I would like to dedicated this to my family and friends. Especially my dad, who inspired me to cook, thank you for everything.

I would like to thank both of my grandmothers; Isabel and Linda,Marion (Gram)Cathy Creedon

Matthew Aldredge

My dad, Eric watching our bulls.

Table of Contents

Introduction......................... pg. 1

Navajo Recipes

Navajo Frybread....................pg. 4Tortilla..................................pg. 4Mutton Stew.........................pg. 5Navajo Tacos.........................pg. 5Blood Sausages......................pg. 6Mutton Gravy.......................pg. 6Blue Indian Corn Mush........pg. 7Kneel Down Bread................pg. 7Navajo Dumplings................pg. 8Navajo Tea............................pg. 8Berry Sauce...........................pg. 8Navajo Cake.........................pg. 12

Shinnecock Recipes

Succotash.............................pg. 14Samp....................................pg. 14Clam Pie..............................pg. 15Clam Fitters.........................pg. 16Clam Chowder.....................pg. 16Corn Chowder......................pg. 17Venison Stew........................pg. 17Rabbit Stew..........................pg. 18Duff.....................................pg. 18

Game Recipes

Venison Roast.....................pg. 20BBQ Venison Ribs.............pg. 21Grilled Wild Turkey............pg. 21Ad's Duck..........................pg. 22

Introduction

"is cookbook is a collection of Native American recipes from the Navajo and Shinnecock tribes as told by grandmothers whose grandmothers handed them down to us. Because of this measurements had to be estimated. So, asking my relatives to give exact measurements was nearly impossible. "ey had to imagine what a cup of teaspoon full might look like. A pinch or a dash or a container half full or full was all they went by. Almost all the dishes that were prepared in olden times were made to individual taste. Some people liked more salt and some people liked a lot more pepper and spice. All the ingredients were mostly things that were grown in their community or home gardens. Traditional spices such as sage and greenthread are from lands out west. Onions, potatoes, carrots and wild celery grew on Long Island. Depending on the family size or community events that is what determined the amount of ingredients used. Meat for most of the wild game dishes was hunted, caught, cleaned, then portioned out once again by family or event size. Seafood was a main staple for the Native people of Long Island and was very abundant because the people always lived as near as possible to the sea whether it was the ocean, the bay or even the creek.

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Traditional NavajoRecipes

From the Land of Enchantment...

Navajo Frybread

3 cups flour1 tsp baking powder½ tsp salt2 cups grease Mix all of the dry ingredients together in a large bowl. Slowly add lukewarm water, knead until becomes dough like. You don't want it to be sticky. Roll the dough into 10 dough balls. Leave them in the bowl and cover with cloth. Let it stand for 10 minutes.

Heat the grease in a large heavy duty skillet. Let the grease became liquid. Take one ball and roll out the dough to a nine inch diameter. You can roll out dough with a rolling pin or clap your hands together with the dough in between. Place the circle dough into the pan slowly. Cook on one side until golden then on the other side.

Optional: Top with honey, powdered sugar or cinnamon.

To check if the grease is hot enough sprinkle water into the pan to see if it bubbles, if so then its hot enough. If the grease isn't hot enough the dough will get hard.

Serves 10 people

Tortillas

Follow the frybread recipe to make the dough.

Heat a large heavy duty skillet. Take one ball and roll the dough to a nine inch diameter. Place in heated skillet and cook for a min then flip tortilla over. Make sure each side has little tints of golden brown.

Serves 10 people

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My mom, Ursula, making frybread over an open fire.

Mutton Stew

Backbone of a sheep 3 cups dry steam roast corn kernels 2 tbs powdered Red Chili

Put all ingredients in a 8-quart pot and fill ¾ with water and cover. Bring to a boil and boil for an hour. Then turn down the flame to simmer for an hour.

Best if serve with Frybread

Serves 8-10 people

Navajo Tacos

1 lb ground beef1 14oz chili beans 1 small onion

Dice the onion. Then cook the ground beef and onion in a large pan for about 7-10 minutes. Add the chili beans and cook for about 5-7 minutes.

Make the Navajo frybread. Then put the meat on top of a piece of frybread. Top with cheddar cheese, lettuce, onion, tomato. Then serve.

Serves 10 people

5

Blood Sausages 5 large potatoes1 cup yellow cornmeal½ cup green chili

When you butcher the sheep collect the blood from the throat in a large bowl. While the blood is still warm, stir with a fork. Take the fat of the sheep and let it hang out to become cool, stiff like. Then cut the fat into small dice size. Add fat, potatoes, cornmeal and green chili to blood.

