oven to 375.In a 1 1/2 to 2quart baking dish,toss the peaches with granulated sugar and cinnamon.In a mixing bowl combine flour,brownn sugar,and salt.Cut in butter until mixture resembles coarse meal.Sprinkle this mixture evenly over the peaches.Sprinkle the top with nuts.Bake for 30 to 40min.,until golden brown on top.Serves4 to 6.

Paselitos(Little Fruit Pies)

Dough:1 1/2cups unbleached flour
1teaspoon baking powder
1/2teaspoon salt
6tablespoons lard or vegetable shortening,chilled
3 to 4tablespoons water
1 egg
1tablespoon milk
Preheat oven to 400.Combine flour,baking powder,and salt in a mixing bowl.Cut in lard until mixture resembles fine meal.Slowly add water until dough is easy to roll.Roll out 1/4inch thickness and cut into 4inch rounds.Put 1tablespoon of fruit filling on one half of each round,fold over the other half of the round,and pinch edges together firmly.Prick the tops in several places with a fork.Mix egg with milk and brush on the tops of the pies.Bake for 15min. or until lightly browned.Makes 10 paselitos.

Indian Pudding

4cups milk
1cup maple syrup
1/4cup butter
2/3cup cornnmeal
1/2teaspoon dried ginger
1/4teaspoon ground nutmeg
1 1/2cups dried currants or raisons
ice cream(optional)
Preheat oven to 300.Butter a 2quart casserole dish.In a saucepan,combine 3cups of milk and the maple syrup over med. heat.Heat until just boiling and add butter.In a separate bowl,combine cornmeal,ginger,and nutmeg.Gradually mix cornmeal mixture into hot milk.Reduce heat to low and cook until thickened,about 10min.Fold in currants.Spoon mixture into the casserole.Pour remaining milk over pudding;do not stir.Bake pudding 2 1/2 hours,or until all of the milk has been absorbed and top is golden brown.Serve warm,and top with ice cream,if desired.Serves 6.

Kickapoo Berry Syrup

1 Quart berry juice
(blackberry,strawberry,etc.)
1 pint sugar
1 tsp. allspice
1 tsp. cinnamon
1tsp. cloves
1 tsp. nutmeg
Mix all ingredients in pan and bring to a boil. Boil about 15 to 20 minutes; remove from heat. Put in jars, seal and keep for future use.

Soups&Stews

Elk Stew with Acorn Dumplings

4 slices bacon,halved
1 1/2lb. elk or beef chuck steak,trimmed and cubed
1 quart plus 1/2 cup water
1 1/4 cups chopped onion
2 bay leaves
1 teaspoon salt(optional)
3 potatoes,peeled and diced
3 carrots,peeled and diced
1 large turnip,diced
1/4 cup acorn meal or finely ground hazelnuts

Acorn Dumplings

1/2 cup acorn meal or finely ground hazelnuts
1/2 cup whole wheat flour
1 3/4 teaspoons baking powder
1 egg,beaten
2 tablespoons milk
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
In a large skillet over med. heat, cook bacon until some of it's fat is rendered. Add elk and brown with the bacon. Add 1 quart of water,onion,bay leaves,and salt. Cover and simmer for 1 1/2 hrs. Add potatoes, carrots and turnip and cook 30 min. longer. Combine remaining water with acorn meal and stir into the simmering stew. In a bowl,combine dumpling ingredients and beat until smooth. Drop by tablespoons into the simmering stew. Cover tightly and steam 12 to 15 min. Serves 6.

Iroquois Soup

4 cups chicken broth
1 cup chopped green or yellow onions
1/2 cup cornmeal
3/4lb. haddock,trout or bass fillets
1 1/2 to 2 cups fresh lima beans
4to6 wild mushrooms(morels,crimini,or shiitake) thinly sliced
2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
2 tablespoons chopped fresh dill
salt and ground pepper

Place broth in a large saucepan. Add green onions and cornmeal. Simmer over low heat for 10 min. Add fish fillets, lima beans and mushrooms. Continue cooking for 25 min., stirring occasionally and breaking fish into small pieces. Add parsley and dill. Cook for 1 min. longer. Season to taste with salt and pepper and serve. Serves 4to6.

Cherokee Pepper Pot Soup

1lb. venison or beef short ribs or shanks
2 quarts water
2 large onions,quartered
2 ripe tomatoes,seeded and diced
1 large sweet bell pepper,seeded and diced
1 cup fresh or frozen okra
1/2 cup diced carrots
1/2 cup diced potatoes
1/2 cup fresh or frozen corn kernels
1/4 cup chopped celery
salt and ground pepper to taste
catsup to taste
Put meat, water and onions in a heavy soup kettle. Cover and bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce heat to low and simmer for 3 hours. Remove meat, let cool and discard bones, returning meat to pot. Stir in remaining vegetables and simmer, partially covered, for 1 1/2 hours. Season with salt,pepper and catsup. Serves 4to6.

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