Native Recipes

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admin — Fri, 29 Mar 2013 15:24:59 +0000

Alternative Leaching Methods & Natural Dying Uses

admin — Fri, 22 Mar 2013 11:13:52 +0000

The alternative method of leaching, which I personally use (as do most of the people I have spoken to about this subject) is to take my winnowing basket (or a broad-bottomed basket), place a clean, “white” UNBLEACHED cloth (like a tea towel used just for this purpose….which will never be white again) in the bottom of the basket, and then place your finely ground acorn meal on top of the cloth. Then I get a piece of cedar branch (new growth preferred and place it on top of the acorn meal and run water on it, VERY SLOWLY. I place my basket on top of a large cooking pot (so that I can save the tannin water) in such a way that when the pot fills up, my basket won’t be sitting in the water, and the pot can overflow. I check on the leaching process periodically, so I can empty the soup kettle as it fills. Since I am also a weaver and spinner, who does natural dying on occasion, a day or two before I know I’m going to be leaching acorn, I wash any uncolored wool fleece I may have on hand that I will want to dye later, or any white yarn I want to dye in the near future…IF I REMEMBER. Sometimes I don’t plan ahead. Anyway, as the acorn leaching pot fills, I will pour this tannin-filled water into the washing machine, where I later place up to 3 or 4 lbs of clean white wool or yarn to soak up the tannic acid solution. When I am ready to dye the wool at a later date, the color will come out much more dramatically that it would if I had used “untreated fleece”.

Another way I have heard of to leach acorn, which I have NEVER tried and probably never will, is to SCRUB the water tank on your toilet to remove any algae, and use this “sanitary” part of your toilet to leach your acorn meal. It makes sense to use water that otherwise is wasted but it doesn’t seem like a very aesthetic topic of conversation for a public gathering … I can hear it now: “Gee, this acorn mush isn’t half bad …. you must have leached it really thoroughly.” “Why yes I do; I let it sit in a clean muslin bag in my toilet tank for a week or so…” Then watch your dinner guests put their food down, never to eat at your camp fire again. The girl that shared this bit of information with us had just remodeled her house, had a brand new toilet, and hence no green film in the tank, so she thought it was the perfect opportunity to try out a method she had heard of, or had a theory about. She also went on to say, that she was glad her new toilet was a pale brown color because the tannin discolored her the toilet bowl for quite some time….

Californian Acorns

admin — Fri, 22 Mar 2013 11:05:06 +0000

California Indians did not have to be farmers, and for the most part were hunters and gatherers. There was a ready supply of deer, fish,rabbits, foul, native plants for vegetables, native fruits, and even sea weed. Even so, acorns are said to have been the main food of as many as 3/4 of our native Californians. Acorns were everywhere, are easy to gather and store fairly well … as long as your storage places are squirrel tight. Some groups buried baskets of nuts until they were needed. Some claim that white acorns were the most preferred because they were sweet and often eaten without leaching. The most common oaks found in the San Francisco Bay area are the Tan Oak, Black Oak, California Live Oak, and Valley Oak. Many of these have been seriously endangered through the process of turning pasture land into housing developments, with the Live Oak being the least threatened — since this oak is not deciduous, it offers “building development appeal” by remaining “green and healthy looking” all year. Many of the Pomos prefer the Tan Oak because they feel it has more flavor. Many of the MiWuks prefer the Black Oak because it takes less leaching to get rid of the tannin. Many of us don’t like the California live oak because “its too much work for the amount of meal you get compared to the amount of leaching you have to do,” “its got no character,” “too wormy,” or “its too easy to get — nothing that plentiful can be very good.” The list goes on and on. My favorite is the Black Oak … with a little Tan Oak added for character. Acorns are gathered in the fall after they are ripe, Early in the season you will occasionally find acorns without their “little hats” lying on the ground. These are usually buggy. (If the acorn is so heavy that it pulls itself from its cap, it is usually because there is a worm flipping itself about inside the acorn, and all this activity is what breaks the nut free from its cap and the tree.) When the acorns are actually ripe, they fall from the tree, cap intact. If you see any holes in them, throw them away. They are sometimes stored first, to dry them out, and then shelled. Other groups shell them first, and then dry them out by placing them someplace safe, yet warm, to dry. For the ultimate in information on processing acorn, refer to a new book about Yosemite’s Julia Parker, written by Park Naturalist Bev Ortiz which came out in 1992 or 1993. It was published by the same group that produces News from Native California, headed by Malcolm Margolin. There is first and foremost, the original recipe: AFTER THE ACORNS ARE **COMPLETELY DRY** & REMOVED FROM THEIR SHELLS, the Acorns are ground until the meal is so fine that “it will stick to the basket sifter” when it is turned upside down. When you have determined that you have ground the acorns to “primo” consistency, you must then leach it. This was traditionally accomplished (before we had woven cloth to work with) by building a mound of fine sand, near a spring or the river, and then scooping out the center. The meal you wished to leach was placed in the center of this mound and water poured over a clean cedar bough which was placed or held above the acorn meal. The tannin would leach out of the acorn meal and harmlessly down into the sand. When tasting it showed the tannin had been removed, the meal was carefully removed from its sand “colander” and put into a cooking basket. Water is added — the correct amount for the amount of acorn meal you are going to use, which is something that takes a while to adjust to. Too much water will require cooking longer to get the consistency you want. Not enough water and the acorn will burn. Then special cooking rocks were heated in a fire, rinsed off, and using special stirring sticks, the rocks were stirred in the basket to heat the acorn solution thoroughly. As each rock cooled down, it was removed, and another hot clean rock took its place in the cooking basket. The rock that had been removed was washed off and placed back in the fire to reheat and await its turn to become a cooking implement once again. In what seems like no time at all, the acorn soup is boiling, and the stirring continues until the soup is of the desired consistency — either thin to eat with a spoon, or thicker to eat with a fork, depending on what the “cook” has in mind. Though the above “soup” was eaten straight by the traditional people, I usually add a little salt, and occasionally some dried currents or blue elderberries, or even raisins. Some people like to add a little cinnamon. The rocks are saved for the next time, since finding perfect rocks that won’t explode when subjected to heat, or won’t crumble into the food, or give a bad taste, etc., are not as easy to find as you might think. The baskets, tools, implements, rocks, etc. used to cook acorn are considered a family legacy and kept within a family to be passed down from generation to generation. What makes a good cooking basket is the subject of another dissertation and shall not be gone into at this time. Ask the next expert basket weaver you meet to explain to you how a cooking basket is made.