Take the sheep's stomach, clean and wash it on the inside and outside. Turn the stomach inside out and pour the blood mixture in the stomach.

Take string and tie around the stomach making three sacks. Bring cold water to a boil in a large pot. Boil the stomach for 3 hours. Take the stomach out and let it coll. Slice and serve.

Serves 6-8 people

Mutton Gravy

¼ lb mutton½ of a small onion½ pepper1 tsp black pepper (or chili powder)3 tbs flourwater

Heat a large skillet with oil. Dice and cook the mutton until done. Dice and add onion, pepper. Add black pepper. Sprinkle flour in and stir. Add water until it begins to thicken. Stir and serve.

Best if served over blood sausages.

Serves 6-8 people.

6

Blue Indian Corn Mush

branch of cedar tree¾ cup water1 cup blue cornmeal

Break a branch off a cedar tree. Burn the branch and collect the ashes. Sift the ashes of the cedar into a pan. Take the ashes out and put in small bowl, set aside. Take a medium sauce pan and put water into the pan. Heat water but don't bring to a boil. Take blue cornmeal and whip into hot water. Take a 1 tsp of the cedar ashes and mix into cornmeal. Turn flame medium high until begins to bubble then remove from heat and serve.

The reason why the cedar ashes go into the cornmeal is in order to make the cornmeal blue. It turns purple if ashes aren't put in.

Serves 2-3 people

Kneel Down Bread

24 ears of large corn1 tablespoons salt5 tablespoons chili powder

Preheat oven to 350°.Remove the husk and kernels off the cob. Keep the husk aside. Grind corn. Take the juice of the grind corn and put in a small bowl, set aside. Put the corn in medium bowl and add salt, chili powder. Stir. Take the husk and layout so that the enclosed (curl) is facing up. Spoon a spoonful of corn mixture in the center of husk. Fold up each end then fold in the sides. Tie with a piece of corn husk. Repeat until there is no more corn mixture. Place each into a cake pan or a stone plate. Bake for 45-55 minutes. Serve.

Serves 15-20 people

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Navajo Dumplings

Make the mutton stew and frybread dough. Instead of frying the dough, make into a log about 1 inch wide and 12 or more inches long. Cut into squares. Add to the cooking stew. Cook for 20-30 minutes or until dough is cooked throughly. Serve.

Serves 8-10 people Navajo Tea

This Navajo tea helps with colds, cramps and diarrhea.

1 bundle of Greenthread8-10 cups water

Preheat oven to 350°. Wrap the stems into a bundle and bake for 30 minutes. Set aside. Bring water to a boil. Add the bundle and boil for 10-15 minutes. Serve with honey or sugar.

For stronger tea use less water.

Berry Sauce

2 cups berry¼ cup sugar2-3 tbs water

Grind the berries in a medium size bowl. Add sugar and water. Stir, blending ingredients well together. Serve.

Serve this sauce over frybread or any type of bread if desired.

Serves 2-3 people

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I am running in the sun, rain, and snow, to the same tree every morning, afternoon and evening, for four days. My family and friends following behind, but one of my uncles is right behind. "is is my “Kinaadla”, my becoming a woman ceremony. I am a Navajo young lady about to become a woman.

In April of 2003, I, along with ten family members, went to New Mexico, where my mother’s family lives. As part of an ancient, traditional ceremony I had to undress and let an old Navajo woman dress me in a traditional ceremonial outfit. She washed my hair with yucca plant. For the whole four day ceremony I was not allowed to wash except to brush my teeth. I was laid down on layers of old and new blankets. My friends and family put their belongs, like their purses and wallets on the outside, so I could bless them. "e old lady gave me a back rub and then I stood up. "en I stretched all my friends and family and this was to help them grow up

healthy. I was asked to jump as far as I could. Everyone said I jumped too far. "is jump would determine how big my Navajo cake would be. "e men there would dig out a circle the size of my jump and this would become the “pan” for my cake. "e women and I would prepare the cake batter. I had to sit on the dirt floor of the Hogan (a traditional Navajo home) and grind the corn with two smooth stones. Elder Navajo ladies came in and helped me mix the batter. We added the ground corn, raisins and flour in a big old paint bucket because the cake was going to be so large.

"en I sat with other young women and we sewed together a circular corn husk lining for the bottom of the hole and a second to cover the cake. We placed the corn husk in the circle, poured in the batter, and then placed the other corn husk on top. "e men then covered the cake with dirt and built a fire on top to cook the cake over the next four days.

