~ A weekly column by Lucinda Frye ~
In our quest for diverse, indigenous cuisine brought by the many ethnic people from all over the world that live on St. Maarten, we have covered ethnic groups from the Caribbean islands, Europe, the Middle East, Scandinavia, the UK, South America, Africa, India and the Southern Hemisphere countries of New Zealand, Australia and regions of China. We also visited the Haute Savoie region in France and Geneva in Switzerland. It is time to head to America.
What better time to start our visits to areas in America than now when there is a huge event happening in Indianapolis. The Super Bowl XLVI is being played in a cold weather city for only the fourth time in its history.
Indianapolis is situated in the Midwest of the USA in a state called Indiana. It was settled predominately by those of British descent as well as Irish and German immigrants. Later immigrants – Jews, Poles, Eastern Europeans and Italians – influenced the local cuisine. Much of the city’s food draws upon these influences. Much of the food is considered today to be “Classic American Cuisine.”
Known as the Hoosier State, Indiana Hoosiers are residents who adopted the name some 150 years ago (in some other states, this name is often used derogatorily); where it originated is unknown – there are different opinions on the matter – but it’s been used since 1830 at least.
Indiana has a long shoreline on Lake Michigan waterfront. It is one of the world’s great industrial centres with large industrial areas that turn out iron, steel and oil products. The factories manufacture automobile parts, accessories, mobile homes, recreational vehicles, truck and bus bodies, aircraft engines, farm machinery, fabricated structural steel and wood office furniture. Pharmaceuticals are also manufactured there.
Fishing and hunting are big draw-cards to the area – permits needed. In the late 19th to early 20th century, oysters were the only “fresh” seafood available in the part of the Midwest that doesn’t serve as shoreline for the Great Lakes. Small game hunting of rabbit and squirrel (although not flying squirrel, a protected species) is allowed at certain times of the year as well as deer, water fowl, game birds and turkey.
India’s climate, soil, river system, and central location make the state a vital part of the American food and fibre system. Indiana has one of the highest percentages of its land area in agricultural production among key farming states with corn and soya beans being the two main crops grown; the lesser crops include honey, watermelon, apples and Christmas trees.
Pork is synonymous with Indiana, although Cattle farming (beef and dairy) is not as large as in some other states, duck farming is. Indiana produces more ducks than any other state and these are shipped around the world; Indiana is also a top egg producing state. There is a large turkey production too.
Indiana is famous for a number of things with the Indy 500 probably being the most well known. The first long-distance auto race in the US was held in 1911, the winner averaged 75 miles an hour and won a 1st place prize of $14,000. Today the average speed is over 167 miles an hour and the prize is more than $1.2 million.
Abraham Lincoln lived most of his boyhood in a county of Indiana. The Ragged Anne doll was first created in Indianapolis in 1914; the first professional baseball game was played in Indiana; various well known personalities including David Letterman were born in this state and it appears a lot of the youngsters think Santa Claus lives there, as the State of Indiana gets more than its fair share of Christmas wish lists sent to Father Christmas! And now the Super Bowl XLVI between the New England Patriots and the New York Giants is due to be played there on Sunday, February 5.
The Midwest cuisine is influenced by regionally and locally grown foodstuffs and cultural diversity. Everyday Midwestern home cooking generally showcases simple and hearty dishes that make use of the abundance of locally grown foods. Fresh tomatoes are to Indian as bourbon is to Kentucky. Two of the city’s most distinct dishes are the pork tenderloin sandwich sold at restaurants and strawberry shortcake.
Beer drinkers: The best drink that can be enjoyed when watching the Super Bowl is beer – buckets of ’em.
Indiana is one of the few states with a state wide ban on Sunday alcohol sales in supermarkets – there are exceptions to these rules – Brewers can sell carryout on Sunday and bars can sell for drinking on-site! The microbrewery revolution hit Indiana in 1989. There are about 34 breweries now operating.
The first commercial brewery in Indiana was built around 1817 near Richmond. The J. & W. L. Coleman brewery in Vincennes opened in 1818. National Prohibition shut down all the legitimate breweries in Indiana by 1918. The state of Indiana issued 11 brewery licences in November, 1935 – Hurrah!!
RECIPES:
Greek-style Chicken Wings: Two Super Bowl finger food recipes that are easily doubled.
