Very few people that I have encountered have a love for hominy like I do. When I was growing up mom would cook a couple cans of hominy for the five of us. It was embellished with only butter, salt, pepper and ‘maybe’ a bit of crumbled bacon. Actually…I’m stretching the bacon thing, see that’s what I would do. Mom never used bacon in her hominy!
Every year in the autumn I tell my staff that I’m going to write a magnificent recipe using hominy. This fall I am doing a pork posole from the archives of Midwest Living and it does include the puffed kernels of corn.
One dish I do prepare is so easy I don’t have a recipe for it. I gather two cans of yellow & white hominy, sliced kielbasa sausage, green chilies, butter, cream and a bit of cheese for a pot of embellished hominy. For a gal who grew up in Northeast Missouri my family had the cuisine of Southern Missouri. Black eyed peas, grits, hominy, scrapple, cooked spinach/greens and mush were all regular fare at our table.
I discovered this hominy corn salad recipe many years ago in a periodical. I even remember what I served it with the first time. I presented it with baked beans, fried bass, and cornbread. Just so happens I remember who was there. It was my folks, Ervin, my husband, and Jessica and Katie, two of my former students/friends. As you look at the main ingredients I’d like to remind everyone to once again think outside the box. I can see this recipe using rinsed black beans, fresh tomatoes and another bean of choice. Keep the dressing, onion, cilantro and peppers in place as presented.
Another great advantage of this type of salad is the ability to hold it in refrigeration for several days. Wait a minute, remember my mention of kielbasa in my ‘embellished’ hominy? You could add kielbasa sausage to this and have an entire meal. Also by using a bean mixture you would be bringing additional protein into the dish. Chunks of cheese could also come into play.
Choose a clear bowl for serving this salad as it is very colorful.
You know just writing about the bass a few paragraphs back has set my mouth to salivating. I’m thinking that I may just head down to the lake and see if I can’t rescue a few prime subjects. I’ve decided that writing my column while my stomach is growling is probably not a great idea. Not to mention I just prepared a dinner for my family and put it in the oven while I was writing. What are we having? Something simple and down-home: baked butterfly chops with an apple butter sauce, scalloped potatoes, peas and creamed butter beans. Enjoy everyone. Simply yours, The Covered Dish. www.thecovereddish.com
Hominy and Corn Salad
16 ounces frozen corn kernels, thawed
1 tablespoon oil
2 (15 ounce) cans golden hominy, rinsed and drained
1 red bell pepper, seeded and chopped
3/4 cup finely chopped red onion
1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
1 tablespoon sugar
1 tablespoon chili powder
Sauté the corn in the oil until brown, about 2 minutes. Mix the hominy, pepper, onion and cilantro together in a large bowl. Mix the lemon juice, vinegar, sugar and chili powder to make the dressing. Pour dressing over all the ingredients in the bowl, salt and pepper to taste. Mix this in advance and refrigerate at least a couple of hours before serving. Serves 8-10 persons.