On the third day of my ceremony, I had to stay up for forty-eight hours. In the night the Navajo elders came into the Hogan to sing old, traditional songs that I did not understand, but the beauty of the songs made me sleepy. Everyone sat in a circle and stayed up with me. As I sat I looked around and I watched everyone closing their eyes for a second then opening them as fast as they could. I would do that too.

During the days I would clean the dust off a wood crate that was placed in front of the Hogan. My task was to make tortillas. My tortillas had holes at first but

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Me grinding corn for my Navajo cake.

I got better at making round, non-burnt tortillas. Performing these types of chores was an important part of the traditional ceremony.

"e last day, I was to clean a sheep. I saw a fluffy sheep in the back of an old blue truck. I was joined by Navajo women elders who were to help me. "e men held the sheep down on the ground and the old women killed it. I did not judge this as either bad nor good, but as a traditional I had to follow. I cleaned the intestines out and prepared blood sausages. Everyone, including me, would eat the sheep and the bread I had made earlier.

"e last day I gave away gifts and candy to everyone who attended or was a part of my ceremony. It was a thank you for everything they had done. "e old traditional Navajo woman, who dressed me in the beginning, came back and undressed me. I had completed my ceremony. "is was an experience that I don’t know how to explain to anyone, but it was life changing for me.

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Some of my family and friends pouring the batter of the Navajo Cake into the ground to cook.

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Navajo Elders helping making the batter of the Navajo Cake.

Me and my family sewing together the corn husk.

Navajo Cake

This Navajo cake is cooked during a Kinaalda, a girl's ceremony for her puberty. The cake would be cooked in a circle in the ground. But here is a recipe for it to be cook at home.

7 cups yellow corn meal2 cups all purpose flour2-3 cups brown sugar2-3 cups raisin

Preheat oven to 350. Grease a disposable aluminum roasting pan, set aside. In a large skillet, brown flour until golden. Then in a large pot, bring 16 cups of water to a boil. Add cornmeal and flour into boiling water, stirring until all is mix together. Make sure there are no lumps. Gradually add 12-14 cups of warm water until the batter becomes cake like. Add in sugar and raisin, mix well. Pour batter into pan. Cook for 2-3 hours.

Check the cake with a toothpick if the toothpick isn't clean, sticky, bake for additional 30 minutes to an hour.

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My grandmother and me mixing the batter from the Navajo Cake.

Traditional ShinnecockRecipes

From the Land by the Sea...

Succotash and samp are two main stews that were cooked throughout the year for the Shinnecock people. But they are especially good for cold winter nights. During the annual

Shinnecock Pow-Wow, my whole family gets together during the breaks for a big dinner meal. My grandmother would be preparing a large pot of succotash or samp during the day for us.

Because it had corn and beans it was enough to fill us up.

Succotash

1 pound dry cranberry beans 1 medium onion8 ears of corn or 4 cups of corn 1 3inch slab of lean salt pork

Sort beans, removing any rotted and old beans. Then wash thoroughly. Put the beans in a large pot, cover with water and soak over night. But if fresh beans are used no need to soak beans. If soaked overnight discard the water. Keep the beans in the same pot. Dice onion and salt pork. Saute in a large soup pot until both are tender. Add beans. Cover with water one inch above beans. Take the corn and remove from the cob. Add the corn in with beans. Cook on medium heat for 30-45 minutes if fresh beans are used otherwise cook for 1½ hours – 2 hours, until beans are tender. Add pepper and salt to taste. Then Serve.

Serves 8-10 people

Samp

1 pound dry hominy1 pound dry navy beans3 medium smoked pig knuckles1 small onion diced

Sort beans, removing any rotted and old beans. Then wash thoroughly. Soak the hominy and beans over night in a large pot fill with water. Drain after soaking. using the same pot add water, 3 inches over the hominy and beans. Add knuckles and onion. Boil for about two hours or until hominy and beans are tender. Add pepper and salt to taste. Then serve.

Serves 8-10 people

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Clamming is a big part of the Shinnecock culture. Traditionally most of the people wait until low tide and find a sandy area to clam. "ey dig with their feet until they feel the clam. You can tell the difference between a clam and a rock. Usually when you find one clam you will find a dozen because they are found in clam beds. Sometimes you can tell where they are because you

look for bubbles in the sand.

