John Wisdomkeeper - Native Recipes from the Grandmothers

Digital ISBNs EPUB978-1-77362-704-5 Kindle978-1-77362-705-2 WEB978-1-77362-706-9 Amazon Print978-1-77362-707-6 Copyright JohnWisdomkeeper 2015 Cover art MichelleLee Artist Mike Brodie Recipes shared bygrandmothers from many cultures both Native and non-Natives duringmy travels on the Red Road. Special recognition to Lillian Mack avery special Grandmother who has gone to the spirit world but whospent many hours updating these recipes with ingredients andmethods that would work in modern kitchens. It is traditionalfor First Nations people to give thanks, and acknowledge ourrelationship, to the plants, animals, birds and creatures from thewater, to show respect for their giving their spirits in order forothers to survive. Traditionally elders say prayers to commemoratethis sacrifice at a feast gathering. During these gatherings thepeople share their recipes and often demonstrate the preparationand cooking of food. Elders passed on food gathering andpreparation guides to younger members of the tribe.

Because of thistradition of passing on the wisdom from generation to generation,First Nations people became increasingly skilled in the art ofdrying and preparing foods, herbs and berries with each passinggeneration. The Medicine men and women of the tribes were giftedhealers trained by generations of ancestors in the art of using thegifts of Mother Earth to heal the people of their tribes. * * * NOTE: These recipes were shared withme by Grandmothers I met in my travels, both First Nations andnon-First Nations grandmothers opened their kitchens and theirhearts and shared the gifts they give to their loved ones. Where possible the recipes have been updated toinclude modern ingredients or cooking methods. Special thanks to 94year old Lillian Mack for her assistance in updating some of theserecipes with ingredients that can be found by the modern homecook. ofbuffalo meat, cut into 1 inch cubes 1 T. fat 1-1/2 T.salt 1 tsp.pepper 1/2 tsp.paprika 1/4 cupflour 1 large onion,chopped 1 can stewedtomatoes 4 carrots,chopped 2 stalks ofcelery, chopped 4 potatoes,chopped Brown buffalocubes and onion in fat on high heat. fat 1-1/2 T.salt 1 tsp.pepper 1/2 tsp.paprika 1/4 cupflour 1 large onion,chopped 1 can stewedtomatoes 4 carrots,chopped 2 stalks ofcelery, chopped 4 potatoes,chopped Brown buffalocubes and onion in fat on high heat.

Reduce to simmer. Mix flour,salt, pepper and paprika sprinkle over browned meat; stir andgradually add water to form gravy. Place mixture in casserole dish.Add tomatoes, carrots, celery and potatoes and sufficient water tocover (leave room in the dish for the biscuit topping to be insidethe rim of the dish). Place into baking dish, bake at 350 for 1 to 2 hours. Cover with biscuit topping and return to 425 oven tobrown topping. bakingpowder 1/2 tsp.salt 1/4 cupshortening 1 egg 2/3 cupmilk Sift dryingredients. bakingpowder 1/2 tsp.salt 1/4 cupshortening 1 egg 2/3 cupmilk Sift dryingredients.

Cut in shortening to consistency of cornmeal. Beat eggwith milk. Make a well in the center of dry ingredients. Pour inmilk mixture. Stir until dough binds together. Place on flouredboard.

Pat into circle, place on top of Buffalo Stew fit to edgesof pan until snug. Bake at 425 for 15 min. or until top is lightlybrowned. Basic BrownStock 2 lbs. beef orgame (soup bones, shank, neck and ribs) 1 T Fat 2 quarts coldwater 1 large onion,1 carrot, 1 thin slice rutabaga 1 T. Salt 3 wholecloves, 1 bay leaf 1/2 tsp.Celery salt or celery leaves 1/4 tsp.Thyme, savory or sweet marjoram Brown meat infat.

Add cold water, cover and simmer for 1-1/2hours. Addvegetables and seasonings and cook for 1 hour. Stain throughcheesecloth, cool and remove fat before using. Squamish CornSoup 1/2 lb. Saltpork 2 lg. onions,sliced 3 cups dicedboiled potatoes 2 cups boilingwater 2 cups cookedcorn, fresh or canned 4 cups hotmilk 1/2 tsp.

