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Native Cooking
Posted: April 26, 2005
by: Dale Carson / Indian Country Today
In some ways, our ancestors had it easy: yes, easy. They didn't have to make a million decisions about what to have for dinner. They cooked outside for the most part, and as we all know, everything tastes better outside. If it was cold, damp or rainy, the fire in the wigwam, tipi or hogan was a great place to snuggle up in and keep warm.
Today, feeding a family a couple of times a day can really test your mettle and inventiveness, not to mention your pocketbook. When our children were small it was much easier to plan meals with nutrition in mind. There was always a breakfast, a lunch and a sit-down dinner.
As they grew older, school activities, jobs, friends and other distractions made for odd eating times that required creative warming techniques. This must be why we have microwaves, toaster ovens and keep-warm settings.
It also meant it was harder for us moms to get out of the kitchen. My two kids at home have such whacked schedules that I have practically given up on family meals. I am lucky if we all eat together once or twice a week.
In Asian cooking there is an easy method of keeping things warm that I discovered by accident. One day I had bread to defrost, vegetables to steam and cooked brown rice to keep warm. I put a screen with a handle, used to keep down frying spatter, on top of the steaming vegetables. Then I sat the rice on top to keep warm in a colander and stacked the bread to defrost on top of that. It worked great and used less energy.
Then at a kitchen shop I found some bamboo steaming trays with a top to hold in the heat. I felt guilty as I bought them, but I use them all the time and feel good about saving all that energy on my stove. Another way to save energy is to make one-pot meals a couple times a week.
***
Easy Dinner
2 boneless chicken breasts, cut in 1-inch chunks
1/2 pound of cooked smoked sausage, cut in 1/2-inch slices
1 onion, chopped
1 clove of garlic, crushed
2 tablespoons good olive or canola oil
2 cans of white beans (cannellini), drained
1 can diced tomatoes, not drained
1/2 teaspoon each: thyme, sage, parsley
Salt and pepper to taste
Saute the chicken, garlic and onion in the oil until chicken is lightly browned. Stir in the beans, tomatoes and herbs gently, cover and simmer for 10 minutes. Frozen peas or asparagus tips also make a nice addition.
***
Buffalo-Beans and Rice
1 pound ground buffalo (or beef or turkey)
1 large can beans (any)
2 cups cooked rice (brown or white)
1/2 can small diced tomatoes with juice
1 or more tablespoons chili powder
Brown the meat. Add beans, rice, tomatoes and chili powder and simmer for about 10 minutes. Add a little water or tomato juice to keep from sticking. This dish tastes best cooked in a cast iron pan.
***
Green Squash Salad with Avocado
2 small green squash, sliced and slightly cooked
2 green chilies, sliced and peeled
1 avocado, cubed
4 ounces Monterey Jack cheese, cubed
2 tablespoons chives, chopped
1 stalk celery, sliced
Green olives stuffed with pimento and Lettuce, Romaine or other
Dressing:
1 garlic clove, crushed
1/2 cup olive oil
1/4 cup lemon juice flavored with some tarragon vinegar
1/2 teaspoon each of ground basil and dill weed
1 teaspoon cilantro
Salt and pepper to taste
Saute the squash in a bit of olive oil until just slightly cooked. Put squash, chilies, avocado, cheese, chives and celery in a bowl; set aside.
Make the dressing and shake it to blend. Pour over the salad and toss well to coat. Keep chilled in the fridge for one hour. Serve on lettuce leaves garnished with a few olives.
***
Super Salsa
2 cups fresh, ripe tomatoes, chopped
3/4 cup onion, chopped
2 tablespoons hot green chili peppers, chopped
1 tablespoon cilantro, chopped
1 teaspoon salt
Juice of 2 limes
Combine all ingredients and chill in fridge so flavors can meld together.
Notes & Tips
* Don't throw out those lime skins from the salsa recipe. Put them in a pan with water and simmer slowly for a nice fragrance in your kitchen.
* If you have one of those teaball holders with a chain, try filling it with spices or herbs to put into soups and stews. You get the flavor, but no debris like bay leaves, cloves or garlic chunks.
* I don't know if its true, but I was told that if you plant mint, any mint, in your window boxes, that will keep away the flies.