Clam Pie

1 dozen large whole hard shell clams Crust6 medium potatoes2 medium onions 1 cup flour½ teaspoon thyme ½ tsp salt¼ teaspoon basil 1/3 cup shortening5 slices thick bacon 2-2½ tbs ice water

Remove clams from shell. Reserve clam juice and set aside. Dice clams, potatoes and onions. Set a side. Chop bacon and brown with onions in a large skillet. Drain grease and add all ingredients. Cook on low heat, thickening slightly with about 2 tablespoons of flour. Move clam mixture into a 9inch by 13inch casserole pan, set a side. Preheat oven to 350°. In a medium bowl, mix flour and salt. With a knife or pastry cutter cut shortening into dry ingredients. Add ice water slowly, mixing until all dry ingredients are wet. Then shape into a ball and roll out. Place dough over top of clam mixture. Poke holes or cut slits in dough. Cook for about 1-1 ½ hours or until dough is brown. Serve.

Serves 6-8 people

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Clam Fitters

1 dozen whole hard shell clams Batter½ tsp thyme¼ tsp salt 1½ cup flour ½ tsp pepper 2¼ tsp baking powder 3 tbs criso (frying lard) 2 eggs

¾ cup milk

Mix batter ingredients in a medium bowl. Remove clams from shell. Dice clams and add to the batter. Add dry ingredients and mix until well blended. In a large cast iron frying pan, melt criso until clear and hot. Spoon batter into hot grease and fry until brown on both sides. (Cook like a pancake) Serve.

Serves 6 people

Clam Chowder

1 dozen whole hard shell clams8 medium tomato 1 medium onion6 medium potatoes3- 2 inch pieces lean salt pork 1 bay leave½ teaspoon thyme Remove clams from shell. Reserve clam juice and set aside. Dice clams. Then dice potatoes, onion and lean salt pork. Skinned tomatoes and chopped finely until a puree consistency. Saute onions and pork in a large stew pot, until pork is brown and onions are clear. Add potatoes and tomatoes. Add the clam juice with 2 cups of water. Add spices and simmer for half an hour until potatoes are tendered. Add the clams and simmer for a half an hour. Add pepper to taste. Serve.

Serves 8-10 people

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Corn Chowder

6-8 ears of corn6 medium potatoes1 medium onion4 cups milk (cream) ½ tsp pepper 3- 2 inch pieces lean salt pork

Remove kernels off cob. Dice potatoes and set both aside. Dice onion and salt pork. In a large soup pot, saute onions and salt pork until brown. Add milk, corn, potatoes. Simmer slowly for 2 hours, until potatoes are tender. Add pepper to taste and serve.

Serves 8-10 people

Venison Stew

1 lb venison rib meat1 medium onion6-8 potatoes6 carrots1 stalk celery 2 cups corn2 bay leaves½ tsp salt½ tsp pepper2 tbs crisco2 tbs flour6 cups water

Dice venison and coat with flour. Saute in a large pot meat in crisco until brown. Add water. Dice all vegetables and add to water and meat. Add all remaining ingredients. Cover and simmer for about 2 hours, until meat and potatoes are tender. Serve.

Serves 8-10 people

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Rabbit Stew

Make the venison stew but instead of venison meat use rabbit meat. Use the breast, legs, thighs or back meat.

Serves 8-10 people

Duff

2 quarts blueberry (or blackberry) Biscuit¼ cup lemon juice¼ cup sugar 2 cups flour

3 tsp baking powderTopping 1 tsp salt

1/3 cup shortening1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter 1 cup milk1/3 cup sugar 1 tbs sugar1tsp lemon juice ¼ tsp nutmeg1 tsp vanilla extract

Add blueberries, lemon juice and sugar into a pot. Bring to a boil, simmer for twenty minutes. While blueberries are cooking make the biscuit dough. In a large bowl add all dry ingredients, mix until blended. Cut shortening into dry ingredients until crumbles. Add milk and mix well. Drop the dough by spoonful on top of berry mixture. Cover and cook on medium heat until the biscuits are done about 10-15 minutes.

Topping - Beat the butter until creamy and light. Add sugar and beat until smooth and well blended. Add lemon juice and vanilla.

Serve the duff warm and add a spoonful of topping to each serving.

Serves 10-12 people

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Game Recipes

From the Land...

