PCRM Six Week Cooking Class Curriculum

PCRM Six-Week Food for Life Cooking and Eating to Beat Diabetes in Indian Country Class Curriculum

Week 1:

Pinon Chile Beans with Brown Rice

No Fry Bread

Mixed Berry Apple Compote

Week 2:

Blue Corn Posole Mush

Red Chile Sauce from Pods

Three Sister’s Sauté

Corn Tortillas

Week 3:

Quinoa Stuffed Green Chile

Organic Garden Tomato Sauce

Bread Pudding

Peach Sauce

Week 4 (No recipes):

Tasting at the Supermarket:

Pita Bread

Hummus

Tabouli Salad

Unique Fruits

Unique Vegetables

Soy Yogurt

Week 5:

Salad with Sprouts

Jen’s Asian Dressing

Vegetable Posole Stew

Canning Tomato Sauce

Week 6:

Tamales (2 Savory, 1 Desert)

Mango Sauce

Salsa Fresca

Tomatillo Salsa

WEEK ONE

Pinon Chile Beans

This recipe is one of my favorite chile bean recipes and was originally made for the Begay family in Pinon, Arizona for their family gatherings and ceremonies. I usually cook it in a large cast iron pot with a handle that was passed down to me by my mother. The taste from the cast iron makes this chile bean stew even more delicious. This recipe is so great because you can make one recipe to feed 6 to 8 people or you can add to it and make enough to feed 60 to 600 people. It is a favorite at all family and ceremonial gatherings. This recipe goes great with tortillas, or homemade no fry bread. It makes a hearty meal by itself or a side to any feast.

1 large yellow onion, chopped

1 green bell pepper, seeded and chopped

Olive oil cooking spray to coat cast iron pot

2 cups chopped fresh Roma tomatoes or

(1)-28-ounce can whole peeled tomatoes with basil

2 1/2 cups cooked dark red kidney beans

2 1/2 cups cooked pinto beans

2 cups cooked corn kernels (fresh, frozen or canned)

3 Tablespoons dried red mild chile powder

1-teaspoon salt

Heat the cast iron or soup pot over medium-high heat. Add onions, sauté for 2 minutes until translucent, then add green bell peppers and sauté another 2 to minutes.

Cut each of the whole tomatoes from the can into 8 pieces (a large dice) and add them to the onions and green bell peppers. Cook for another 2 minutes, stirring constantly. Add the kidney beans, pinto beans and the cooked corn and stir well. Bring the chile beans to a boil, and then reduce heat to low. Stir in the dried red chile powder and salt. Let simmer for 20 minutes, stirring occasionally to prevent burning. Serve hot with not fry bread, or homemade corn or flour tortillas.

Serves 8 to 12

Indian No Fry Bread or Tortilla Bread

By © Lois Ellen Frank

This recipe makes Indian tortilla breads that can be cooked on a open flame grill or open flame instead of fried.

4 cups organic unbleached or whole-wheat flour

2 Tablespoons baking powder

1-teaspoon kosher salt

1-½ cups warm water

In a medium-size mixing bowl combine flour, baking powder and kosher salt. Gradually stir in the water until the dough becomes soft and pliable without sticking to the bowl.

Knead the dough on a lightly floured cutting board or surface for 4 minutes, folding the outer edges of the dough towards the center.

Return the dough to the bowl, cover with plastic wrap, and let rest for at least 30 minutes to allow it to rise.

Shape the dough into small-sized balls and roll out using a rolling pin or with your hands to ¼-inch in width on a lightly floured surface. I always use my hands, which makes for slightly uneven round breads but everyone will know they were hand made and I think it gives each bread a little more character. Stretch or roll the dough out so that it is approximately 8 to 10 inches in diameter.

Heat a cast iron skillet or open flame grill until very hot. Place your shaped dough circle onto the hot pan or open flame grill, and let it cook for approximately for 2 to 3 minutes on each side until it browns then turn the bread over and cook another 2 to 3 minutes until bread is completely done.

If you are cooking these breads over an open flame or on a grill, cook until the dough starts to turn golden brown and puffs a little. Turn over and cook until both sides have brown spots and the dough is completely cooked.

Repeat this process with each piece of dough. Keep warm between two clean kitchen towels. Serve immediately with your favorite taco topping.

These breads can be used with any taco recipes or served as bread with any meal. Makes 12 no fry or grilled tortilla breads.

