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Have you ever wanted to do something with your surplus bean crop but didn't want to can or freeze them? Here is a neat solution from my Native American Cookbook .
Leather Britches
[Takes 2 months to prepare]
4 – 6 servings
1 pound green beans washed 2 tsp salt
2 qts water 1/8 tsp pepper
¼ pound salt pork diced
Snap ends off beans. String on a heavy thread. Hang
in a sunny place to dry for two months. When you
are ready to cook them, soak beans in 2 quarts
water for 1 hour. Add salt, pepper and salt pork.
Bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer very
slowly, stirring occasionally for three hours. Add
more water as necessary.
Serve hot, with lots of broth, as a vegetable.
“corn pone is the perfect accompaniment. Good for
‘sopping up’ the potlikker.
Be sure to check out my April 1, 2012 release My Brother's Keeper. If you click on the buy link you can read an interview, an excerpt and purchase the book if you so desire. It is available in all electronic formats and print.
===========================================================NAVAHO FRY BREAD
2 cups flour ½ cup ground sunflower seeds
1 Teaspoon clotsfoot ashes (optional)
2 teaspoons baking powder 1 cup of milk or water (more or less)
2 Tablespoons of oil (reserve for frying)
Work first 5 ingredients into a dough ball, kneading until texture is smooth. Place in covered bowl or crock for 2 hours to rise.
Remove dough and cut into 3 portions. Roll them into circle shapes about 8 inches round and ½ inch thick. Cut 2 large, deep parallel slits across the tops.
Heat oil in a heavy skillet and fry 2 minutes on each side.
** ** ** ** ** ** ** Fry Bread Taco (there are many more uses)
An alternative method used by some modern Ojibway is to buy frozen bread dough, thaw it and divide into portions. Roll each portion into a flattened round shape with your hands and pull a small hole into the center of the dough of each with your fingers. Fry in deep fat. Until golden brown.