Marinate 2 lbs of chicken wings for 20 to 30 minutes in the following:
1/3 cup olive oil
1 tsp salt
½ tsp black pepper
1/3 cup lemon juice
2 tsp fresh lemon zest
2 tsp oregano
Method:
Bake wings on a baking sheet coated with non stick cooking spray, in a preheated 350º oven for 20 minutes.
Flip them over and bake 15 minutes longer or until done.
Dip:
Mix 1 cup Greek yogurt, 2 tbl honey, 1 tsp salt, ½ tsp pepper, ¼ cup finely chopped green onion tops in a bowl, and serve with the platter of cooked wings.
Bacon wrapped /Jalapeno stuffed chicken thighs: Variation – cut a small wedge of brie cheese and place alongside the jalapeno when stuffing.
Ingredients
4 jalapenos, cut in half lengthwise, seeded
8 boneless, skinless chicken thighs,
1 tbl lemon pepper
16 thin slices bacon
12 oz. butter
1/3 cup honey
1 lime zested and juiced
1/3 cup chopped cilantro
1 tbl chopped flat leaf parsley
¼ tsp salt
¼ tsp black pepper
Method
Heat oven to 400º F
Lay chicken thighs out flat and sprinkle the lemon pepper evenly over the inside part of the thighs.
Tuck a ½ slice of jalapeno inside the part of the thigh from where the bone was removed, repeat with remaining thighs.
Roll chicken meat around the jalapeno to make a package.
Wrap 2 slices of bacon around each of the chicken packages.
Secure with a tooth pick.
Place bacon wrapped jalapeno stuffed chicken bundles in a baking pan.
Place chicken uncovered in pre-heated oven.
Bake for 40-45 minutes.
While chicken is baking, melt butter in a medium sized saucepan over low heat.
Add honey, simmer 1-2 minutes or until butter has melted and honey has dissolved.
Remove from heat; add lime zest, lime juice, chopped cilantro, chopped parsley, salt and pepper.
Stir to combine, set aside and keep warm.
Place cooked chicken bundles onto a platter and pour the honey lime cilantro butter over each.
Serve with paper napkins, as this is “drippy” finger food – but oh, so delicious.
Pork Tenderloin Sandwiches: definitely an Indiana thing!
Ingredients:
4 boneless loin chops, cut an inch thick
1 cup flour
½ cup milk
½ cup cornmeal
1 tsp salt
1 tsp black pepper
Oil
Method
Butterfly the loin chops. Cut them almost all the way in half with a sharp knife, then open them flat and beat with a meat mallet until a quarter inch thick.
Mix the flour, the corn meal, salt and pepper on a plate.
Pour the milk into a deep plate.
Heat about a half inch of oil in a heavy skillet until a one-inch cube of bread browns in about a minute.
Turn the oven on to warm.
Dip the first tenderloin in milk, then dredge in the flour/cornmeal mixture on both sides, making sure every bit is covered.
Cook each butterflied chop – one by one – in the hot oil and fry until the bottom is golden brown.
Turn and fry until golden brown all over (this should take about five minutes if oil is the right temperature). Drain on a paper towel.
Keep warm in oven.
Repeat the process until all four are done.
Serve on a fresh bun buttered with mustard.
Add a slice of vine ripened tomato and red onion.
Hoosier Sugar Cream Pie
The recipe appears to have originated in Indiana in the1850s – the Shaker and Amish communities made this when their apple bins were empty. It is similar to the English milk tart and South African Melktert, but uses no eggs. For a lighter pie, use only milk.
Ingredients:
2 cups heavy cream
½ cup whole milk
½ cup all-purpose flour
½ cup light brown sugar
½ cup white sugar
1 tbl vanilla extract
1 9-inch piecrust – use puff pastry / or shortbread pastry or a store-bought piecrust
3 tbl granulated sugar, for sprinkling
1 tbl unsalted butter
1 tsp ground cinnamon
Method:
Preheat oven to 350º F.
Combine cream, milk, flour, sugars and vanilla.
Fit crust into a 9-inch pie pan and dot bottom with butter. (If using puff pastry, first bake blind)
Pour filling into crust.
Combine cinnamon and remaining 3 tbl sugar and sprinkle on top.
Bake pie until it sets and centre is firm to touch, about 1 hour.
Cool on a wire rack.
