ACORN MEAL

Steps:

• To Shell: Acorns are best shelled with a nutcracker or a pair of pliers. Simply grip each nut the long way and pinch, then grip it the short way and pinch. Presto! Out pops the clean, white kernel.
• To Grind: Put a cup of shelled acorns in a blender, fill the blender's container up with water and whiz away at high speed for a minute or two.
• To Leach: Pour the acorn pulp into a dish towel lined colander.
• Place the colander under slow running water and work the pulp around with your hand for about five minutes.
• The water now runs clear.
• Taste the meal.
• If bitter, continue rinsing.
• The meal should taste rather bland.
• Press out the excess liquid and store in the refrigerator or freeze until ready to use.
• To Dry: Spread the damp meal out in a shallow layer on a cookie sheet or on sheets of your dehydrator.
• Then begin to dry it.
• In the oven, you only need the pilot light or the very lowest oven setting.
• As it begins to dry, take your hands and very carefully crumble any chunks which hold moisture.
• Slowly your meal will begin to look quite good.
• You can run it through a grain mill for finer meal.
• To Use: The possibilities are endless!
• Add acorn meal to mush, stew, or soup.
• Use it in turkey dressing.
• Substitute acorn meal for corn meal or use it to replace part of the flour called for by your favorite bread, cake or cookie recipe.
• If you do substitute, cut down a bit on the usual amount of liquid and shortening, as the acorn meal is high in both vegetable oil and water (unless you chose to dry it).