ACORN RECIPES

 
 

Acorn Beverages

 
 
 

Acorn Breads and Baked Goods

 
 

Acorn Bread

6 Tbl. cornmeal
1/2 C cold water
1 C boiling water
1 tsp sale
1 Tbl butter
1 pkg active dry yeast
1/4 C lukewarm water
1 C mashed potatoes
2 C all-purpose flour
2 C finely ground leached acorn meal

Mix cornmeal with cold water, add boiling water and cook 2 minutes, stirring constantly. Add sale and butter and cool to lukewarm. Soften yeast in lukewarm water. Add remaining ingredients to corn mixture, along with yeast. Knead to a stiff dough. Dough will be sticky. Cover and let rise in warm place until doubled in bulk. Punch down, shape into two loaves, cover and let rise until doubled in bulk. Bake at 375 degrees F for 45 minutes.

Acorn Bread recipe from the book “Cooking with Spirit, – North American Indian Food and Fact”, By Darcy Williamson and Lisa Railsback Copyright 1987 by Darcy Williamson. Published by Maverick Publications, Drawer 5007, Bend, Oregon 97701

Acorn Griddle Cakes

2/3 C finely ground leached acorn meal
1/3 C unbleached flour
1 tsp. baking powder
1/3 tsp. salt
1 Tbl honey
1 egg, beaten
3/4 C milk
3 Tbl melted butter

Combine dry ingredients. Mix together egg and milk, then beat into dry ingredients, forming a smooth batter. Add butter. Drop batter onto hot, greased griddle. Bake, turning each cake when it is browned on underside and puffed and slightly set on top. Makes 12 to 15.

Alternative recipe here: https://www.backwoodshome.com/harvesting-the-wild-acorns/

Acorn Cornbread

1 cup all-purpose flour (use unbleached, organic flour minus 1 tablespoon and replace the tablespoon with 1 tablespoon acorn flour)

1 cup yellow cornmeal (I like using the medium ground - gives it a better flavor, texture)

2/3 cup white sugar (I use raw, turbinado sugar)

1 teaspoon salt

3 1/2 teaspoons baking powder

1 egg (duck egg preferably)

1 cup milk

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C). Spray or lightly grease a 9 inch round cake pan.

2. In a large bowl, combine flour, cornmeal, sugar, salt and baking powder. Stir in egg, milk and vegetable oil until well combined. Pour batter into prepared pan.

3. Bake in preheated oven for 20 to 25 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center of the loaf comes out clean.

Alternative recipe here: https://www.sewisewomen.com/resources-articles/item/preparing-and-eating-acorns

Miwok Acorn Muffins

Add together in a bowl:
2 tablespoons of cooking oil
3 tablespoons of molasses
1 egg
Stir in:
1/2 cup of milk
1 cup of acorn masa

Then add:
1 cup of whole wheat flour
1 teaspoon of double-acting baking powder
1/2 teaspoon of soda
1/4 teaspoon of salt
1/2 teaspoon of ginger

Stir quickly until all the dry ingredients are moistened and the batter is slightly lumpy. Then pour the batter into a greased muffin tin and bake at 425 degrees Fahrenheit for 20 to 25 minutes. Remove the tin from the oven, allow it to cool five minutes, turn the muffins out, and serve.

Acorn Bread

1.25 cups water

1 packet of yeast

2 tablespoons honey

2 tablespoons sugar (we used brown)

1 teaspoon salt

3 cups flour

.5 cup acorn flour

2 tablespoons butter

Mix the yeast with the lukewarm water, honey and sugar and set aside. Mix all the rest of the ingredients. Combine your wet with your dry and mix and knead. Place dough into an oiled pan (we oil with coconut oil) and cover with a wet towel to rise for 45 minutes. Punch it down and let rise covered with wet towel for another 45 minutes. Bake at 350 degrees for 40-45 minutes.

Acorn Tortillas

2 cups acorn meal

3/4 cups flour

2 teaspoons salt

Mix ingredients. Add just enough water to make a stiff dough. Let stand for 30 minutes.

Squeeze into small balls and then press each ball into a very thin flat cake. Fry in a lightly greased skillet until brown on both sides. Use just enough fat or oil to prevent sticking.

