Native American Recipes

Three Sisters Stew

Ingredients:
1 tablespoon olive or canola oil
1 large onion, sliced
1 clove garlic, crushed
1 jalapeno chili, finely chopped (optional)
4 cups yellow summer squash, sliced (about 1 pound)
4 cups zucchini, cut into 1 inch pieces (about 2 medium zucchini)
4 cups butternut squash, peeled and cubed (about 1 pound)
3 cups green beans, cut into 1 inch pieces (about 1 pound)
1 cup frozen whole kernel corn
1 teaspoon dried Thyme leaves
2- 16 oz. cans kidney beans, undrained

Heat oil in dutch oven over medium heat. Cook onion, garlic and chili in oil for about 2 minutes, stirring occasionally, until onion is tender. Stir in remaining ingredients. Cook over low heat 10-15 minutes, stirring frequently until squash is tender. Yield: 6 servings

Baked Acorn Squash

Ingredients:
4 medium-sized Acorn Squash
8 tablespoons butter or margarine
16 teaspoons honey
Fresh ground pepper to taste

Slice the squash in half crosswise and scoop out the pulp and seeds. Trim the bottoms, if necessary, so that the squash will stand flat, hollow side up.

Place 2 teaspoons honey in the hollow of each squash, then add 1 tablespoon butter or margarine to each and a twist or two of fresh ground pepper.

Place squash in a large, shallow baking pan and bake, uncovered, in a moderate oven, 350 degrees, for about 2-1/2 hours or until the squash are tender.

Algonquian Nokake

Ingredients:
2 Cups Cornmeal
2 Cups Water
2 Tabls. Butter
2 Teasp. Salt
1 Tabls. Fresh Dill, Chopped

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Bring water to boil in a saucepan. Add cornmeal, butter, salt, and chopped dill.
Place mixture in buttered 8 inch cake pan; bake for 25 minutes or until done. Cut into squares and serve.

Zucchini Carrot Dessert Bars

Ingredients:
1 cup vegetable oil
1 cup honey
2 large eggs
1 cup shredded zucchini
1 cup shredded carrot
2 cups whole-wheat flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon ground ginger
1 cup raisins
1 cup chopped walnuts
1-2 tablespoons frozen orange juice concentrate

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Cream together the vegetable oil, honey, and eggs until light and fluffy. Add the remaining ingredients except the orange juice concentrate, and mix. Spread into a lightly oiled 13 X 9 baking pan. Bake for 35-40 minutes, until toothpick inserted into center comes out clean. Cool in the pan. Glaze with orange juice concentrate before cutting into bars. Yields 24 bars.

Basic Ojibwe Fry Bread and Toppings

Dig out your favorite mixing bowl (avoid plastic!)

Ingredients:
4c flour
3 tsp baking powder
2c warm milk
pinch salt
splash corn, canola, or light olive oil
vegetable oil for frying (Please avoid lard!)

Blend dry ingredients, then add oil and milk. Mix quickly with a wooden spoon and/or your hands - avoid over-mixing. Cover bowl with a clean white cotton cloth and set in a warm area for at least 15 minutes. Remove the cloth and dust the dough with a little more flour. Pull out pieces of dough and form into flat discs (with or without a hole in the center) with your hands. (If it's quite sticky, sprinkle a little more flour on)

Gently place into (cast iron) frying pan 1/2 full of HOT frying oil - a corn-canola blend works well. Use tongs to turn bread - cook both sides golden brown. Secret ingredient - add a little pure maple sugar or syrup to the milk just before you pour it into the dry ingredients. For special toppings, try blueberries – fresh or frozen, mixed berries (you can find these in the frozen food section year round), strawberries, regular powdered sugar, or some cooked pumpkin pie filling.

We also use fry bread as a main meal at times, with cooked wild rice and bacon pieces sprinkled over the top. The possibilities are endless! Be creative!

Blueberry Fritters (Eastern Woodlands)

Ingredients:
2 9-oz packages frozen blueberries
4 cups flour
3/4 cups sugar
3 1/2 tsp baking powder
3 cups shortening or oil for deep-fat frying
5 eggs

Thaw the blueberries well; drain off syrup and save. Sift together the dry ingredients. Measure the blueberry syrup. There should be about 1/2 cup. If not, add water to complete the measure. Place shortening or oil in a heavy, deep kettle and begin heating gradually. By the time you have finished mixing the fritters, the fat should register 350 degrees on a deep-fat-frying thermometer and be just right for frying.

