Shuck Bread

This is traditional cornbread.
The Choctaws call it
Bu-Na-Ha.

8 dried or fresh corn shucks
2 cups white cornmeal
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 1/2 cups boiling water
1 cup partially cooked black-eyed peas
or frozen black-eyed peas
Butter (for serving)
Salt (for serving)

Boil shucks in water for about 10 minutes; drain, and
reserve.

In a mixing bowl, combine cornmeal, baking soda and water.
Stir
in black-eyed peas.
Form about 4 tablespoons of the mixture into a
ball and place on a corn shuck.
Fold end of shuck over filling.
Fold in sides and then other end to make a squared package.
Tie
securely with a strip of shuck.
Continue in this manner until all
filling is used.
Cook in boiling water for 45 to 50 minutes.

Remove shucks and serve with butter and salt, if desired.
If not
serving immediately, refrigerate bread without removing shucks.
Reheat for about 10 minutes in boiling water or in a steamer before
serving.

Makes 8 Shuck Breads.

Strawberries in Honey Syrup

1/3 cup honey
2/3 cup water
1 quart fresh strawberries, washed and hulled

Place honey and water in a saucepan and boil rapidly for 5
minutes over medium-high heat.
Reduce heat.
Drop in the whole
berries and simmer for 5 minutes.

Remove saucepan from heat and allow berries to cool in the
syrup.
Serve warm or cold, ladling syrup over each portion.

Serves 4 to 6.

Corn Cob Jelly

This is a Cherokee recipe which is light in texture and has a
flavor similar to apple jelly.

12 ears fresh corn
4 cups water
4 cups granulated sugar
1 (3 fl.
ounce) package liquid fruit pectin

Cut corn from the cobs and reserve for another use.
Place cobs
in water and bring to a boil.
Cover and cook for 12 to 15 minutes.
Remove cobs and strain liquid through cheesecloth or another
filter.
If necessary, add enough water to make 3 cups.
Place liquid
in a saucepan and stir in sugar.
Bring to a boil and cook until
sugar is dissolved.
Stir in pectin and cook 1 minutes longer.
Remove from heat, skim, and spoon into sterilized jars.
Seal and
store.

Makes 3 cups.

Corn Griddle Cakes

2 cups cornmeal
1/4 cup unbleached flour
1 package active dry yeast
2 teaspoons granulated sugar (optional)
1/2 to 1 teaspoon salt
1 pint milk
Maple syrup (optional)

In a mixing bowl, combine cornmeal, flour, yeast, sugar and
salt.
Stir in milk until mixture is smooth.
Let sit for 15
minutes.

Drop mixture by large spoonsful onto a hot, greased griddle.
When bubbles form on the top, turn cakes and cook until golden
brown on the other side.

Serve with maple syrup, if desired.

Makes 10 to 12 cakes.

Hoe Cakes

The Algonquians call these Nokake.
The dough was spread on a
board and set beside the fire to bake.
When it was cooked on one
side, it was turned over and baked on the other side.
The blade of
a hoe was often used to prop up the board beside the fire for
baking and to lean baked loaves against a cooling rack.

2 cups water
2 cups cornmeal
2 teaspoons salt
2 tablespoons butter
1 tablespoon chopped fresh dill (optional)

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.

Bring water to boil in a saucepan.
Stir in cornmeal, salt,
butter and dill, if desired.
Place in a buttered 8-inch square pan
and bake for 25 minutes.

Cut into squares and serve.

Serves 6 to 8.

Huckleberry Fritters

2 cups huckleberries or blueberries
3 cups unbleached flour
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1 1/4 teaspoons baking powder
3 eggs
1/2 cup water
Oil (for deep frying)

Wash berries and allow to drain well.
Sift dry ingredients
together into a mixing bowl.
Beat eggs with water until foamy.
Mix
quickly into dry ingredients.
Fold in berries.

Heat oil or shortening in deep heavy skillet to 350 degrees
F.

Drop batter by tablespoonsful into the hot oil.
Turn fritters
frequently so that they brown to a deep golden color on all sides.
Drain on paper towels and serve hot.

Makes 2 dozen.