Multi-Grain Acorn Bread

1 ½ cups rolled oats
½ cup cornmeal
½ cup coarse ground, leached acorn meal
1 cup lukewarm water
2 Tbsp. dry granulated yeast
2 ½ cups boiling water
1 Tbsp. salt
¼ cup vegetable oil
2 eggs, beaten
About 8 cups whole wheat flour
½ cup honey
butter

Pour boiling water over oats, cornmeal, and acorn meal. Set aside. Dissolve the yeast in lukewarm water. In a large mixing bowl, beat the hot oatmeal mixture with the rest of the ingredients, except for the yeast and butter, adding the flour a cup at a time until you get a medium batter. Cool to lukewarm. Then add the yeast. Mix well and add enough flour until you have a spongy dough that is not sticky. Knead, adding flour if necessary to keep from being sticky. Place in a greased bowl and grease the top of dough, then cover it with a moist, warm kitchen towel and set it in a warm place until it doubles in size. Punch down, knead several times, and let rise again. Shape into loaves and place in greased bread pans or on a greased cookie sheet.

This also makes great rolls, so you can use a cake pan, making golf ball sized rolls. Cover and let rise again until almost double. Preheat the oven to 350° F and bake for about 35 minutes or until the tops are golden brown. Brush with butter and cool.

You can also make this bread in camp, using smaller loaves and a reflector oven or forming ½ inch thick by 1 inch wide by 8 inch long sticks and twisting the dough around a green stick and gently baking over medium coals—never a fire.

Acorn Flatbreads

2 ¼ cups unbleached all-purpose or bread flour

¾ cup acorn flour

1 1/2 teaspoons salt

3 tablespoons olive oil

A scant cup of water (7/8 cup to be exact)

Sift the flours and salt together in a large bowl and make a well in the center.

Add the olive oil and water in the center of the well and swirl to combine with a finger or two. When the dough gets shaggy, start bringing it together with your hands, then knead it on a floured surface for 5-8 minutes. Use a bit more flour if it is too loose.

Lightly coat with more olive oil, wrap in plastic and set aside for at least an hour. This dough can hold in the fridge for a day.

Take the dough out of the fridge if you’ve put it in there and let it warm to room temperature. Get a griddle or a well-oiled cast iron pan hot over medium heat.

Cut the dough into equal parts; I’d suggest between 6-8. Roll them out one at a time with a roller and then your hands – they need not be perfect, as this is a rustic bread. You want them thin, though, about 1/8 inch.

Lightly oil the griddle and cook the piadine one or two at a time for 2-3 minutes, or until it begins to get nice and brown. Flip and cook for another 1-2 minutes.

Keep them warm in towels while you make the rest. Serve with some cheese, fresh herbs – green onions are excellent with this – and some high-quality olive oil.

Keep them warm in towels while you make the rest. Serve with some cheese, fresh herbs – green onions are excellent with this – and some high-quality olive oil.

Makes 6-8 piadine, depending on size

Acorn Muffins

1 1/3 cup buttermilk

1 egg, lightly beaten

1/3 cup melted butter or nut oil (walnut, hazelnut, pecan)

1/4 cup brown sugar

1 teaspoon vanilla extract (optional)

1/2 cup wheat bran

1/2 cup acorn flour

1 1/2 cups All-Purpose flour

1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder

1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/2 cup acorn grits or minced chestnuts, pecans or walnuts

1/4 cup fresh or frozen berries (lingonberries, blueberries, etc.)

2 tablespoons caster or maple sugar (optional)

Preheat the oven to 425F. Grease a muffin tin with butter or something similar.

Whisk together the buttermilk, egg, oil, brown sugar and vanilla extract in a bowl. Whisk together the wheat bran, acorn flour, all-purpose flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in a larger bowl.

Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ones and add the acorn grits and berries. Stir to combine. You want a thick, sticky batter. Add a little buttermilk if it's too tight, one tablespoon at a time.

Fill the muffin tin with the batter evenly, then sprinkle the maple sugar over them as a topping. Bake for 15 to 18 minutes, until a toothpick comes out cleanly when poked into a muffin. Remove from the oven and let sit for 10 minutes before turning out onto a cooling rack.

Acorn Pancakes

1 cup acorn meal

1 cup white flour

1 teaspoon salt

2 teaspoons baking powder

2 eggs

1/4 cup of oil (vegetable or some other neutral-flavored type.)

1/2 cup honey

2 cups milk

Preheat griddle to medium heat.

Combine dry ingredients in whatever large bowl you like. One with a spout is most welcome.