I was out hunting deer with my brother one day, when I got my first buck, a six- pointer. He had spotted the buck and then we stood still, waiting for a clear shot. I had a clear shot and took it. It was a good skill shot, it fell right there. I didn't have to go a track it down. I was so excited. We, meaning Native American people use all parts of deer, we don't kill for just the antlers. We then called my parents to tell them. My mom answered the phone and I was so excited that she couldn't understand me so my brother had to talk to her. We went home to get a knife and my dad to help us. We dragged the deer a little ways then placed it on the ground. My dad took out the intestines, splitting it down the belly. "e smell is awful. We then dragged it out to the truck placing it in the bed of the truck. We hung the deer in the barn to clean and cut it up for meat. From start to finish it was a good experience.

Venison Roast

1 5lb venison roast 1 tbs fresh garlic1 tsp pepper½ tsp seasoned meat tenderized½ tsp sea salt1 large onion1tbs witchchester sauce1 cup red wine ¼ cup water In a large pot, place the venison roast, and tenderized with a fork (stabbing the roast) Then season with spices. Chop the onion and garlic and add on roast. Add the sauce and wine. Remove roast and all contents into a large zip lock bag and seal tightly. Put in the refrigerator and let is soak for 2 hours, but better if soaked over night.

Preheat to 350. Remove roast and contents into a 2inch deep baking pan. Add water into pan and cover with foil. Cook for 2 hours. Then remove foil and cook for an hour. Then slice and serve.

Serves 5-6 people

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BBQ Venison Ribs

1 rack of venison ribs Barbecue Sauce1 tsp pepper ½ tsp sea salt 1 cup orange juice (no pulp)1 tsp seasoned meat tenderized ¼ cup molasses½ tsp chili pepper 2 tbs brown sugar1 tbs fresh garlic ½ cup tomato paste5 tbs olive oil ¼ cup maple syrup ½ cup dark beer ¼ tsp ground pepper

4 tbs hot sauce

Dry rub season into ribs and place the ribs into a large pot. Chop garlic and add to pot. Add oil and beer. Remove rib and contents into a large zip lock bag. Place in refrigerator for 2 hours.

Preheat grill. In a large mixing bowl add all barbecue ingredients and mix together well. Remove meat for refrigerator and cook for 5 minutes on each side, until browning. Then glaze barbecue sauce on ribs while cooking and rotating for 20 minutes. Then serve.

Serves 4-5 people

Because there is lots of woods and bushes on the Reservation, there is abundant amount of wildlife. "ere are rabbits, pheasants, quail, deer and many other birds and mammals. Most of these are edible. Many are frequently hunted and do not have to be trapped. Because animals have certain times of the year when they reproduce or mate, we respect that and do not hunt them. Certain other animals are affected by fleas and mites during the spring and summer and definitely can't be hunted.

Grilled Wild Turkey

1 whole turkey (15-30 lb) 2 tbs ground pepper1 tsp seasoned meat tenderized

Season the turkey with spices. Wrapped the turkey in foil; separating pieces, so that the leg is one and the breast is another, etc. Grill for 30 minutes. Remove from foil. Serve.

Serves 6-8 people

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Ad's Duck

1 whole drake mallard duck2 granny smith apples½ lemon½ tsp garlic powder1 tsp onion powder1 tsp pepper¼ cup red wine vinaigrette2 cups apple juice extra virgin olive oilbarbecue sauce

Preheat oven to 350. In a cast iron pot, place the duck season with garlic, pepper and onion powder. Slice apples and add to pot. Slice and squeeze the lemon over the duck, adding the lemon to the pot. Add in red wine vinaigrette and apple juice. Cover and cook for 30-40 minutes. Remove duck from the pot, then cover the duck entirely with olive oil and barbecue sauce. Grill for 10-15 minutes.

Serves 2 people

22

My brother, Adam, putting out his duck decoys.

Erica Cody Phillips is the oldest daughter of Eric and Ursula Phillips. She lives on the Shinnecock Indian Reservation in Southampton, New York with her father and mother and two brothers and a sister. Her father is Shinnecock and her mother is Navajo from the Navajo Indian Reservation in New Mexico. Erica has compiled her recipes from her two grandmothers; Isabel from Navajo Reservation, Linda from Shinnecock Reservation and her father and a few other relatives and friends. Erica has always had a great passion for cooking and has been doing it since she was about six years old. She always helped her father and grandmothers cook in their kitchens. She has put together desserts of her own creation for many family gatherings and truly enjoys the presentation of them. During her middle school and high school years at the Hampton Day/Morriss Center she interned at such establishments as the Blue Duck Bakery and Almondito and cooked a meal for her high school. My mom and me.