Authentic aboriginal corn soup
At Tea-N-Bannock, a 4-month-old aboriginal café on the edge of Gerrard’s India Bazaar, the menu revolves around an unleavened bread called bannock.
Served by the slice in plain or raisin variations, the bread (also known as a scone) comes baked or fried. You might order a slice with corn soup or elk and wild rice soup, or as part of a “trapper’s snack” with Klik (canned ham) or bologna. Bannock dough is wrapped around beef hot dogs and fried for a blanket dog. Indian tacos, wild rice salad, a homemade strawberry drink, and blueberry dumplings round out the menu.
“We serve the best of aboriginal cooking,” says co-owner Enos Miller, a pastor who runs the Circle of Hope Fellowship out of the non-denominational café on Sundays.
Chef Hugh Williams, from Aamjiwnaang First Nation in Sarnia, showed me how to make the popular corn soup, which sells for $4 a bowl.
The recipe tracks back to Tim Peltier of Wikwemikong First Nation on Manitoulin Island.
Williams uses both white and yellow hominy (dried corn kernels soaked in lye so the bran and germ are gone and the kernel puffs up). He buys canned hominy, but also gets dried hominy from an aboriginal supplier on Walpole Island.
Look for canned hominy in the Mexican area of some supermarkets, or in Latin American grocery stores. I got mine at House of Spice in Kensington Market. Put hock in large stock pot. Cover with water. Bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce to medium-high. Gently boil until meat is very tender and starting to come off bone, about 2 to 3 hours.
Transfer hock to cutting board to cool. Discard skin, fat and bone. Chop or shred meat into bite-size pieces. (You should have 2 to 3 cups/500 to 750 mL.) Refrigerate until ready to use.
Transfer pot to fridge to cool completely overnight. Discard layer of fat on surface. Reserve 6 cups (1.5L) stock (it will be gelatinous) for soup. Refrigerate or freeze remainder for another use, or discard.
In large pot, combine reserved stock, reserved meat, potatoes and onion. Bring to boil over high heat. Cook until potatoes are just tender, about 10 to 15 minutes depending on size. Add hominy and kidney beans. Cook until until warmed through, 5 to10 minutes. Taste; season with pepper if desired.
Makes about 12 cups (3L) for about 6 large or 12 small servings. Star-tested by Jennifer Bain