Mixed Berry and Apple Fruit Compote

By © Lois Ellen Frank

2 cups peeled, cored and chopped apples

1/2 cup frozen juice concentrate

2 cups Mixed Berry Medley, strawberries, blueberries, blackberries and raspberries, fresh or frozen, unsweetened

1 cup unsweetened applesauce

½ teaspoon ground cinnamon or to taste

In a medium-sized saucepan combine chopped apples and apple juice concentrate. Bring to a boil, stir then add the mixed berry medley. Bring to a boil again, then reduce the heat and simmer on low heat, covered and for about 25 minutes, or until fruit is tender when pierced with a fork. Mash lightly. Add the applesauce, heat until the dessert is hot. Sprinkle with cinnamon to and serve immediately.

Note: if the only applesauce available is sweetened, adding the berries is a good way to dilute and make it a healthier dish.

Recipe adapted from Foods That Fight Pain by Neal Barnard, MD; recipe by Jennifer Raymond.

WEEK TWO

Blue Corn Posole Mush

For the Blue Corn Posole:

1 15-oz bag dried Blue Corn Posole

1-Quart Water

Wash the dried blue corn posole in cold water and remove any dirt or stones. Drain and Rinse.

Place the entire contents into a Slow Cooker or Crock Pot and cover with one-quart water. Bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer over night or for approximately 8 hours. Turn off heat and set aside.

For the Blue Corn Mush

1 cup finely ground blue corn meal

2 cups water

In a small saucepan over medium to high heat, heat the water until it boils. Place the cup of finely ground blue corn meal into a small saucepan and slowly add the boiling water mixing the corn meal to prevent any lumps from forming. Using a whisk mix together completely. Return to the stove and heat slowly over low to medium heat, stirring constantly. Cook, slowly, continuing to stir, for about five minutes, or until it turns smooth and is thick.

Add gruel to the posole and reheat slowly over low to medium heat stirring to thicken entire pot of posole and to prevent burning.

Serve hot topped with homemade New Mexico Red Chile.

Serves 6

Red Chile Sauce- Dried Pods

By © Lois Ellen Frank

8 New Mexico Red Chile Pods, rinsed, dried and then stemmed and seeded

2 cups boiling water

1 medium onion, diced small

2 tablespoons tap water

1/2 teaspoon Agave nectar

1/2-teaspoon kosher salt

2/3-cup water, lukewarm

Olive oil spray

Place cleaned chile pods in a bowl with the 2 cups of boiling water and let sit until soft, approximately 5 minutes. Drain in a colander and discard the water.

In a cast iron skillet, over medium to high heat, heat olive oil sprayed skillet until hot.

Add the onions and sauté for three minutes. Add the 2 tablespoons water and the agave nectar. Cook until water is absorbed and the onions begin to turn slightly golden, but not browned, for approximately 3 minutes. Remove from heat.

Place the chiles, onions and the 2/3-cup water in a blender. Add the 1/2-teaspoon salt, cover and blend until smooth. Serve immediately or this chile sauce may be stored in the refrigerator for 3 to 5 days.

Makes approximately 1 ½ cups sauce.

Three Sister’s Sauté

Olive oil cooking spray

½ white onion, diced

2 cloves garlic, finely chopped

2 cups organic zucchini, cut into ¼ inch cubes

1-½ cups cooked organic cranberry or pinto beans or (1) 15oz can organic pinto beans

1-cup corn kernels, cut from the cobs of 2 ears oven roasted corn

½ teaspoon kosher salt

1/8 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Spray olive oil onto cast iron skillet to prevent sticking. Heat skillet over medium to high heat until hot but not smoking. Sauté onions for 2 minutes until clear. Add garlic and zucchini and sauté for another 2 minutes. Add the cooked beans and corn kernels, stir. Cook for another 2 minutes, stirring constantly. Remove from heat. Serve.

Serves 6 or 8

NOTE: For the roasted sweet corn, wet each ear of corn and place on a sheet tray. Add enough water to cover the bottom of the tray, about ½ inch of water. Place in a 350-degree oven and roast for approximately 10 minutes, remove from oven, turn over the ears of corn and cook for an additional 10 minutes. Remove from the oven, peel the husks and cut the kernels from the cob. Discard the husks and cob. Use as instructed from the recipe.