Yucatan-Style Pork

admin — Tue, 19 Mar 2013 01:55:04 +0000

By: Justin

native

6 pound boneless pork shoulder (not lean),; cut into 3-inch chunks
21/2 teaspoons salt
1/2 cup fresh Seville (bitter) orange juice
1 teaspoon black peppercorns
1 teaspoon cumin seeds
1/2 teaspoon whole allspice
3 tablespoons annatto (achiote) seeds
6 cloves garlic
1 teaspoon dried oregano (preferably Mexican),; crumbled
1 pc large white onion, halved lengthwise, then cut crosswise in
3 pcs fresh or thawed frozen banana leaves

total time: 9 hours
A popular dish in the Yucatan where it is traditionally cooked in a pit,
cochinita pibil may be the most tender, flavorful pork…Special equipment : an electric coffee/spice grinder; a 15- by 1O-inch roasting pan (2 inches deep) Accompaniments: habanero salsa ; warm tortillas or rice print a shopping list for this recipe PreparationPut pork in a large bowl and rub with 1 teaspoon salt and 2 tablespoons juice. Toast peppercorns, cumin, and allspice together, then cool slightly. Transfer to grinder along with annatto seeds and grind to a powder. Transfer to a small bowl. Mince garlic and mash to a paste with remaining 1 1/2 teaspoons salt using side of a large heavy knife. Add to ground spices along with oregano and remaining 6 tablespoons juice and stir to make a paste. Toss pork with paste to coat well. Add onion and toss to combine. Holding both ends of a banana leaf, drag leaf over a burner on moderately high heat slowly until it changes color slightly and becomes shinier, then turn over and toast other side. Toast remaining banana leaves in same manner.Line roasting pan with leaves, shinier sides down, by arranging 1 leaf lengthwise and 2 leaves crosswise, letting excess hang over sides. Trim overhang to about 8 inches on all sides. Transfer pork mixture to banana leaves, then fold overhang of leaves over pork to enclose completely. Cover pan tightly with foil and chill, at least 6 hours. Put oven rack in middle position, then put pan with pork in oven and heat to 400°F (to take chill off pork gently).Once oven has reached 400°F, bake until pork is very tender, 2 1/4 to 2 3/4 hours. Discard foil and open banana leaves, then serve pork with salsa and tortillas. Cooks’ notes: ·In place of the Seville (bitter) orange juice, you can use 1/4 cup fresh regular orange juice plus 1/4 cup fresh lime juice, stirred together. ·Pork in banana leaves (not baked) can be chilled up to 1 day.Notes: Gourmet | May 2007 Yield: makes 8 to 10 s Preparation Time: 30 mi

Wild Sage Bread

admin — Tue, 19 Mar 2013 01:53:21 +0000

native

1 package dry yeast
1 cup native or cottage cheese
1 pc egg
1 tablespoon melted lard or other shortening
1 tablespoon sugar
2 teaspoons crushed dried wild sage
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 cup lukewarm water
2-1/2 cups flour