Combine oil, honey, eggs, and milk until smooth in consistency.

Combine the wet with the dry ingredients into the large bowl.

Adjust by adding more milk if the batter appears too thick, more flour if too thin. The nature of all acorn meal is not equal. The batter should be thin enough to pour, but not runny, as one might imagine.

Drop an experimental dollop of batter onto griddle. Adjust heat accordingly.

Griddle dollar-sized pancakes until the bottoms are browned and the top side bubbles for about three minutes. Flip and cook until cakes are barely firm to the touch.

Remove pancakes to a warm plate. I hold mine in a warm oven covered with a towel until all the pancakes have been made. Serve hot.

Acorn Cookbooks

 
 

The Essential Acorn, Hazelnut, Chestnut, & Cookbook

By: Johnny Jumbalaya

The Acorn Mouse - A Child’s Intro to Eating Acorns

By: Sueellen Ocean

Eating Acorns - the book!

By: Marcie Lee Mayer

Thanksgiving Recipes

By: Ronnie Rooney

It Will Live Forever: Traditional Yosemite Indian Acorn Preparation

By: Julia F. Parker, Beverly R. Ortiz

Acorn Foraging

By: Alicia Bayer

Adventures in Edible Plant Foraging

By: Karen Monger

Cooking with Spirit - North American Indian Food and Fact

By: Darcy Williamson and Lisa Railsback

Acorn Desserts

 
 

Acorn Mousse

2 cups ground and leached acorns (you can use any species of oak or tanoak – I used valley oak (Quercus lobata)

1.5 cups milk

¼ teaspoon salt

2 large eggs

2/3 cup heavy cream

Bring acorns, milk and salt to a simmer in a medium sauce pan over medium heat. Cook for about 15 minutes until acorns are soft.

Process mixture in a food processer until very smooth and if needed, add more milk

Pass the mixture through a sieve and compost the acorn solids

Put the acorn puree in the refrigerator for about an hour to chill

Dissolve sugar in a small saucepan with 1/3 cup water. Bring sugar mixture to a boil over medium high heat until syrup registers 238 degrees on a candy thermometer

Meanwhile put yolks in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the whisk attachment. With mixer running on low speed gradually pour syrup down the side of bow. Increase speed to o90high. Beat until pale and fully cool about 7 minutes

Whisk cream in a clean bowl until soft peaks form. Set aside

Stir egg mixture into puree; whisk until smooth. Gently fold in whipped cream. Chill at least two hours and eat.

Recipe courtesy Jolie Lonner Egert. Adapted from Martha Stewart Living Recipe for Chestnut Mousse – January 2005.

Acorn Donuts

1 cup acorn meal
1 cup flour (or gluten free flour mix)
1 tsp salt
2 tsp baking powder
2 eggs
¼ cup of oil
½ cup sugar
2 cups milk or non-dairy milk
Non-stick spray
Powdered sugar or glaze, optional (see glaze recipe below)

1. Preheat mini-donut maker or oven to 350.

2. Combine dry ingredients in a large measuring cup or pitcher with a pouring spout. Add oil, sugar, eggs and milk and stir until smooth. Add more milk if mixture seems thick, or more flour if it seems thin. The batter should pour easily but not be runny.

3. If using a mini-donut maker: Lightly spray inside of mini-donut maker with non-stick spray and pour batter just to fill each lower portion. Close the mini-donut maker and cook until the mini-donuts stop steaming and are lightly browned, about 3 minutes. Toss with powdered sugar or glaze.

4. If using a mini-donut pan or mini-muffin pan: Grease a mini donut pan or mini muffin pan. Fill wells 3/4 full and bake for about 10 minutes or until set and light golden. Toss with powdered sugar or glaze.

