Native cookbook: Pauline Duncan of Sitka puts out a plate of her black seaweed Friday at a table in Centennial Hall. Duncan has put together a book, "Tlingit Recipes of Today and Long Ago." MICHAEL PENN/THE JUNEAU EMPIRE

Web posted Friday, June 6, 2004

By KORRY KEEKER
JUNEAU EMPIRE

Last year, Sitka's Pauline Duncan published "Tlingit Recipes of Today and Long Ago," a collection of her own recipes, as well as those of her family and friends. She printed up extra copies for Celebration 2004 and has been selling them just inside the door of the Native Art Market in Centennial Hall. Next year, she hopes to publish a version with full-color photos of the dishes.

A few of Duncan's recipes:

Salmon Baked In Skunk Cabbage Leaves

Fresh skunk cabbage leaves

Open fire with a baking pit and rocks

Place onions, red potatoes and vegetables inside salmon. Select skunk cabbage leaves that are large and fresh. Wash leaves. Lay salmon on leaf and wrap. Place in a covered pan or place tin foil around leaves and salmon. Bake in oven at 375 degrees for one to two hours. Fish will soak up flavorings from the leaves. Open fire - dig a fire pit and place volcanic rocks on bottom of pit. Place salmon in wrapped leaves under pit. Bake to desired consistency, 45 minutes to one hour (depending on heat of fire).

Deer Stomach

Pepper

Onions

One deer stomach

1/4 cup oil

Soy sauce

Cast iron pan

Clean the stomach out. Rinse in salt water. Turn inside out and rinse again. Boil in water and soy sauce for an hour at medium heat. Take off stove and rinse in cold water. Slice into sliver pieces. Warm oil in pan, slice onions and add stomach pieces. Fry and stir for 15 minutes at medium heat. Turn heat up to high; add more oil, seasonings and fry for 15 more minutes. Sprinkle flour on top and more oil if needed; fry five more minutes. Ready to serve with rice.

Clam Seaweed Delight

2 cups cooked diced clams

1 onion

1/2 head green cabbage

6 strips bacon

1 to 2 cups seaweed

1/2 pint salmon, drained

1 quart water

Saute chopped bacon, cabbage and onions. Add water, seaweed, clams and salmon. Heat thoroughly and serve over rice.

Seal Flippers

Seal flippers

Salt water

Seal oil

Burn the hair off of the flippers. Cook by boiling in hot water for 3 to 4 hours over medium heat. Cut into sections and store in seal oil.

Roasted Porcupine

1 porcupine

2 onions

Mushrooms

Celery

Garlic salt

Soy sauce

Flour for gravy

Clean inside of the porcupine. Torch off the quills and cut up the porcupine. Soak it for four to eight hours in fresh water. Rinse and boil for one to two hours. Drain water and place in baking pan with lid. Add seasoning and slice onions on top. Add a little water to the bottom of the pan. Bake it in the oven for two days at 350 degrees. Optional: Make gravy with the drippings. Caution: Chew the meat slowly, as it may still have pieces of quill in it.

Indian Dessert

1 gallon elderberries

Sugar to desired taste

1/2 gallon blueberries

Seal oil

1 to 2 cups oatmeal

Wash and clean berries off of stems and put in a pot on medium heat. Berries will soften and turn into a pudding-like texture. Add oatmeal to thicken. Add sugar to taste. Berries can be stored in jars. Seal lids on jars. Pressure cook or hot water pack. When jars are filled, turn upside down on a cloth to help seal. In the winter or during a potlatch, serve as dessert with fresh seal oil.