Cherokee Hominy And Beans Food

CHEROKEE-STYLE HOMINY

Steps:

• In an iron skillet, fry the bacon until done but not too crispy. Remove bacon, reserving drippings. Saute the onion in the bacon fat until it's tender, do not drain off excess grease. Crumble or cut bacon and return to pan; add the drained hominy. Salt if needed; add black pepper if you like. Fry until hot. Serve as a side dish with breakfast, lunch, or supper.

THREE SISTERS BOWL WITH HOMINY, BEANS AND SQUASH

Steps:

• Place the hominy and tepary beans in separate medium bowls. Add enough water to each to cover the beans by 4 inches, and soak overnight at room temperature.
• About 3 hours before serving, drain the hominy and the beans and place them in separate 3- to 4-quart pots. Add enough cool water to cover the hominy and tepary beans by 4 inches. Set each over high heat, bring to a boil, then lower the heat and simmer gently, stirring occasionally and skimming any foam that rises to the surface, until tender, about 1 1/2 to 2 hours. Reserve 2/3 cup of the cooking liquid from each type of beans (for 1 1/3 cups liquid). Drain the hominy and the beans and set aside.
• Meanwhile, prepare the squash: Heat the oven to 425 degrees. On a parchment-lined rimmed baking sheet, toss the squash with 1 tablespoon oil and a pinch of coarse sea salt. Arrange the squash in an even layer and roast until golden and very tender, stirring halfway through, 35 to 45 minutes.
• In a large skillet, heat the remaining 2 tablespoons oil over medium-high. Add the onion, chile powder, sage and a generous pinch of smoked salt and cook, stirring occasionally, until the onions are tender, 5 to 8 minutes. Add the reserved 1 1/3 cups cooking liquid and bring to a simmer.
• Add the cooked hominy and beans to the skillet, then stir in the roasted squash and greens. Season to taste with coarse sea salt and serve.

ZESTY HOMINY AND CHEESE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
• In a 2 quart casserole dish, mix together hominy, sour cream, cheddar cheese, chilies and cayenne pepper.
• Bake for 25 minutes in the preheated oven, or until heated through.

VEGETARIAN HOMINY CHILI WITH BEANS

Steps:

• Saute garlic in the canola oil in a large sauce pan or small pot.
• Stir in the remaining ingredients and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer uncovered for 15 minutes.
• If using TVP, add water if chili gets too thick as TVP will absorb liquid pretty quickly.
• Garnish with cilantro, shredded cheddar cheese, sour cream.

STICKY RICE WITH HOMINY, MUNG BEAN, AND CRISPY SHALLOTS

Steps:

• Put the rice in a bowl and add water to cover by 1 inch. Let stand for at least 2 hours (or even overnight).
• Dump the rice into a colander and rinse under cold running water. Shake the colander to expel extra water and then return the rice to the bowl. Add the hominy, breaking it up into individual kernels. Toss the rice and hominy with 1/4 teaspoon of the salt.
• Fill the steamer pan halfway with water and bring to a rolling boil over high heat. If you are concerned about cleanup and/or the rice falling through the holes of the steamer tray, line the tray with a piece of parchment paper or banana leaf, leaving a few holes uncovered for heat circulation. Pour the rice and hominy into the tray, keeping the mixture 1 inch away from the edge where condensation will collect.
• Place the tray in the steamer, cover, and steam the rice for 20 minutes, or until the rice is shiny, tender, and slightly chewy; the hominy is already cooked. To ensure even cooking, give the rice a big stir with chopsticks or a spatula 2 or 3 times during steaming. Take care when lifting the lid that you don't allow any condensation to drip onto the rice and hominy and that you are not burned by the steam. At the end of each stirring, gather the grains back into a mound in the center, leaving a 1-inch border between the rice and the edge of the steamer tray. When the rice is done, lower the heat to keep it hot.
• While the rice and hominy steam, put the sesame seeds, the remaining 1/2 teaspoon salt, and the 1 tablespoon sugar in a mortar and crush with a pestle to a fine, sandy texture. (Or, use an electric mini-chopper and process for 10 seconds.) Set aside.
• To serve, turn off the steamer, fluff the rice and hominy, and transfer to a platter, spreading it out into a 1-inch-thick layer. Sprinkle the mung bean on top and then follow with the sesame mixture and finish with the shallot. Serve with a small bowl of sugar for anyone who wants a little extra sweetness.