Posted: April 26, 2005
by: Dale Carson / Indian Country Today
In some ways, our ancestors had it easy: yes, easy. They didn't have to make a million decisions about what to have for dinner. They cooked outside for the most part, and as we all know, everything tastes better outside. If it was cold, damp or rainy, the fire in the wigwam, tipi or hogan was a great place to snuggle up in and keep warm.
Today, feeding a family a couple of times a day can really test your mettle and inventiveness, not to mention your pocketbook. When our children were small it was much easier to plan meals with nutrition in mind. There was always a breakfast, a lunch and a sit-down dinner.
As they grew older, school activities, jobs, friends and other distractions made for odd eating times that required creative warming techniques. This must be why we have microwaves, toaster ovens and keep-warm settings.
It also meant it was harder for us moms to get out of the kitchen. My two kids at home have such whacked schedules that I have practically given up on family meals. I am lucky if we all eat together once or twice a week.
In Asian cooking there is an easy method of keeping things warm that I discovered by accident. One day I had bread to defrost, vegetables to steam and cooked brown rice to keep warm. I put a screen with a handle, used to keep down frying spatter, on top of the steaming vegetables. Then I sat the rice on top to keep warm in a colander and stacked the bread to defrost on top of that. It worked great and used less energy.
Then at a kitchen shop I found some bamboo steaming trays with a top to hold in the heat. I felt guilty as I bought them, but I use them all the time and feel good about saving all that energy on my stove. Another way to save energy is to make one-pot meals a couple times a week.
***
Easy Dinner
2 boneless chicken breasts, cut in 1-inch chunks
1/2 pound of cooked smoked sausage, cut in 1/2-inch slices
1 onion, chopped
1 clove of garlic, crushed
2 tablespoons good olive or canola oil
2 cans of white beans (cannellini), drained
1 can diced tomatoes, not drained
1/2 teaspoon each: thyme, sage, parsley
Salt and pepper to taste
Saute the chicken, garlic and onion in the oil until chicken is lightly browned. Stir in the beans, tomatoes and herbs gently, cover and simmer for 10 minutes. Frozen peas or asparagus tips also make a nice addition.
***
Buffalo-Beans and Rice
1 pound ground buffalo (or beef or turkey)
1 large can beans (any)
2 cups cooked rice (brown or white)
1/2 can small diced tomatoes with juice
1 or more tablespoons chili powder
Brown the meat. Add beans, rice, tomatoes and chili powder and simmer for about 10 minutes. Add a little water or tomato juice to keep from sticking. This dish tastes best cooked in a cast iron pan.
***
Green Squash Salad with Avocado
2 small green squash, sliced and slightly cooked
2 green chilies, sliced and peeled
1 avocado, cubed
4 ounces Monterey Jack cheese, cubed
2 tablespoons chives, chopped
1 stalk celery, sliced
Green olives stuffed with pimento and Lettuce, Romaine or other
Dressing:
1 garlic clove, crushed
1/2 cup olive oil
1/4 cup lemon juice flavored with some tarragon vinegar
1/2 teaspoon each of ground basil and dill weed
1 teaspoon cilantro
Salt and pepper to taste
Saute the squash in a bit of olive oil until just slightly cooked. Put squash, chilies, avocado, cheese, chives and celery in a bowl; set aside.
Make the dressing and shake it to blend. Pour over the salad and toss well to coat. Keep chilled in the fridge for one hour. Serve on lettuce leaves garnished with a few olives.
***
Super Salsa
2 cups fresh, ripe tomatoes, chopped
3/4 cup onion, chopped
2 tablespoons hot green chili peppers, chopped
1 tablespoon cilantro, chopped
1 teaspoon salt
Juice of 2 limes
Combine all ingredients and chill in fridge so flavors can meld together.
Notes & Tips
* Don't throw out those lime skins from the salsa recipe. Put them in a pan with water and simmer slowly for a nice fragrance in your kitchen.
* If you have one of those teaball holders with a chain, try filling it with spices or herbs to put into soups and stews. You get the flavor, but no debris like bay leaves, cloves or garlic chunks.
* I don't know if its true, but I was told that if you plant mint, any mint, in your window boxes, that will keep away the flies.
