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Prep time
20 minutes
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Serves
4 to 6
Author Notes
The Pequot and other New England communities have made variations of this hominy salad, and so have Cherokees from what are now the Carolinas. But my version came about by accident. One day, while lecturing at the College of the Holy Cross in Massachusetts, I did an impromptu cooking demonstration. A lecture guest happened to have brought some blue-corn hominy, so we made this easy, rustic salad with fresh herbs right there and then. I’ve added the bacon, but it’s not necessary (or traditional); it’s one of my favorite elements, though, since it adds flavor, richness, and texture. The pairing of salty bacon with tender hominy creates a comforting and hearty flavor combination while the infusion of lemon, parsley, and watercress adds a refreshing lightness. If you’re not familiar with hominy, you’re in for a treat with this salad; it’s made from the kernels of dry corn, but with the tough outer hulls removed. It tastes a lot like popcorn but has the puffed, meaty feel of a chickpea. Best of all, it’s easy to find and delicious straight from the can.
Excerpted with permission from New Native Kitchen: Celebrating Modern Recipes of the American Indian (Abrams Books, 2022) by Freddie Bitsoie & James O. Fraioli. —Freddie Bitsoie
Ingredients
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4
strips bacon, diced
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4 cups
(680 grams) cooked hominy (canned is okay), rinsed well
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1/4 cup
(35 grams) diced onion (make sure dice is smaller than the hominy)
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1/2 cup
(75 grams) diced red bell pepper
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1/4 cup
(13 grams) chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
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2
cloves garlic, peeled and minced
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1 teaspoon
ground sage
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2 teaspoons
salt
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1 teaspoon
freshly cracked black pepper
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1/4 cup
(60 milliliters) olive oil
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Zest and juice of 2 lemons
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2 cups
(70 grams) loosely packed watercress
Directions
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In a medium sauté pan, add the bacon and turn the heat to medium. Render the bacon until crispy, being careful not to let it burn. Remove the bacon bits and drain on a paper towel–lined plate. In a medium bowl, add the bacon bits, hominy, onion, bell pepper, parsley, garlic, sage, salt, and pepper. Stir well to combine. Stir in the oil, lemon zest, and lemon juice. Then stir in the watercress. Serve immediately.
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