Beat the eggs with the blueberry syrup until foamy. Mix quickly into the dry ingredients, and fold in the berries. Drop from a tablespoon into the hot fat. Turn the fritters frequently as they cook so that they become chocolate brown on all sides. Drain on paper toweling and serve hot.

It may seem odd to associate fritters and dumplings with Indian cookery. Yet Indian women have been mixing berries and batters, wrapping bits of fruit in dough and deep-fat frying them for as long as they have had fruit, flour, and fat for deep frying.

Bison Cranberry Stew

Serves up to 8 adults. Your cranberries deserve a change this Thanksgiving, and so do you. Try this great bison alternative and save the turkey for Christmas.

Ingredients:
2 tablespoon canola oil
2 lb bison stew meat, cut in one inch cubes or smaller
2 1/2 cups water, plus top up water
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper, coarsely ground
1 medium size onion, chopped
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 cup dry red wine, or 1 1/2 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
3 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
1 tablespoon paprika
3 whole cloves
2 bay leaves
8 carrots, scraped, split and cut in thirds
4 potatoes (4 cups in volume), peeled and cut into large cubes
1 1/4 cups cranberries (fresh or frozen)
3 stalks celery, split and cut in short strips
4 tablespoon maple syrup, or 2 1/2 tablespoon brown sugar (optional)

Put canola oil in a 5 to 6 quart Dutch oven. Over medium high heat brown bison cubes. Once bison cubes are browned, add 2 1/2 cups water, salt and pepper to Dutch oven. Bring contents to a boil, reduce to simmer, cover & cook for 30 minutes. Add onion, garlic, wine (or balsamic vinegar), Worcestershire sauce, paprika, cloves and bay leaves to Dutch oven. Cover & continue to simmer for 1 hour, stirring every 20 minutes or so.

Add carrots, potatoes, cranberries and celery. Top-up casserole dish with additional water to cover contents (usually another 1 1/2 to 2 1/2 cups). Add maple syrup or brown sugar, especially if vinegar is used. Bring to a boil, then reduce to simmer. Cover and cook for another 30 to 45 minutes, or until potatoes are fork tender. Adjust seasonings—more salt, pepper, and Worcestershire sauce may be required.

Using a separate bowl, make thickener by gradually stirring 1 cup water into 1/2 cup rye or whole-wheat flour. Increase heat so that stew maintains a moderate boil. Gradually blend in thickener. After a minute or two of additional cooking stew will thicken sufficiently. Remove bay leaves and serve. Re-heats well.

Cherokee Chicken

Ingredients:
1/4 cup vegetable oil
1 garlic clove, minced
2 Tbsp. butter or margarine
2 Tbsp. minced onion
1 green pepper, minced
salt and pepper to taste
1 frying chicken, disjointed
8 oz. can whole cranberry sauce

Heat oil and butter in a 12 inch skillet. Add chicken; cook until golden brown on all sides. Pour off all but 2 Tbsp. fat. Add green pepper, garlic and onion; cook until soft. Add cranberries, salt and pepper. Cover, simmer 25 minutes. Serves 4 to 6. Cranberries are a substitute for wild berries which were originally used in this recipe.

Fish Chowder (Canadian Sioux)

Ingredients:
1 cup Chopped onion
4 cups Cubed potatoes
1 tbs Salt
1/8 tbs Pepper
5 cups your choice of raw fish, 3/4" cubes
1 qt Boiling water
2 cups Milk
1 cup Half & half cream
1 ea Parsley or chives

Add potatoes, onions, salt and pepper to water. Cook about 10 min, until vegetables are soft, but not completely cooked. Add fish and cook 10 min. Add milk and light cream, stir and heat 15 minutes longer. DO NOT BOIL. Serve with parsley or chives.

Salmon Cakes

Ingredients:
1 lb canned salmon, flaked (including liquid)
4 juniper berries, crushed
1/3 cup corn meal
2 eggs, lightly beaten
2/3 cup milk

Mix all ingredients together, spoon into a well-greased muffin tin, and bake in a moderate oven, 350 degrees, for 30 minutes. Serve hot or cold.

Lemongrass-Poached Tilapia with Julienned Vegetables

Ingredients:
1-1/2 cup water, fish stock or vegetable stock
2 Tbsp lemon grass, fresh, finely chopped
2 Tbsp ginger root, fresh, finely chopped
2 Tbsp low-sodium soy sauce
1 pound raw Tilapia, four 4-oz filets
2 large carrot(s), julienned
4 medium scallion(s), julienned
3 Tbsp cilantro, fresh, chopped
8 oz Eden Selected 100% Buckwheat Soba Noodles, or other brand, cooked and kept hot .
Pour stock (or water) into a large sauté pan with 2- to 3-inch sides. Add lemon grass, ginger and soy sauce; simmer for 5 minutes over medium-low heat.