To glaze: While the donuts cook and cool, whisk together 1 cup powdered sugar and 4 tsp milk. When the donuts are cool enough to handle, dip the tops in the glaze. Quickly flip over so the glaze is on top and transfer to a plate.

~~~

From: Acorn Foraging: Everything You Need to Know to Harvest One of Autumn’s Best Wild Edible Foods, with Recipes, Photographs and Step-By-Step Instructions.

Acorn or Chestnut Flour Cake

1/2 cup olive oil

1/2 cup acorn or chestnut flour

1/2 cup cake flour or all-purpose wheat flour

¼ cup toasted and chopped pine nuts (optional)

½ teaspoon baking powder

½ teaspoon baking soda

1/4 teaspoon salt

3 separated eggs

½ cup honey

¼ cup sugar

Confectioner’s sugar for dusting

Butter for greasing pans

Grease the springform pan or ramekins. Preheat oven to 350°F.

Mix the acorn flour, wheat flour, baking soda and powder and salt in a bowl. In the bowl of a stand mixer, or in another large bowl, beat the egg yolks, oil, honey and 2 tablespoons of sugar together until it looks like caramel. Mix in the dry ingredients.

In another bowl, add the egg whites and just a pinch of salt and beat into soft peaks. Add the remaining sugar and beat a bit more, so the whites are reaching the firm peak stage.

Fold this into the dough a little at a time gently. Pour, or really gently place, the dough into the ramekins (remember they will rise!) or the springform pan. Using a rubber spatula flatten out the top and place in the oven as fast as you can.

Bake for about 30 minutes. After 20 minutes, watch for burning, as acorn flour browns faster than chestnut flour. Remove from the oven, let rest 5 minutes, then turn out onto a rack to cool.

When they have cooled for a good 15-20 minutes or so, dust with the confectioner’s sugar.

Acorn Maple Shortbread Cookies

2 sticks unsalted butter, at room temperature (8 ounces)

1/2 cup sugar

1/4 cup maple sugar

1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

A pinch of salt

1 cup all-purpose or King Arthur's "white whole wheat" flour

1 cup acorn flour

Put the butter in a large bowl and add the sugars. Use a fork or spoon to mix them together until well combined. Add the vanilla extract.

In another bowl, mix the salt and the flours with a whisk until combined. Pour the flour mixture into the bowl with the butter and sugar and mix well with the fork or spoon. The dough will come together quickly, but will be sticky. Don't overwork it, but be sure you don't have hidden blobs of butter in your dough.

Shape the dough into a disk, cover with plastic wrap and set in the freezer about 2 hours, and up to overnight in the fridge. The dough must be very cold for this to work, or the cookies will collapse.

When you are ready to bake, preheat the oven to 350°F. Flatten the disk of dough to about 1/2 inch thick and cut into cookies. I used a 2-inch cutter, but any sort of cutter would do. An acorn-shaped one would be cute. Keep soing this, reshaping the dough, until you've used it all.

Arrange the cookies on an ungreased baking sheet and bake for 23 to 26 minutes, or until the edges of the cookies just begin to brown.

Acorn Cheesecake

See hyperlink above for photos and instructions.

Acorn Macaroons with Boozy Buttercream

See hyperlink above for recipe.

Acorn Frangipane Tarts

1/2 c. acorn flour
1 Tbsp. maple syrup
3 Tbsp. softened butter
1 egg
1 tsp. vanilla
1 Tbsp. arrowroot (or any other flour)
pinch of salt

Combine all ingredients well, until the mixture is thick and creamy.

Fill pre-baked tart shells with acorn frangipane, stopping 1/8" below the rim of the tart, because the filling will puff slightly when baked.

Peel, core, and thinly slice an apple. Fan out a few slices of apple on each tart, brush with butter, and sprinkle with a little sugar.

Place the tarts on a sheet pan, and bake at 350 (F) for 40-45 minutes, or until the acorn frangipane puffs, and the fruit takes on a touch of brown.

Heat 1 Tbsp. of whatever light-colored jelly/jam you have on hand, such as apricot or apple. Brush the fruit atop each tart with the melted jam to give it a bright shine.

Glazed Acorn Treats

Boiled dry whole acorns

2 cups sugar

1/2 tsp salt

1/8 tsp cream of tartar

1 cup water

Mix and dissolve the sugar, salt, and cream of tartar in 1 cup of water.

