Native American Food

Filling
3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
2 1/2 cups chopped onions
1 1/4 pounds assorted wild mushrooms
1 1/2 tablespoons chopped fresh sage
4 teaspoons chopped fresh thyme
3 large garlic cloves, chopped
2 1/2 teaspoons ground cumin
4 cups 1/2-inch cubes seeded peeled butternut squash (about 2 1/2 lbs)
2 cups drained rinsed black beans (from two 15-ounce cans)
2 cups diced tomatoes in juice (from two 14 1/2-ounce cans)
1/2 cup water
Cornbread
4 cups masa harina (corn tortilla mix)
2/3 cup yellow cornmeal
2 1/4 teaspoons salt
3/4 teaspoon baking powder
4 1/4 cups (or more) water
10 tablespoons (1 1/4 butter, melted, divided
2 large eggs
1 large egg yolk
2 cups (packed) coarsely grated extra-sharp white cheddar cheese (about 8 ounces)
3 tablespoons finely chopped fresh italian parsley
Ancho Mole

For filling:
Heat oil in large pot over medium-high heat. Add onions; sauté until golden, about 10 minutes. Add mushrooms; sauté until tender, about 10 minutes. Add sage, thyme, garlic, and cumin; stir 1 minute. Add squash, beans, tomatoes with juice, and 1/2 cup water; bring to boil. Reduce heat to medium, cover, and simmer 8 minutes. Uncover and simmer until vegetables are tender and most of liquid has evaporated but mixture is still very moist, about 12 minutes. Season filling generously with salt and pepper.
(Can be made 1 day ahead. Cool slightly. Cover; chill.)
For cornbread:
Preheat oven to 350°F. Butter 15x10x2-inch glass baking dish. Mix Masa Harina, cornmeal, salt, and baking powder in large bowl. Whisk 4 1/4 cups water, 6 tablespoons melted butter, eggs, and egg yolk in another large bowl to blend. Stir egg mixture into Masa Harina mixture. Stir in cheese and parsley, adding more water by tablespoonfuls as needed to form thick moist dough. Transfer 4 cups dough to prepared baking dish. Place large piece of plastic wrap atop dough. Using plastic as aid, press dough evenly over bottom and 3/4 of the way up sides of dish; peel off plastic. Spoon filling into dough in dish, spreading evenly. Spoon remaining dough in small dollops atop filling. Using offset spatula, gently spread dollops evenly over filling to cover. Press top and bottom dough together at edges to seal, enclosing
filling. (Can be made 1 day ahead. Cover; chill.)
Brush top of casserole with 4 tablespoons melted butter. Bake until dough is light golden and casserole is heated through, about 1 hour (or about 1 hour 15 minutes if chilled). Cool 10 minutes. Cut into squares; serve with Ancho Mole.

Contributor: Bon Appétit Menus November 2005

Yield: 8 servings.

4 T. corn oil or butter ( buffalo suet was orignally used)
1 large yellow onions, chopped
2 medium yellow squash, cubed
1 red bell pepper, roasted, seeded and chopped (orjarred whole pimento)
4 c. whole kernel yellow sweet corn
1/2 c. parsley, chopped fine
salt and pepper to taste
1/2 c. water or stock, if needed

It is said by the Pawnee people that this is one of their oldest dishes,despite that it has modern touches; the yellow squash is the one ingredient that they insist on, occasionally chopped nuts are added if not being served with above recipe. Warm oil or butter in a large frying pan over medium heat. Quickly saute'the onion for 3 to 5 minutes, until translucent. Add the squash and chopped pepper, stirring to blend well and cook for an additional 5 minutes. Stir often to keep mixture from sticking. Add the corn, the remaining seasoning and all or some of the liquid if the mixture is
sticking--add more liquid as needed. Stir well, cover, and cook for 10 to 15 minutes, stirring once or twice. Serve hot.

Bannock (see below for filling)
750 grams cake flour
500 grams vegetable shortening
250 ml water
15 grams salt
30 grams brown sugar
Apple filling for crumble
1500 grams apples
10 ml lemon juice
125 grams brown sugar
125 grams sugar
1 teaspoon cinnamon
80 grams butter
30 grams brown sugar
40 grams oat flakes
50 grams cornstarch
2 medium eggs -- for eggwash

Bannock:
1. Mix flour and shortening and rub until mealy or pea size nuggets
2. Mix in cold water, and blend, let rest dust with hard flour
3. Roll out dough and let rest before filling
4. Once filled bake at 400*F until brown
Filling:
1. Peel and slice apples add lemon
2. Blend sugar starch and cinnamon add to apple mixture
3. Fill shell and mix butter oats and brown sugar, top.
4. Fold over edges and bake with an egg wash at 400*F or until golden brown

Contributor: Chef D. Wolfman

3 lb chicken pieces
1/2 c shortening
1 green pepper cut into strips
1 20 oz can of peaches
1 tb soya sauce
1 lg onion, quartered/separated
flour, salt, pepper, spices
3 tb vinegar

Coat the chicken with the flour and the spices and put into the frying pan to brown the chicken in the shortening at 350 F. Lower the temperature to 250 F, cover, cook for 20 minutes. Drain. Add the onion and green peppers. Cook until the onion is translucent. Drain the syrup from the peaches. Use 1 cup. Blend in the cornstarch, soya sauce and vinegar. Stir into the chicken mixture. Cook until liquid is clear. Add peaches and cook 5 minutes more. Serve with wild rice.

Contributor: Helen V. Hamilton

Yield: 6 servings

1 wild duck, cleaned
2 1/2 qt. cornbread crumbs
1 large onion, chopped fine
duck giblets
2 T. margarine
pepper
sage
garlic
2 apples, diced
1/2 c. flour

Boil giblets until tender, and chop into fine pieces. Combine the cornbread crumbs, onions and apples. Mix well and add pepper, sage, garlic and other seasonings to taste. Moisten and stuff the goose with this mixture. Place goose in roasting pan and spread with about 2 tablespoons margarine, and then sprinkle with a little flour. Roast in 350 degree oven until done, about 15 to 20 minutes per pound. Baste often.

3 1/4 cup sunflower seeds
3 1/4 cup water
2 1/2 teaspoon salt
6 tablespoon corn flour
2/3 cup corn oil

Put the sunflower seeds, water & salt into a pot, cover & let simmer for 1 1/2 hours. When well cookked, crush the seeds to amke a paste. Add the corn flour, 1 tablespoon at a time to thicken. Work with your hands; cool a little. Make small, flat pancakes of approximately 5" diameter. Heat oil & fry both sides, adding more oil if necessary. Drain well & eat.

Yield: 4 servings