Place Tilapia in pan; top with carrots and scallions. Cook until fish flakes easily with a fork, about 5 to 7 minutes. Top with cilantro and serve over noodles. Yields 1 filet, about 1/2 cup of broth, 1/4 cup of vegetables and 3/4 cup of noodles per serving. Makes 4 servings.

Roast Loin of Venison with Cranberries
(Some of this needs to be done the day before roasting, so plan accordingly)

Ingredients:
2 thick slices of lemon
2 thick slices of orange
2 slices of peeled fresh ginger
1 1/2 cups sugar
1 small bay leaf
2 cups fresh cranberries
4 pounds boneless loin of venison, at room temperature
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 teaspoon salt
1 1/4 teaspoons freshly ground pepper
3/4 teaspoon finely chopped juniper berries
2 cups dry red wine
2 cups beef or venison stock
2 tablespoons cold butter, cut into pieces
Fresh thyme sprigs, for garnish

In a medium non-reactive saucepan, combine the lemon, orange, ginger, sugar and bay leaf with 1 cup of cold water. Bring to a boil over high heat, stirring to dissolve the sugar. Reduce the heat to moderate and
boil, uncovered, until syrupy, 10 to 15 minutes. Stir in the cranberries, then remove from heat and cool. Transfer the mixture to a glass container, cover and refrigerate for 1 to 2 days, stirring once or twice during that time.

Preheat the oven to 400F. Rub the venison with the olive oil, 3/4 teaspoon of the salt, 1 teaspoon of the pepper and 1/2 teaspoon of the chopped juniper berries, pressing the seasonings into the meat. Set the loin on a rack in a roasting pan and roast, basting frequently with the pan juices, until medium-rare (about 135F on a meat thermometer), 25 to 30 minutes. Cover the venison loosely with foil and set aside for 10 to 15 minutes before carving.

Meanwhile, remove and discard the bay leaf and the lemon, orange and ginger slices from the cranberries. In a food processor or blender, puree half the cranberries and half the liquid until smooth. In a medium non-reactive saucepan, boil the wine over high heat until reduced to 1/2 cup, about 5 minutes. Add the stock and bring to a boil. Add the cranberry puree, reduce the heat to low and simmer, uncovered,
until slightly thickened, about 10 minutes. Remove from heat.

Strain the remaining whole cranberries and add them to the sauce with the remaining 1/4 teaspoon each of salt, pepper and chopped juniper berries. Swirl in the cold butter. Slice the venison thinly (stir any juices into the sauce) and serve wtih the sauce, reheated if necessary.

Wojapi - (Wo zha pee) – Berry Pudding or Fry Bread Topping

Ingredients:
5 lb. bag of frozen berries (blueberry, raspberry, blackberry, cherry or a mix)
8 cups of water
2 cups of sugar
Cornstarch

To a 5 quart pot (enamel or stainless steel) add all the berries and smash them with a potato masher. To the smashed berries add the water and sugar. Boil (lightly) this mixture for approx. 15-20 minutes until everything is cooked. Thicken to desired thickness with cornstarch that has been dissolved in cold water. Serve warm and eat with Indian Fry Bread. Dip the bread into the Wojapi, or cover top of Fry Bread with mixture.

Baked Indian Pudding

Ingredients:
½ cup yellow cornmeal
4 cups whole milk, hot
½ cup maple syrup
¼ cup molasses, light
2 eggs, slightly beaten
2 Tbsp butter or margarine, melted
1/3 cup brown sugar, packed
1 tsp. salt
¼ tsp. cinnamon
¾ tsp. ginger
½ cup whole milk, cold

In top of double boiler, slowly stir cornmeal into hot milk. Cook until boiling, and starting to thicken – about 20 minutes – stirring often. Preheat oven to 300º F. Lightly grease 2-quart baking dish. In small bowl, combine rest of ingredients, except the cold milk; stir into cornmeal mixture, and mix well. Turn into the prepared baking dish. Pour the cold milk on top, WITHOUT stirring. Bake uncovered for 2 hours, or just until set, but quivery on top. Do not overbake! Let stand 30 minutes before serving. Serve warm, with vanilla ice cream or whipped cream/topping. Serves 8

Cranberry Bread – Iroquois (NativeTech: Indigenous Food and Traditional Recipes)

Ingredients:
2 cups flour
grated rind from one orange
1 egg
½ tsp. salt
½ cup sugar
2 Tbsp margarine or butter
1 One pound can of whole berry cranberries (drain and save liquid)

Cream butter, sugar, egg and orange rind. Stir in cranberries and liquid. Stir in, all at once, remaining ingredients until just blended. Pour into greased 9x5x3 inch loaf/bread pan. Bake at 350º F for one hour.