1 Mix all dry ingredients together thoroughly. Dissolve yeast in lukewarm water. Beat together egg and cheese until smooth, add melted shortening and yeast. 2 Combine all ingredients in a large bowl adding flour mixture slowly and beating vigorously after each addition until stiff dough is formed. Cover dough with cloth and let rise in a warm place for an hour or until double in bulk. Punch dough down, knead for one minute and put into buttered pan or casserole. Cover and let rise for 40 minutes. Bake at 350 for 50 minutes. Brush top with melted shortening and sprinkle with crushed, roasted pinions or coarse salt. Notes: Pueblo Indian Cookbook/1978

Wild Pecan Blue Cheese Fritters

admin — Tue, 19 Mar 2013 01:52:31 +0000

By: David Blaine

native

3 ounces blue cheese
2 tablespoons heavy cream
1/4 cup pecans chopped
2 tablespoons coarsely chopped red bell pepper
1/4 cup flour for rolling dough
1 pc 15oz package ready-made pie crust; containing 2 pie crusts
2 tablespoons pecans halved
oil for frying

Blend blue cheese, cream, 1/4 cup chopped pecans and red bell pepper in a food processor.Sprinkle countertop with flour and unroll the two pie crusts. Cut 8 (2×3-inch) rectangles out of each crust. Place 1 tablespoon filling each on 8 rectangles. Cover them with the remaining 8 rectangles. Pinch small points in the corners, middle and ends to seal the edges. The packet will have 8 small points. Press the remaining 2 tablespoons pecans onto the top of the fritters. Heat oil to 350 degrees F and fry the fritters one at a time for about 1 minute or until they are golden. Drain on a plate lined with paper towels.

Venison Stew

admin — Tue, 19 Mar 2013 01:51:42 +0000

By: Gloria Cabada-Leman

native

2 tbsp. cooking oil
2 lbs. venison stew meat
3 large onions, coarsely chopped
2 garlic cloves, crushed
1 tbsp. worcestershire sauce
1 bay leaf
1 tsp. dried oregano
1 tbsp. salt
1 tsp. pepper
3 cups water
7 pcs potatoes, peeled and quartered
1 lb. carrots, cut into 1-inch pieces
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
1/4 cup cold water

Heat oil in Dutch oven. Brown meat. Add onions, garlic, Worcestershire sauce, bay leaf, oregano, salt and pepper. Simmer, covered, 1-1/2 to 2 hours until meat is tender. Add potatoes and carrots. Continue to cook until vegetables are tender, 30-45 minutes.
Mix flour and water; stir into stew. Cook and stir until thickened and
bubbly. Remove bay leaf.

Southwestern Shrimp

admin — Tue, 19 Mar 2013 01:50:01 +0000

By: Eli Hodapp

native

1 pound large peeled cooked shrimp
1 cup diced jicama
1/2 cup mild salsa
1 tbs olive oil
1/3 cup chopped cilantro
1/4 tsp cumin
1 avocado, sliced
serve with: hot fry bread

Put first 6 ingredients in a bowl, toss to mix. Add avocado, toss to mix. Roll up in warm fry bread, if desired. Yield: 4 servings

Southwestern Onion Rings

admin — Tue, 19 Mar 2013 01:49:30 +0000

By: jeffreyw

native

4 cups buttermilk
2 large vidalia onions cut in 1/4-in-thick; rounds, separated into ri
vegetable oil (for deep frying)
3 cups all purpose flour
3 tablespoons ground cumin
3 tablespoon chili powder
1 tablespoon salt
1 tablespoon cayenne pepper

Place buttermilk in large bowl. Add onion rings and toss to coat. Let stand at room temperature 20 minutes or up to 1 hour, turning onions occasionally. Pour enough oil into heavy large saucepan to reach depth of 3 inches. Heat to 350°F.Mix flour, cumin, chili powder, salt and cayenne in large bowl. Remove 1 handful of onion rings from buttermilk; add to flour mixture and toss to coat. Add onion rings to oil; cook until crisp and golden brown, about 2 minutes. Using tongs, transfer to paper towels and drain. Repeat with
remaining onion rings in batches. Mound in bowl and serve. Notes: Bon Appétit | June 1996 Yield: serves 4

Southwestern Corn Bread

admin — Tue, 19 Mar 2013 01:47:33 +0000

By: Vegan Feast Catering

native

1 can (15 1/4 ounces whole kernel corn, drained
1 cup all-purpose flour
1 cup cornmeal
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 pc egg
2 pcs egg whites
3/4 cup fat-free milk
1/4 cup canola oil
1 cup shredded reduced-fat cheddar cheese; (4 ounces)
1 can chopped green chilies (4 ounces)

Place corn in a food processor or blender; cover and process until coarsely chopped. Set aside. In a bowl, combine the flour, cornmeal, baking soda and salt. In a small bowl, combine the egg, egg whites, milk and oil. Stir into dry ingredients just until moistened. Add the cheese, chilies and corn. Pour into a 9-in. square baking dish coated with nonstick cooking spray. Bake at 350 degrees F for 40-45 minutes or until a toothpick inserted near the center comes out clean. Serve warm.