Bring above mixture to a boil in a small pot. Continue to boil until the mixture first begins to show signs of browning. Then immediately put the small pot into a larger pot of boiling water to keep the mixture in a liquid state. (Or use a double boiler.) Use a pair of tweezers to dip individual whole acorn kernels (previously shelled, boiled and dried), one at a time into the mixture and then put each acorn onto a sheet of wax paper to dry and harden. Serve as a candied covered nut.

Alternative recipe here: https://healthcare.utah.edu/healthfeed/postings/2015/01/012215_superfood-acorns.php

Acorn Bundt Cake

½ cup coconut oil

½ cup cold leached acorn flour

½ cup gluten free flour mix

½ tsp baking powder

½ tsp baking soda

¼ tsp salt

1 tsp ground spicebush berries

3 eggs

½ cup honey

3/8 cup crabapple sauce (1/4 cup + 2 Tbs.)

½ cup sugar

confectioners sugar for dusting

Preheat your oven to 350F, then grease and flour your Bundt pans.

In one mixing bowl, combine the flours, baking soda, baking powder, salt, sugar, and ground spicebush berries. No sifting required, just stir everything together well.

In a second bowl, beat the eggs, coconut oil, honey, and crabapple sauce. Since coconut oil may be either solid or liquid (depending on room temperature), your batter may be either perfectly smooth (if the coconut oil is liquid) or have small chunks in it (if the coconut oil is solid). Either way is ok, but with solid coconut oil, beat the batter enough that any chunks are no bigger than 1/4 – 1/2 inch.

Combine the dry and liquid ingredients, then transfer the batter to your Bundt pans.

Bake for 30 – 40 minutes, or until a toothpick or skewer inserted into the center of the cakes comes out clean. Let the cakes cool in the pans for 5 – 10 minutes, then turn them out onto a plate. Let them cool completely before dusting with confectioner’s sugar. And btw, they’re equally good topped with whipped cream or ice cream.

Another version of a sticky toffee acorn bundt cake can be found here:

https://gathervictoria.com/2018/10/10/sticky-toffee-acorn-bundt-cake-nutty-sweet-nutritious/

Acorn Flour Wild Ginger Snaps

1 stick unsalted butter, softened

5/8 cup sugar

1/4 teaspoon vanilla

1 egg

1/6 cup molasses (I prefer regular molasses to black strap for this recipe, because it’s a little sweeter.)

1 1/2 cups cold leached acorn flour (all purpose flour is a good substitute)

1 1/4 teaspoon baking soda

1/4 teaspoon salt

1 Tablespoon ground, dried spicebush berries

2 1/2 teaspoons ground, dried ginger stolons

Cream together the softened butter and sugar. Add the vanilla and egg and beat until fluffy.

Add the molasses to the batter and blend well. Then, add the flour, baking soda, salt, ground spicebush berries, and dried ginger stolons and mix until just combined.

Spread a sheet of parchment paper or cling film (about 18 inches long) on the counter, and transfer the dough to the paper or cling film. Spread the dough out into a long, round snake, and wrap it up. Then, roll it around a little, to get rid of any air pockets. Close up the ends of the wrapping, and freeze the dough overnight, or until it’s solid.

When you’re ready to bake, preheat the oven to 350F.

Unwrap the dough and slice it as thinly as possible, aiming for dough medallions that are 1/8 inch thick. Lay the cookies out on the cookie sheet, leaving about an inch between each one. Bake for 8 – 9 minutes, then let them cool on the cookie sheet before transferring to a plate. The cookies will still be soft when they come out of the oven, and they need the cooling time to solidify.

If you bake the cookies in batches, return the dough to the freezer in between. If the dough warms up, the cookies will still taste great, but they’ll spread much more during baking, and you’ll end up with one giant ginger snap.

Dr. Nadia’s Acorn Sweet Bread

1/2 cup brown rice flour

1/2 cup cold leached acorn flour

1 cup grated queso fresco

2/3 cup sugar

1 teaspoon baking powder

3 large eggs

1 stick of butter (1/2 cup) melted

1/4 cup buttermilk

sesame and flax seeds to garnish

Preheat the oven to 350F. Grease an eight or nine inch cake pan and set it aside.

In a large bowl, combine the flours, cheese, sugar, and baking powder and stir the ingredients together well.

In a small bowl, combine the buttermilk and melted butter, then gradually incorporate these wet ingredients with the dry. Mix (by hand or with an electric mixer), until the batter is uniformly wet. Next, add the eggs, one at a time, and mix until creamy.

Pour the batter into the greased cake pan, and sprinkle on the seeds, if desired.

