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Mohawk Corn Soup #SundaySupper

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Mohawk Corn Soup #SundaySupper

We are sharing regional favorites and specialties for #SundaySupper with our awesome host Renee Pajestka of Renee’s Kitchen’s Adventures. I am really excited for this event because despite the globalization of different cuisines and foods, there are still some special dishes that you just can’t get everywhere. Take that McDonald’s! I love discovering new dishes especially those unique to a region.

I’ve only had Corn Soup once before about 24 years ago. The experience made quite an indelible mark in my memory.

Much of my childhood was spent in a teeny tiny town in Northern New York which was adjacent to a reservation called Hogansburg or Mohawk Nation of Akwesasne, The reservation straddled U.S. and Canada, but they considered themselves one nation. Along the main route, it is similar to any other small town dotted with mom-and-pop stores, restaurants, and lots and lots of gas stations and truck stops.

Anyhow, after graduating college, I ended up spending that summer in Korea enrolled in a language program. The program itself was a complete waste since 90% of the students were Korean American so it wasn’t completely an immersive program. I learned more on the weekends I spent with my relatives who didn’t know a lick of English. After that summer, and unable to get a visa to extend my stay, I returned to my parent’s house. Up until that point, I always had a plan or a goal. It was quite a crushing blow to my ego, graduating from a top university and ending up in my childhood bedroom. I was exhibiting Millennial tendencies even before the Millennials were born!

After weeks of existing in a stupor, something in me (or maybe it was my mom) prodded me to “do something”. I got a job at the local mall which lasted 2 weeks. God, I abhor retail. Then a family friend at church needed a bookkeeper for their business on the “rez”. At that point I was open to taking anything that didn’t include peddling socks and pleated trousers. So I worked in a small auto parts store on the rez. A local racetrack kept the store busy. And the guys at the store, including the owner, made the days fun and interesting. I spent 9 memorable months there before moving on to my next venture. Here are three things I learned while working there:

1 – People spend LOTS of money on aftermarket auto parts.

2 – How to hide hundreds of cartons of cigarettes in every cavity of a car.

3 – Corn soup is refreshingly good in all its simplicity.

The soup is very unspectacular and simple. I often bought lunch and frequented this one truck stop called the Bear’s Den that had pretty decent food. Corn Soup was the soup special on the fateful day and that was it. I was expecting a chowder or a variation on cream of corn. Instead it was a light, brothy soup with chunks of vegetables, hominy and meat. Surprisingly I found a recipe online. Upon first glance it looked close to the Mexican posole, but without the spices. Making this soup brought back a rush of memories. Funny, how food does that.

Mohawk Corn Soup #SundaySupper
Print Recipe

Mohawk Corn Soup #SundaySupper

Mohawk Corn Soup is refreshingly good in all its simplicity.
Course: Soup
Cuisine: Native American
Author: Amy Kim | kimchi MOM

Ingredients

  • 1 pound pork stew meat 2-inch chunks
  • 1/2 head of green cabbage cubed (about 10 ounces)
  • 1 small rutabaga cubed (about 10-11 ounces)
  • 1 medium onion quartered
  • 6 cups chicken broth
  • 1 15- ounce can of yellow or white hominy drained
  • 1 15- ounce can of red kidney beans drained
  • Sea salt to taste

Instructions

  • Place pork and onion in about 2 quarts of water and bring to a boil. Lower heat and let simmer for about 2 hours. Skim any scum as it cooks.
  • Transfer pork to a large bowl. Strain the broth into the bowl. Discard the onion. Return the pork and broth to the pot. Add 6 cups of chicken broth. Add the cabbage and rutabaga to the pot and let simmer for about 30 minutes or until the rutabaga is tender.
  • Add hominy and beans. Once the soup comes back to a simmer, it is ready.
  • Ladle into bowls. Salt to taste.

Notes

Adapted from Native Tech

Let the #SundaySupper tastemakers take you on a trip with their favorite regional specialties.

Appetizers:

Beverages:

Breakfast:

Salads:

Sauces:

Side Dishes:

Soups:

Main Dish:

Desserts:

Plus Rhubarb Steamed Pudding and Favorite Regional Recipes from Sunday Supper Movement

Sunday Supper MovementJoin the #SundaySupper conversation on twitter on Sunday! We tweet throughout the day and share recipes from all over the world. Our weekly chat starts at 7:00 pm ET. Follow the #SundaySupper hashtag and remember to include it in your tweets to join in the chat. To get more great Sunday Supper Recipes, visit our website or check out our Pinterest board.

Would you like to join the Sunday Supper Movement? It’s easy. You can sign up by clicking here: Sunday Supper Movement

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