November is different everywhere in Indian country. Where I live, it is crispy and clean, and the air is aromatic. It may even be snowing in some places, but that isn’t even troublesome because the first snows are the best and the most beautiful.
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Quinoa Chicken Soup
3 cooked, boneless, skinless chicken breasts
1 onion, chopped
1 stalk celery, chopped fine
2 tablespoons corn, canola or olive oil
2 cans chicken broth
1 cup apple cider or juice
1 small butternut squash, peeled and cut in 1/2-inch cubes
1 cup quinoa
1 teaspoon cumin
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
1 major dash chile sauce
Using a large, heavy saucepan, saute the onion in the oil until tender. Add celery and cook for 1 minute more. Now add the broth, cider, squash, quinoa, cumin, salt, pepper and chile sauce. Cover and cook on medium-low for 15 to 20 minutes, until squash and quinoa are tender.
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Today I was faced with a hefty amount of baked ham left over from three nights of truly delicious arrangements. I also had leftover cooked bacon, some celery ”on the verge,” carrots and other items, but I didn’t really want to make a traditional pea soup with ham. So I did the following – and it was spectacular.
Another Quinoa Soup
1/2 cup each: red quinoa, wild rice, dried navy beans, barley and dried green peas
2 carrots, sliced
2 strips cooked bacon, crumbled
1 large sweet onion, chopped
1 quart beef broth
1 quart water
1 tablespoon each: salt, basil and parsley or oregano
In the name of saving time, I put all the ingredients in a stock pot at once and simmered for 3 hours. Ordinarily, I would have sauteed the onion and celery, but it worked out just fine: absolutely delicious! If it isn’t pretty enough for you, put in a can of diced tomatoes, but that’s not necessary.
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I’ve lost my access to fresh wild duck, but I found duck breasts for sale at my local market. They need to be browned in butter or olive oil quickly to reduce the fat in the skin.
Yummy Ducky
4 duck breasts, skin on
3 tablespoons butter or light oil
1 medium onion, chopped
4 tablespoons honey
2 tablespoons jalapeno (or other) jelly
1 dash Worcestershire sauce
Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Heat butter or oil in a frying pan, preferably cast iron, and brown duck breasts for about 1 minute per side. Drain on paper towels and transfer to a baking sheet with sides. Bake for 20 minutes.
Drain the frying pan, leaving about 2 tablespoons of juice from the duck breasts. Saute the onion until tender; add the honey, jelly and Worcestershire sauce and stir to blend. Spoon this mixture over the duck breasts when ready to serve.
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Buffalo Pie
4 pounds buffalo round cut, cubed
Flour, salt and pepper for dredging
4 tablespoons butter or light oil
4 apples, peeled and thick sliced
1 cup raisins
1 cup cider (more if necessary)
1 prepared double crust for pie
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Put some flour, salt and pepper in a heavy freezer bag, add cubed buffalo and shake to coat meat. Brown meat in butter or oil – make sure to brown on all sides. Meanwhile, cut up apples and place in a bowl with cider and raisins. Place browned meat in the same bowl and stir to mix flavors.
Line a baking dish with one half of the pie crust and spoon meat/apple mix on top. Put on the top crust, vent with about 4 or 5 knife cuts and bake for 2 hours. Note: Delicious served with wild rice and mashed butternut squash.
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School Night Delight
1 pound ground buffalo
1 package frozen green beans, corn or peas
2 cups celery, chopped
1 can mushroom soup
2 tablespoons milk or cream
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1 small onion, chopped
1 cup crushed potato chips
Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Brown buffalo and place in a 1-1/2 quart baking dish. Top with frozen vegetable, then celery. Mix the soup, cream or milk, and salt and pepper, then chopped onion. Pour over meat and top with crushed potato chips. Bake, uncovered, for 30 minutes. Do not overcook.
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Notes and Tips
* Please use buffalo, especially ground, as much and as often as possible and spread the word. This fine, healthy meat is finally catching on in major markets. It can only help Native growers of this delicious protein.
* Quinoa is another Native food that is becoming a staple in some areas. It is a very healthy indigenous grain. For more information, visit www.quinoa.net.