Bake for 30-35 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center of the cake comes out clean.

This cake can be eaten warm or cold; it’s delicious both ways. And while it’s plenty tasty on its own, yogurt or ice cream with a drizzle of something sweet, like honey or maple syrup, takes this dish over the top. You could serve it for breakfast, dessert, or for a snack anytime.

“Erica” pie

Acorn Crust (top and bottom for 9” pie)

1.5 cups acorn flour

1.5 cups all-purpose flour

½ teaspoon sea salt

1 cup coconut oil

2/3 cup ice cold water

“Erica” Filling

1 cup Salal (Gaultheria shallon)

1 cup Red Huckleberry (Vaccinium parvifolium)

1 cup Black Huckleberry (V. membranaceum)

1 cup Evergreen Huckleberry (V. ovatum)

1 cup Cascade Blueberry (V. deliciosum)

1/2 cup acorn flour

½ cup maple syrup

1 tablespoon coconut oil

Pinch of salt

Blend acorn flour, all-purpose flour, and salt together and then mix in the coconut oil (or butter) with a pastry knife. Add 1/3 cup water and mix briefly, and then slowly add the additional 1/3 cup water while mixing slowly and deliberately. Stop adding water as soon as all the dough can be clumped into one large ball without falling apart. Cut the ball in half and roll each half into a new ball. Then squish each into a flat disc, wrap in plastic, and refrigerate for 1 to several hours. Roll the bottom crust out on a piece of foil or parchment and place it in a pie pan, trimming the excess with a knife and poking a few fork holes in the bottom of the crust. Mix the berries, flour, syrup, oil, and salt for the filling, and pour into the pie pan. Roll out the top crust and place over the fruit, pinching the top and the bottom crusts together. Cut several slits in the top crust to allow hot air to escape. 

Bake the pie for 1 hour at 350 degrees. Allow the pie to cool for another hour or two before serving.

Acorn Entrees

 
 

Acorn Pemmican Tortillas

1/2 cup acorn meal

1 pound lean meat, cut in thin strips

Several tortillas

Boil the lean meat in salted water until tender. Drain and allow to dry. Grind the meat and the acorn meal together using a fine grinding blade. Mix well and then grind a second time. Heat and serve wrapped in a tortilla, or on any flat bread.
Variation: Add cooked white rice, or cooked beans, or hot sauce, or grated cheese as part of the tortilla stuffing.

Acorn Crepes

Veggies:
3 cups diced/sliced veggies (thin, about 1/8- to 1/4-inch wide)
I used: 1 cup sliced butternut squash, 1 cup diced red bell peppers, 1 cup sliced carrots
2 Tbls quail bush leaves, torn to small pieces (used instead of salt)
1 Tbls fresh oregano leaves
1 Tbls torn chives, about 1/4-inch long

Batter:
3 eggs
2 cups half and half milk
1/3 cup acorn flour
1/4 tsp sea salt

Veggies:
1) Cook the veggies and herbs in the oven at 400 degrees until soft, about 10-15 minutes.
(I used a small counter-top toaster oven, with steam.)
2) Stir well, and cook more until desired doneness. Cover, set aside, keep warm.

Crepes:
1) Mix all ingredients well, and let sit for 5 minutes (to allow bubbles to evaporate and the flour to absorb some liquid).
2) Heat skillet to medium (non-stick, or seasoned cast iron is best).
3) If needed melt and spread butter or oil to lightly cover the bottom of the pan.
4) Pour enough batter in the pan to just cover the bottom (about 1/3 cup).
5) Cook until set and toasted, about 2-3 minutes.
6) Flip and repeat.
7) Continue with rest of the batter, stack the cooked crepes on top of each other on serving plate.
8) Serve warm or cold with cooked veggies.


Tips:
- My regular crepe batter is 3-2-1: 3 eggs, 2 cups milk and 1 cup (wheat) flour. I noticed that the acorn flour is heavy and requires less. I used a 1/3 cup of acorn flour, and that amount was just right. The amount of flour you need will depend on the type of milk you use, and the moisture content in the acorn flour.
- Add cinnamon and or vanilla if making sweet crepes (serving with fruit).
- Make the crepes and or veggies 1-3 days ahead. Store in freezer in zip-top freezer bag up to 3 months, allow to thaw before using.
- Other veggies to use: spinach, kale, onions, garlic, etc.

Recipe by Joni Sare, 10/18/14, Middlebrook Center Acorn Workshop

Acorn Noodles (dotori guksu)

https://theinkedexpressions.wordpress.com/tag/dotori-guksu/

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Acorn_noodle_soup

Acorn and Potato Burgers

Combine a mixing bowl :

1 1/2 cups riced or milled cooked potatoes

1/2 cup acorn flour (preferably cold-leeched red oak flour)

