Apache Stew

Title:
Apache Stew

Yield:
8 Servings

Categories:
Native
American,
Stews




Ingredients:





     2    Red bell peppers


     5    Green anaheim chiles


   1/4 c  Sunflower oil


     1 lb Venison, cut into 1 1/2 inch


          -cubes


     1    Onion, diced


     3    Garlic cloves, finely


          -chopped


     2    Carrots, sliced


     3 c  Cooked Indian hominy


     8 c  Water


 1 1/2 ts Salt


     1 ts White pepper


     1 c  Tumbleweed greens,


          -thoroughly cleaned, or


          -curly endive






 Roast the peppers, then peel, seed, and cut into long strips.  Roast the


 chiles, then peel, seed, devein and dice.


 


 Heat the oil in a large stew pot over medium-high heat.  When the oil is


 almost smoking, add the venison and cook until the meat is lightly browned,


 3 to 5 minutes.  Add the onion and garlic and saute 2 minutes more.


 


 Stir in the carrots, peppers, and chiles and cook 1 minute more.  Add the


 hominy, water, salt, and pepper and bring the mixture ot a boil. Reduce the


 heat to low and let the stew simmer 1 1/2 hours, stirring occasionally to


 prevent burning, until the meat is very tender.  Just before serving, add


 the tumbleweed greens, stir 1 minute and spoon into bowls. *****


 


 The Apache people lived in many regions throughout southeastern Arizona and


 New Mexico.  The men hunted the animals that roamed the mountains, and the


 women gathered and harvested both wild foods and the foods that they


 cultivated on the land.


 


 This recipe is based on a traditional stew that was taught to me by a San


 Carlos medicine man during one of my visits to his ranch.  When I prepare


 the stew now, I can vividly remember the tapping of his traditional water


 drum and the songs he chanted in his native Apache tongue. Through his


 songs, he asked for all people to walk in harmony with Mother Earth and be


 guided by the spirit of the mountains and the spirit of his drum. I still


 remember the sincerity and yearning of his songs.


 


 Depending on what type of produce was available, the ingredients added to


 the venison varied each time the stew was prepared.  This recipe includes


 the basics of the stew, but you can substitute other vegetables.


 


 From "Native American Cooking," by Lois Ellen Frank


 Posted to MM-Recipes Digest  by "Rfm" 
on May 25, 98