Tortillas de Maís

Corn Tortillas

From the Taco Table Cookbook

Corn tortillas are available in all supermarkets today and are certainly an option when making taco dishes, but I would really encourage all of you to make your own homemade corn tortillas, even if only once.

I can almost guarantee, however, that once you’ve held the dough in your hands, and placed it onto a cooking comal or skillet and made into fresh warm, moist, corn tortillas you are sure to be a convert. I didn’t grow up making corn tortillas on a daily basis so when I started to make them from scratch it seemed a little bit foreign to me. But once I realized how easy it was to do, how delicious the tortillas were to eat, and how much I enjoyed the process, I now make corn tortillas all of the time.

Both Alma Aguirre-Loya and Noe Cano grew up with mothers that made tortillas every day. Alma, who is from Northern Mexico, had either corn or flour tortillas on a daily basis, while Noe always only had corn tortillas. Alma continues today to make tortillas every day for her children, while Noe teaches how to make tortillas at the Santa Fe School of Cooking in Santa Fe, New Mexico in their cooking classes.

Below is the recipe as I was taught how to make corn tortillas from both Alma and Noe.

2 cups Fresh Corn Masa Flour or Maseca brand corn masa flour

1-teaspoon kosher salt

2 cups water

In a medium-size mixing bowl, combine the corn flour and water and mix together until you have formed a dough. You can do this with a spoon, but I always use my hands.

After the corn flour and water is completely mixed, using your hands form balls just smaller than a gold ball and set aside.

Preheat your comal or cast iron skillet so that it is hot.

In a tortilla press, place one ball in the center of the tortilla press and press together to make one corn tortilla. I use a plastic bag that I cut in half leaving a seam on one side so that I can place the corn masa ball inside the plastic so that it doesn’t stick to the tortilla press.

Remove the tortilla and place on the comal and cook the first side of the tortilla for 10 to 15 seconds, then turn over and cook for approximately 30to 40 seconds, then turn over again and cook until it puffs and the tortilla is done.

Place the cooked tortilla in a kitchen towel inside a basket or bowl and prepare the next tortilla following the same steps. Stack the tortilla on top of each other to keep them warm inside the towel.

Serve warm with your favorite taco recipe. Makes 16 corn tortillas.

WEEK THREE

Bolivian Red and White Quinoa with Summer Sweet Corn, Wild Mushrooms, Vidalia Sweet Onions Stuffed inside a Chile Pepper and Served with Local Organic Heirloom Tomato Sauce

Quinoa Stuffed Chiles

Olive Oil Cooking Spray

1 Cup white Mushrooms, sliced

½ Cup crimini Mushrooms, sliced

½ cup Shitake Mushrooms, sliced

1 teaspoon garlic, finely chopped

½ yellow onion, diced

½ cup yellow sweet corn, cut from the cob

1 cup cooked white quinoa

1 cup cooked red quinoa

½ teaspoon chipotle chile powder

½ teaspoon kosher salt

1/8 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

12 roasted, peeled, seeded New Mexico Green Chile, Poblano Chile or Gypsy Chile

Fresh Tomato Purée

6 garlic coves, minced

1 onion, diced

1 Tablespoon fresh basil

1 ¼ pounds heirloom tomatoes, coarsely chopped

To make the stuffed chiles, roast, peel and seed the chiles, keeping them whole for stuffing. Set aside.

Heat a large cast iron skillet, lighted sprayed with olive oil; heat over medium to high heat and sauté the onions about 4 minutes, until translucent. Add the mushrooms and sauté for another 2 to 4 minutes. Add the garlic and the corn and sauté another 2 minutes. Remove from the heat. Combine the sautéed mixture with the two types of cooked quinoa, chipotle chile powder, salt, and pepper. Mix together.

Slice the chiles lengthwise, spread them open on a work surface and generously stuff each chile with the quinoa mixture. Place the stuffed chiles on a lightly sprayed baking pan to prevent the chiles from sticking with the open- side down and set aside.

To make the purée, heat a saucepan over medium-low heat. Add the onions and sauté for 1 minute. Add the garlic and sauté for another minute. Add the tomatoes and cook another 15 minutes, stirring occasionally to prevent burning, until the excess liquid evaporates. The sauce will reduce and thicken. Add the basil and cook one more minute. At this point you can pour the sauce through a fine sieve to remove the skins or you can serve the sauce as it is (most of the students in my cooking classes preferred this sauce in its more rustic state). Set aside.