1/3 cup grated onion

1 tbs prepared mustard (preferably high quality whole-grain or homemade)

salt to taste

freshly ground black pepper, optional

Mix the ingredients by hand and form into small patties. This recipe usually makes four burgers, about 3.5 oz each before frying. I usually fry the patties in a small amount of oil until brown and crispy on the outside, but you can also bake them at high heat.

The original recipe calls for the burgers to be stuffed with meat or sautéed mushrooms, and this can be done (I would recommend adding a few tablespoons of flour first if you go that route). However, I have found that simply adding sautéed mushrooms to the burger is much tastier. These are incredible simply served on a soft roll, with a dab of chile sauce or mayonnaise, some crispy lettuce and a few sliced onions. Really, any way you would prepare a traditional hamburger, falafel, or kebab meat suits them, from gyros to banh mi to Big Mac style double decker burgers. The flavor is deep but quite simple, so goes with almost any kind of topping, pickle or sauce.

Acorn Veggie Fritters

The veggies:
2 cups thinly sliced julienned veggies (sliced to thin match sticks)
I used: butternut squash

Egg batter:
3 eggs
1/2 cup half and half milk
1/4 cup acorn flour
1/4 tsp sea salt

1) Saute the veggies in a skillet on medium heat until soft, about 8 minutes, stir often. (oil/fat is optional)
2) Add the batter, mix well and flip often in order to drive out the moisture in the batter.
3) When batter is dry, do not disturb for 3-5 minutes in order for the bottom to become a bit crusty. Flip all, and let cook until crusty, about 3-5 minutes.

Tips:
- For the egg batter: I used the last 1 cup of the crepe batter that had quite a bit of the acorn flour at the bottom of the bowl, so the batter had thickened, similar to a pancake batter.
- If scorching occurs (burning), the pan is too hot. Solution: turn down the heat.
- Serve with yogurt, cottage cheese, or similar.
- Other veggies to use: red bell pepper, carrots, spinach, kale, onions, garlic, etc.

Recipe by Joni Sare, 10/18/14, Middlebrook Center Acorn Workshop

Acorn Porridge

½ cup dried acorn meal

1 cup spring water

2 T maple syrup

¼ cup serviceberries (or any berries, the wilder the better)

¼ cup crab apples, sliced

1 T sunflower seed butter

¼ tsp cinnamon

Pinch of sea salt

Bring water to a boil, and stir in acorn meal. Reduce heat to simmer, and cook for approximately 15 minutes. Remove from heat, and keep covered for another 10 minutes. When ready to serve, stir in remaining ingredients, and enjoy with someone special!

Acorn Meatballs

makes 16 1" meatballs, approximately 4 servings

1 cup acorn crumbles*
4 tablespoons plain dehydrated potato flakes
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 eggs
2 tablespoons boiling water*

In a bowl, stir together the acorn crumbles, potato flakes, baking powder, salt, and your chosen spices and flavorings.

Add the oil and eggs, and stir them until the mixture looks like wet sand.

Add the hot water and combine well. Press the acorn meatball mix into one piece, cover the bowl, and let it sit for 30 minutes. Do not skip this rest period, as it is necessary for the acorn crumbles to fully hydrate.

Form the acorn meatball mix into 1” balls. This works best if you first give the lump a firm squeeze, then proceed to roll it into a ball.

In a pan over medium heat, cook the meatballs in a little oil until they are brown on most sides, about 10 minutes. The acorn meatballs are already quite brown raw, so keep an eye on them as they cook to make certain they aren’t burning.

Once they've been browned, acorn meatballs can go directly into the recipe of your choice. They also refrigerate and freeze well. Pre-cooked frozen meatballs make for speedy weeknight dinners.

*The acorn crumbles used in this recipe are very specific to the way that I process them (the process is linked in the text above). I live in an arid climate and dehydrate my crumbles in the dehydrator, thus ending up with an extremely dry product. Your acorn crumbles may have a significantly different water content, and you may need to adjust the liquid used in this recipe accordingly. Additionally, if you are seasoning your meatballs with liquid ingredients like soy sauce or wine, you may need to adjust the amount of water used.

See alternative recipe here: http://southernforager.blogspot.com/2015/11/acorn-meat-balls.html