Maple-Baked Chicken – Abenaki (Indian Country Today – Native Cooking)

Ingredients:
4 chicken breasts, bone-in or boneless
½ cup flour, salted and peppered
2 Tbsp. butter or canola oil
½ cup maple syrup
1 tsp. dried savory
½ tsp. dried sage
½ tap. dried thyme
1 large onion, sliced thin
½ cup water or chicken stock

Preheat oven to 350º F. Put the flour, salt and pepper in a strong plastic bag. Put chicken breasts in one at a time and shake to coat. Melt butter or oil in a large cast iron pan over medium heat and brown chicken breasts on both sides. Pour the maple syrup over the chicken and sprinkle with herbs. Put onion slices on top and around chicken and add water or broth. Cover pan and bake (basting occasionally with pan juices) for 50 to 60 minutes. Add more water or broth if needed.

Yellow Squash Soup – Owissimanabo (Tuscarora)

Ingredients:
1 medium yellow squash – diced
4 shallots, with tops, chopped
1 quart water
2 Tbsp maple syrup
5 slices cucumber (1/2” thick)
1 Tbsp salt
¼ tsp black pepper

Place the squash, shallots, water and syrup into a large soup pot and simmer for 40 minutes, until the squash is tender. Add the cucumber and remove pot from heat. Add salt and pepper, and let mixture stand for 10 minutes. Pour everything into a large bowl and mash until it forms a thick, creamy paste (or use a blender). Put mixture back into the pot and simmer for 5 to 10 minutes. Serves 6.

Creamy Wild Rice Soup

Ingredients:
1/3 cup wild rice
1 cup water
½ tsp. salt
½ cup butter
¾ chopped onion
1 cup finely chopped celery
2 tsp. salt
¼ tsp white pepper
¼ cup flour
5 cups milk

In a saucepan, bring wild rice, salt and water to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer 45 minutes or until rice is tender. To prepare soup, melt butter, add onions and celery. Cover and cook gently for 5 minutes until vegetables are tender (avoid browning). Stir in salt, pepper and flour. Remove from heat and add milk, stirring until flour is well blended. Return to low heat. Cook, stirring constantly, until soup thickens. Add the cooked wild rice and simmer a few minutes to blend flavors. Serve hot, garnished with chopped chives. Serves 6.

Cranberry Pumpkin Cake

Ingredients:
½ cup chopped walnuts
2 Tbsp brown sugar
1 1/2 Tbsp toasted wheat germ
¼ tsp pumpkin pie spice
1 cup all-purpose flour
½ cup whole wheat flour
½ cup toasted wheat germ
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp pumpkin pie spice
¾ tsp salt
¼ tsp baking soda
1 cup plain fat-free yogurt
¾ cup canned pumpkin
½ cup packed brown sugar
2 Tbsp vegetable oil
1 large egg
½ cup sweetened dried cranberries
1 tsp grated orange rind
cooking spray

Preheat oven to 350ºF. Combine the first 4 ingredients in a small bowl. Stir and set aside. Combine flours and the next 5 ingredients in a medium bowl, and make a well in the center of the mixture. Combine yogurt, pumpkin, ½ cup brown sugar, oil and egg; stir well with a whisk. Add to the flour mixture, stirring just until moist. Fold in cranberries and orange rind. Spoon batter into a 13x9 inch cake pan coated with cooking spray. Sprinkle with walnut mixture. Bake at 350º for 25 minutes. Cool on a wire rack. Yield: 12 servings.

Creamy Pumpkin Soup

Ingredients:
2 Tbsp butter or margarine
1 cup onion, chopped fine
4 cups chicken broth
1 16 oz. can pumpkin (not pumpkin pie filling)
1/8 tsp white pepper
4 Tbsp maple syrup
1 cup (or pint) heavy cream
garnish with chives or parsley

Melt butter or margarine in large saucepan or small kettle. Add onion and cook until light brown. Stir in broth, pumpkin, maple syrup and white pepper. Cook 10–15 minutes, stirring occasionally. Take off heat and allow soup to sit for 5 minutes. Slowly add heavy cream and mix well. Garnish with several teaspoons of fresh chives or parsley. Prep time: approximately 20 minutes. Serves 8.

