Culture Kitchen: Hopi

What a great month for Culture Kitchen! Not only did we get to learn a contemporary Hopi recipe, but we also learned it just in time for the holiday season! The Hopi Omelette is a dish that can be modified in countless ways and is perfect for creating a nutritious meal for a large group of people! It is also affordable (depending on the price of eggs), accessible, and gluten free! Our guest chef Somana guided us through this recipe seamlessly, and put together a beautiful plating of the dish as shown below!

The main ingredients of Hopi Omelettes are eggs and blue corn meal, both filling and nutritious. Somana encourages those who make the dish to add whatever seasonings or ingredients that align with their taste, such as jalapeños, green chiles, or diced vegetables. If you don't have any of these additional ingredients, there is no need to worry, as the dish is equally delicious in its simplest form!

The ingredients and instructions are listed below! This dish is an excellent way to get a taste of Hopi cuisine and culture, which is largely under-appreciated and under-represented in modern cuisine. If you make the dish, let us know what you think, and as always, stay tuned for our next Culture Kitchen!

Hopi Omelette

Ingredients (Serves 4-6)

• 1 dozen eggs, warmed to room temperature

• 3/8 c. Finely ground blue corn meal*

• 1 tsp salt

• 1 tsp pepper

• 1 tsp garlic powder

• Salsa or green chile of choice to serve

• Bread of Choice (toast, tortillas, tamales, etc)

*Blue corn meal can be found at most natural food stores and occasionally at Walmart*

Steps

1. Preheat oven to 400°F.

2. Beat 10 eggs until light and frothy.

3. Gradually add blue cornmeal to eggs, while continuing to beat. Add seasonings and stir in.

4. Slightly stir 2 remaining eggs and fold into mixture.

5. Heat a heavy skillet or 13x9 pan with deep sides, coating it thoroughly with cooking spray or melted butter.

6. Pour egg mixture into hot pan and bake at 400°F for 10 minutes. Reduce heat to 350°F and continue baking until eggs are firm but still fluffy (15 - 20 minutes).

7. Cut into wedges and serve with salsa or green chiles & a bread of choice.

Enjoy!