Acorn Spaetzle

3/4 cup acorn or chestnut flour

1 1/4 cups regular or whole wheat flour

1 teaspoon kosher salt

1 egg

1/4 cup buttermilk

Whisk together the two flours and salt in a large bowl. Whisk the buttermilk and eggs together in another bowl. Pour the wet ingredients into the flour and mix well with a fork until you get a sticky batter.

Cover and let this sit on the counter for at least 30 minutes, to allow the flours to hydrate.

Bring a large pot of salty water to a boil. Using a spätzle maker, a coarse grater, colander or other device with large holes, drop the spätzle dough into the water in little bits. Boil for 1 to 2 minutes after they all rise to the surface.

If you are eating them now, they’re ready. To hold for up to a day or so, plunge the spätzle into a large bowl of ice water to stop the cooking. Drain and toss with a little oil, then set out on a sheet pan for up to a few hours, or in a covered container for a day or two.

Hank Shaw prefers to serve his spätzle by frying in a bit of butter after they're all made and chilled. Heat maybe 1/4 cup of butter in a large, wide pan and lay the spätzle down on it. Toss to combine, then let the spätzle brown a bit by not moving them for about 90 seconds. Remove from the pan and serve hot. 

Acorn Oil

 
 

Acorn Pickles

 
 

Spiced Pickled Acorns

550g whole/halved acorns (processed to remove tannins)

6tsp sea salt

500ml malt vinegar

150g sugar

½tsp ground black pepper

½tsp ground allspice

½tsp ground cloves

½tsp ground cinnamon

1tbsp freshly grated ginger

Cover acorns in salted water for 24 hours.

Strain and allow to air dry for a few hours.

In a pan add the black pepper, allspice, cloves, cinnamon, grated ginger and malt vinegar. Bring to boil then simmer for 10 minutes.

Spoon acorns into jars, then cover with the spiced vinegar and seal.

If you get twitchy you can eat them after 14 days, but they are best if allowed to mature for between 3-6 months.

Acorn Soups and Stews

 
 

Acorn Stew

1 lb stewing beef
1/2 C finely ground acorn meal (tannin removed)
Salt and pepper to taste

Place beef in heavy pan and add water to cover. Cover with lid and simmer until very tender. Remove from liquid and cut meat into very fine pieces. Return meat to the liquid. Stir in the acorn meal. Add salt and pepper as desired. Heat until thickened and serve.

Alternative recipe for modern pemmican here:

https://www.backwoodshome.com/harvesting-the-wild-acorns/

Traditional Venison Acorn Stew

2 lbs venison, cut up
1 Cup finely ground acorn meal

Cover venison with water in pot or basket; Add hot rocks to simmer until meat almost falls apart. Remove meat from broth and chop into fine pieces. Return to pot with liquid and stir in acorn meal. Serve hot.

Acorn Soup

2 to 3 cups acorn bits

1 carrot, peeled and chopped

2 celery stalks, chopped

1 medium onion, chopped

3 tablespoons butter

1 ounce dried porcini, soaked in 2 cups of hot water

2 bay leaves

1/3 cup brandy or bourbon

1 quart chicken, beef, mushroom or vegetable stock

Salt

Garnish with any of the following:

Creme fraiche or sour cream

Chopped parsley

Sliced, seared grouse, pheasant or chicken breast

Roasted squash seed, sunflower or other nice oil

Soak the dried mushrooms in the hot water for an hour before starting. Squeeze the moisture from the mushrooms and chop coarsely. Save the water, straining it if there is a lot of debris.

Heat the butter in a soup pot over medium-high heat and saute the carrot, celery and onion until they are soft, but not browned, about 5 minutes. Add the chopped mushrooms and acorn bits and stir to combine. Saute another 2 minutes or so.

Add the brandy and boil it hard until it is almost gone, then add the bay leaves, 2 cups of mushroom soaking water and the stock. Bring to a simmer, taste for salt and add if needed. Cover and simmer gently for 1 hour.

Puree the soup in a blender (or use an immersion blender), then -- if you want to get fancy -- pass it through a fine-meshed sieve. If the soup is too thin, simmer it until you get a soup the consistency of melted ice cream. if it's too thick, add water or stock.

Serve with a drizzle of creme fraiche or sour cream. Add some chopped parsley, a few drops of nice oil (I prefer roasted squash seed oil) and, if you want it to be a main course, a few slices of grouse, partridge, pheasant or chicken breast.

The soup will hold for several days in the fridge if you want to make it ahead of time.