“There’s a lot of things great about life. But I think tomorrow is the most important thing. Comes in to us at midnight very clean, ya know. It’s perfect when it arrives and it puts itself in our hands. It hopes we’ve learned something from yesterday.” – John Wayne
I was disappointed that Google did not do a doodle for John Wayne’s 110th birthday which was just this past May – May 26th to be exact.
It seems like a lot of Google tributes are for people I’ve never even heard of, doing things I don’t much care about. Am I so shallow and ill informed if I don’t know who’s in the running for the International Cricket Council Trophy? Perhaps it’s part of Google’s mission to educate a dumbass like me in items of obscurity?? I don’t know. Either way though how did they miss the birthday of one of America’s most iconic actors in the history of cinema?
What up with dat Google??
So we here in the Stew are sending out some belated birthday love to old Duke with a simple but fairly authentic cowboy recipe.
Back in the day, on the old Chisolm Trail, there was nothing like what we have today in the way of refrigeration, so Cookie* had to be judicious in terms of what kind of Chuck** he could and could not bring along on a cattle drive.
Dried and cured meats (think bacon and beef jerky) were typical culinary passengers on the trail as was flour to make biscuits and cakes. Cornmeal, potatoes, onions, and dried beans for sure. Dried chili peppers, salt, pepper, and sugar were usually on the scene – and always lots of hot coffee. These were the staples on the trail served up by Cookie from his trusty Chuck Wagon.
Our simple cowboy recipe requires only two main ingredients – bacon and hominy – both of which Cookie would have had on hand.
Need This
2 – 29 ounce cans of white or yellow hominy (check out the Goya brand aisle).
8 slices of bacon – chopped
Salt
Ground black pepper
Fresh chives (or green scallion tops)
1 small dried red chili pepper – finely chopped (optional)
Do This
If you are using the dried chili pepper let it soak in water for 10 to 15 minutes while you prepare the rest of the ingredients.
In a sink, drain the liquid off the two cans of hominy using a colander. Rinse the hominy thoroughly with clean cold water. Transfer the hominy into a large flat baking pan(s) lined with paper towels. Dry the water off the hominy as much as possible (so that it doesn’t spit the bacon grease at you when you fry it).
Throw the chopped bacon into a large pot (cast iron is best if you have it) and set a medium heat under it. Fry the bacon until golden brown.
Now add the hominy to the pot with the bacon. Add salt and black pepper to taste and continue frying for about 3 minutes, stirring constantly.
— If the hominy starts popping like popcorn the heat is too high!
If you are using the chili pepper, chop it up now and add it to the fried hominy along with some scissor-snipped chives or scallion tops. Continue frying and stirring another 3 minutes or so
Serve immediately with warm biscuits – and lots of hot coffee of course.
Serves 4: My Cost: Approx. $ 5.50 Total – about $ 1.38 per serving.
*”Cookie” is the Chuck Wagon master chef – GMN
**”Chuck” – a cowboy word for food… vittles. If not prepared properly one might Up-Chuck. GMN