Stuffed Sugar Pumpkin – Hidatsa

Ingredients:
1 sugar pumpkin (4–5 pounds)
2 tsp salt
½ tsp dry mustard
2 Tbsp lard or oil
1 lb ground beef
1 medium onion, chopped
1 cup cooked white or wild rice (wild rice must be cooked ahead of time)
3 eggs, beaten
1 tsp crushed, dried sage
¼ tsp pepper

Preheat oven to 350º F. Cut the top off the pumpkin and remove strings and seeds. Reserve seeds for another use, if desired. Prick the cavity with a fork and rub with 1 teaspoon salt, and the mustard. Heat fat or oil in a large skillet, add meat and onion and sauté over medium-high heat until browned. Off the heat, stir in rice, eggs, remaining salt, sage and pepper. Stuff pumpkin with entire meat mixture. Place ½ inch water in the bottom of a shallow baking pan. Put pumpkin in the pan and bake for 1 1/2 hours, or until tender. Add more water to the pan as necessary to avoid sticking. To serve, cut pumpkin into wedges, giving each person pumpkin and stuffing.

Succotash – Nipmuc (NativeTech: Indigenous Food and Traditional Recipes)

Ingredients:
½ small onion, cut fine
1 small piece salt pork
1 can (16 oz) of creamed corn
1 lb bag lima beans, large or small
2 Tbsp butter
½ cup sugar
salt and pepper to taste

Wash lima beans and place in a large (5 qt.) pot. Add water (4 qts.), salt pork, butter, sugar, salt and pepper. Bring to a boil. Cook until beans are tender. Add cream corn and cook additional 5 minutes. Remove from heat and enjoy.

Cranberry Pumpkin Cake (Oneida Indian Nation – Three Sisters Cookbook)

Ingredients:
½ cup chopped walnuts
3 tablespoons brown sugar
1 1/2 tablespoons toasted wheat germ
¼ tsp pumpkin pie spice
1 cup all purpose flour
½ cup whole wheat flour
½ cup toasted wheat germ
2 tsp baking powder
1 tsp pumpkin pie spice
¾ tsp salt
¼ tsp baking soda
1 cup plain fat-free yogurt
¾ cup canned pumpkin
½ cup packed brown sugar
2 Tbsp vegetable oil
1 large egg
½ cup sweetened dried cranberries
1 tsp grated orange rind
cooking spray

Preheat oven to 350º F. Combine first 4 ingredients in a small bowl; stir and set aside. Combine flours and the next 5 ingredients in a medium bowl. Make a well in center of mixture. Combine yogurt, pumpkin, ½ cup brown sugar, oil and egg. Stir well with a whisk. Add to flour mixture, stirring just until moist. Fold in cranberries and orange rind. Spoon batter into a 13x9 inch cake pan coated with cooking spray. Sprinkle with walnut mixture. Bake at 350º for 25 minutes. Cool on a wire rack. Yield: 12 servings.

Iroquois Potato Salad

Ingredients:
2 pounds red potatoes, boiled (do not remove skin)
3 large eggs
½ cup light brown sugar
½ cup apple cider vinegar
2 Tbsp butter or margarine
1 tsp. dry mustard
1 Tbsp salt
½ tsp white pepper
1 cup cream
10 cups water

Put water and 1 tsp. salt in large pot. Heat on high until water boils. Add potatoes. Do not cover with lid. Cook on medium-high heat for 25 minutes. Beat eggs with sugar and vinegar with hand mixer on medium speed for 3 minutes. Add butter or margarine, mustard, ½ tsp. salt and pepper. Cook this mixture on low heat in double boiler until thick. Add cream slowly. Let sit for 2–3 minutes. When potatoes are done, drain and cool. After potatoes have cooled, dice them. Pour egg mixture over potatoes and mix well. Refrigerate. Serves 10.

Easy Rice Pudding

Ingredients:
4 Tbsp white rice, uncooked
1 1/2 Tbsp sugar
1 quart milk
½ tsp salt
¾ tsp cinnamon
2 eggs
½ cup raisins or soaked dried apricots

Rinse rice. Add all other ingredients except eggs. Separate eggs and beat whites until very stiff. Beat yolks and fold yolks into rice mixture. Fold in egg whites. Spoon into casserole dish. Bake in slow oven (250–300º F) for 2 hours, stirring several times. Serves 4.