Salt,pepper to taste Dice pork into1/2-inch chunks, add onion, cook slowly 5-10 minutes, stirring,until transparent but not browned. Add potatoes, corn, boilingwater, hot milk. Season to taste, serve with garnish. To makethicker chowder, make a roux of 2 T. butter and 2 T. of flour,frizzled, stir this into 1 cup of the milk, cook and stir untilthickened.

Curried SquashSoup 3 acornsquash, cut lengthwise and seeded 2 carrots,chopped 1 onionchopped 1 T. Vegetableoil 1 T. Currypowder 1 can chickenbroth 1/2 cup plainyogurt Pumpkin seedsfor garnish Fill largebaking dish with 1 inch water and arrange squash cut side down,cover and steam 10-12 minutes until tender, let cool. Saut carrotsand onion in oil 10 min., add curry powder, cook 1 min. Longer.Scoop pulp from squash and add to carrot mixture, add chicken brothand 1 cup water, bring to boil, reduce heat and simmer 20 minutes.Put soup in bowls and swirl yogurt into soup. Garnish with pumpkinseeds.

Pea Soup withWild Rice 3 quarts ofwater to one lb dried peas soaked overnight if whole, 1/2 lb saltpork, chopped carrots, onions, turnips, rutabagas Add vegetablesafter bringing peas and pork to a boil Skim foam fromtop, cover and simmer 4 hours. Stir in cookedwild rice the last 15 minutes. PheasantSoup Pieces fromseveral pheasants 1 tsp. saltand pepper to taste 1 bay leaf 1/2 cup rawrice 1 cup rawcarrots, sliced 1 very smallonion Clean and washpieces of pheasant well. Put in kettle with enough water to cover,add salt and bay leaf. Cook until meat is falling from bones.Remove bay leaf from broth and discard.

Remove meat from bones inpieces as large as possible. Return meat to broth and add a dash ofpepper. Add uncooked rice and carrots. Cut onion in quarters andadd. Simmer mixture for about one hour or until carrots and riceare tender and have soaked up most of the broth. Roundhouse PeaSoup 1/2 cup driedsplit peas, 4 cups water 1 lb.

Hamshank or 2 hocks 1 cup gratedcarrot 1 tsp.salt 1 onion,minced 10peppercorns, 1 bay leaf 1 cup milk 2 T. flour Wash peas andsoak overnight in water. Place ham shank in slow cooker, add peasand water in which they were soaked, add salt and seasonings, setto high and cook several hours. MoosejawChili 4 lbs. Courseground lean beef/venison/moose 2 clovesgarlic, minced 8 T. Chilipowder 8 T.

Flour 4 tsp.Salt 2 T. Cumin(Comino) 1/2 cup beefsuet 1/4 lb.Butter 2 cups onion,diced 2 quarts hotwater 1 pint tomatopuree 3 cups cookedbeans (optional) Season meatwith garlic, chilli powder, flour, salt and cumin, using your handsto work spices into meat. Heat suet and butter in heavy kettle andsaut onions until soft but not brown. Stir in meat mixture andcook 20 minutes, stirring often. Add water and tomato puree. Simmer1 hour, stirring often.

Stir in beans and cook 15 minutes longer.Makes one to 1-1/2 gallons of chilli. Shuswap CornChowder 1/2 cup dicedpotatoes 3 cups boilingwater 2 T. choppedonion 2 T. butter ormarg. 1 cup cookedcorn 1/4 cuptomatoes 1/2 tsp. salt1/4 tsp.

Celery salt 1/8 tsp.pepper 1 cup cannedmilk Cook potatoesin boiling water until tender. Do not strain. Fry onion in fatuntil yellow and add to potatoes. Add corn, seasoning and tomatoes.Cook slowly 15 minutes. Add milk and bring to boiling point (do notboil), serve immediately Klahowya ClamChowder Clams (2 - 3dozen or 1 tin) 1/2 cup dicedsalt pork 1 shallot,finely chopped 1 onion,finely chopped 1 quartchicken broth 2 cups dicedpotatoes 1/2 tsp.Salt 1/4 tsp.Coarse ground pepper 1 large cantomatoes 1/2 cup dicedcarrots 1/4 tsp.Thyme Wash clams toremove sand. Place in a pot scarcely covered with water and steamfor 20 minutes.