Sunflower Seed Cakes

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            FOOD FUNNY
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Here's a pair of groaners from Rosemary Zwick of Cape Town,
South Africa:

Q: How does a lion like his steak?
A: Medium roar.

Q: What do frogs eat with their hamburgers?
A: French flies.

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            TODAY'S RECIPE
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It should come as no surprise that, in order to be completely authentic,
recipes for native American dishes should call for nothing but food
products native to the Americas. Unfortunately, this is easier said
than done. Even though many North American native foodstuffs are
known worldwide (tomatoes, chiles, corn, beans, and turkey come to
mind), the better part of the diet of pre-Columbian Americans consisted
of products that aren't easy to come by today. For example, the Indians
of North America gathered dozens of different nuts and seeds, few of
which are commercially available to us now. I have tried to avoid recipes
calling for such things as beechnuts, white oak acorns, milkweed, and
club moss because, as interesting as they are from an anthropological
point of view, they would be of little practical value to my readers. Here
is a small selection of genuine American Indian recipes for which you
won't have to spend a week foraging in the woods:

(Recipes in brackets are in the PLUS Edition only.)

Monday's Starter
Sunflower Seed Cakes
[Fried Dandelion Blossoms]

Tuesday's Soup or Salad
Jerusalem Artichoke Soup
[Black Walnut and Pumpkin Soup]

Wednesday's Side Dish
Wild Rice with Hazelnuts and Blueberries
[Baked Butternut Squash]

Thursday's Entree
Stewed Rabbit and Dumplings
[Iroquois Fish Stew]

Friday's Dessert
Black Walnut and Maple Cookies
[Meatless Pemmican]

The seeds of the native American Helianthus species were widely
used across the Americas. They are an excellent source of protein
and can be eaten raw or roasted. Their oil is easily extracted by
crushing the seeds, boiling them, and then skimming off the oil that
floats on the surface of the water. They can also be ground into a
paste or "butter," and the dried residue resulting from extracting the
oil can be used as a flour to make cakes and fritters.

Sunflower Seed Cakes

3 cups (750 ml) fresh or dried hulled sunflower seeds
3 cups (750 ml) water
2 Tbs (30 ml) maple syrup
About 6 Tbs (90 ml) cornmeal
1/2 cup (125 ml) corn or vegetable oil

Combine the sunflower seeds and water in a pot and bring to a boil
over high heat. Reduce the heat and simmer covered for 1 hour. Puree
the seeds and remaining liquid to a paste in an electric blender or food
processor. Stir in the maple syrup and enough cornmeal to form a stiff
dough. Form into patties and fry in the oil until browned on both sides.
Serves 4 to 6.
Received on Mon Jan 16 08:54:30 2006