Native American Indian Recipes
Recipes adapted from Native Harvest by Barrie Kavasch
Chippewa Bannock
Good trail food
2 cups cornmeal
3/4 cup water
5 tablespoons oil
honey to taste or 1/2 cup berries
1/4 cup oil for frying
Blend top three ingredients together and sweeten with honey. Heat oil in large skillet and drop batter by tablespoonful into it, flattening them into cakes. Cook 5 minutes per side, or until golden. Enjoy either hot or cold. 6 servings.
Corn Chowder
1 can corn, drained
1 onion, chopped
1/2 pound mushrooms
6 cups meat stock or water
1 green pepper, chopped
1 potato, diced
2 tablespoons butter
1 tablespoon dill weed, chopped
Cook all ingredients together, except mushrooms and dill weed. Simmer 30 minutes. Add sliced mushrooms. Steam with the lid on for another 5 minutes. Add dill. Serve while hot. 8 servings.
Hominy Grits
Used as a breakfast cereal, lunch soup or dinner vegetable
5 cups water
1 cup hominy grits
1 tablespoon butter
1 tablespoon honey
Bring water to a rapid boil in a saucepan. Gradually pour in the hominy grits and stir. Then add the butter and stir. Cook for 20 minutes, or until the water is absorbed. Grits may be sweetened with honey or maple syrup. Serve while hot. 8 Servings.
Indian Pudding
2 cups raisins or nannyberries
2 cups fine cornmeal
1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
4 cups water
1/2 cup nut butter
1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
1/2 cup honey
1/4 cup Juneberries
Toss raisins (or nannyberries) and cornmeal together gently. Bring the water to a boil with the nut butter in a large saucepan. Gradually add the cornmeal-raisin mixture and simmer, stirring until it thickens - about 15 minutes. Add the remaining ingredients, blending thoroughly. Pour into 2 1/2 quart greased casserole dish. Set the casserole in a pan of water, 1" or 2" deep, and bake at 325 degrees for 2 1/2 hours. Cool before serving. Serve with additional nutmeg for topping. 12 servings.
Stewed Wild Cherries
Serve over pudding or cornmeal dishes
1 quart wild black cherries, stoned, cracked and cherry kernel saved
1 cup maple syrup
1 cup cider
Simmer the wild cherries with their kernels plus the syrup and cider in a large covered crock stirring occasionally, for 30 minutes. Serve either hot or cooled over puddings or use to flavor cornmeal dishes. 8 servings.
Winnebago Wild Rice
1 cup wild rice
1 1/2 teaspoon salt
6 eggs
2 1/2 cups water
4 strips bacon
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1/3 cup melted butter or bacon fat
Put rice, 1 teaspoon salt, and water in saucepan. Bring to a boil and reduce heat to a simmer until all water is absorbed. Cook bacon until crisp, break into small pieces. Beat eggs with 1/2 teaspoon salt and pepper until fluffy. Lightly beat eggs in the skillet where the bacon was cooked. Combine bacon, eggs, butter or bacon fat with wild rice. Serve warm. 4 servings.
Fried Hominy Grits
Served as a breakfast cake
1 recipe of hominy grits, cooked
1/3 cup oil or bacon fat
Press grits into 8 greased custard cups or another container approximately 3 inches in diameter. Chill at least 2 hours (best overnight). Unmold and slice into 1/2 inch thick rounds. Heat oil and brown grits for 8 minutes on each side. Serve hot, plain or top with maple syrup. 8 servings.
Toasted Pumpkin or Squash Seeds
Good afternoon snack
Spread clean seeds on foil-covered baking sheets. Sprinkle lightly with oil. Flavor with herbs such as oregano, mint or a little salt. Roast at 325 degrees until crisp and brown, about 20 minutes. Serve immediately, or cool and store in airtight containers.
Nut Butter
Grind 1 cup of shelled nuts into a paste, using stones, a mortar and pestle or a blender. This paste may be sweetened with one to two teaspoons of honey or maple syrup. Mix to taste. Keep in refrigerator to prevent spoilage and flavor loss.
Elder Blossom Fritters
Dessert
2 cups fine white cornmeal
1 cup water
1 egg, slightly beaten
1 tablespoon maple syrup
16 elder blossom clusters
1/4 cup corn oil for frying
Prepare batter by beating together the cornmeal, egg, water and maple syrup. Wash elder blossom clusters and let dry. Heat the oil on a griddle and drop the batter by large tablespoons onto it. Immediately place 1 blossom cluster in the center of each raw fritter and press lightly into the batter. Fry for 3 - 5 minutes, or until golden brown. Flip and fry for 3 minutes on the other side. Drain on paper towel. Serve hot with maple syrup. An electric skillet may be used in place of the griddle. 8 servings.
