Recipes | Indigenous Voices of the Americas (2024)

Blackberry Sage & Yaupon Tea

By Nico Albert Williams

This iced tea mocktail is made with the yaupon holly plant, commonly found across America and used in Indigenous cooking. This sweet drink uses fresh berries and maple syrup for a refreshing summer beverage. Serves 1.

Ingredients

4 fresh blackberries
2–3 fresh sage leaves
1 tablespoon pure maple syrup
Ice
1/2 fresh lemon
Brewed cold yaupon holly tea, cooled

Preparation

Place blackberries and sage leaves in a co*cktail glass. Drizzle maple syrup into the bottom of the glass.

Using a muddler or the end of a wooden spoon, gently crush the blackberries and sage until the berries have released their juice and you can smell the fragrance of the sage.

Juice half of one lemon into the glass. Top with ice, and use a teaspoon or co*cktail spoon to stir until ice melts and dissolves with the juices and maple syrup.

Top with yaupon holly tea. Carefully stir again to distribute all the flavors. Garnish with fresh blackberry and a lemon slice.

Grape Dumplings

By Nico Albert Williams

Grape dumplings are a beloved Cherokee dessert. Made with sweet dough cooked in grape juice, they are served at Cherokee gatherings like church lunches, wild onion dinner, and Indian taco dinners. Though the recipe evolved to use ingredients available during these hard times, it has roots in ancestral ingredients and cooking techniques, originally using cornmeal and wild grape juice. Serves 6.

Ingredients

1 cup all-purpose flour, plus extra for rolling
1 tablespoon sugar
1 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
Pinch salt
2 tablespoon unsalted butter, cubed
32 ounces Concord grape juice

Preparation

Combine the flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt in a large mixing bowl with a whisk. Add the butter, and use your fingertips to work the butter into the flour until the mixture resembles a coarse meal.

Add 1/2 cup of grape juice and use your hand to stir the mixture until it comes together into a ball of dough, then let it rest for at least 10 minutes.

Sprinkle a thin layer of flour onto a clean work surface, and turn the dumpling dough out onto the table. Gently pat the dough out into a rectangle about a half-inch thick. Use a knife or pizza cutter to cut the dough into 1-inch squares.

Pour the remaining grape juice in a wide saucepan or skillet, and bring to a gentle simmer. Gently add the dumplings into the pot, piece by piece, to prevent them from sticking together.

Allow the dumplings to simmer until they have puffed up and cooked through, about 10 minutes. The juice will thicken into a thick sauce to coat the dumplings.

Modern Masa-Style Cherokee Bean Bread (ᏚᏯ ᎠᏑᏱ ᎦᏚ tuya asuyi gadu)

By Nico Albert Williams

Tuya asuyi gadu, or bean bread, is an ancient staple of the traditional Cherokee dinner table. It is traditionally served as an accompaniment to hearty soups and stews but can be a satisfying plant-based main dish alongside a seasonal salad.

The technique is reminiscent of tamale preparation; the soft, moist bread is really more like a dumpling. Cherokee ancestors would prepare tuya asuyi gadu by simmering flint or field corn kernels in an alkaline solution of ash and water to soften the outer hull (an ancient process called nixtamalization), grinding the hulled and rinsed kernels into a fine meal, then adding cooked beans and their broth to form a dough. This “shortcut” version uses modern instant masa harina in place of nixtamalized corn, making it quick and simple. Makes 15 servings. Vegan, gluten-free.

Ingredients

1 cup dried beans (any medium-sized bean will work, such as pinto or black beans)
3 cups (14 ounces) Masa Harina
2 teaspoons salt
20–25 dried corn husks, soaked in hot water to soften them

Preparation

To cook the beans, place them in a 2 1/2- or 3-quart pot along with 8 cups of water. Bring the beans to a boil, reduce the heat to a low simmer, then cover and cook for about 2 hours, adding water as needed if the water level falls below the top of the beans.

Cooking time will vary depending on the freshness and type of bean used, so if they are not tender after 2 hours, continue to cook and taste every 15 to 30 minutes until they are creamy all the way through. When the beans are tender and creamy, remove from heat and set aside.
(Beans may be prepared the night before and stored in the refrigerator overnight if desired. Just reheat the beans and broth to a simmer before preparing the bean bread.)

In a large mixing bowl, combine the masa harina and salt. Stir until evenly mixed.

Strain the cooked beans from their cooking liquid, reserving the broth. Add the beans to the mixing bowl with the masa and salt; using a sturdy spoon or spatula, gently stir the beans until they are evenly distributed with the masa mixture.

Start by adding 2 1/2 cups of the reserved hot bean broth to the bowl. Fold the mixture together until all the dry flour is incorporated and a uniform, sticky dough forms. If needed, add extra bean broth a few tablespoons at a time until the desired texture is achieved. The goal is a texture like chocolate chip cookie dough.

Fill a large pot or Dutch oven (at least 7–8 quarts) about 3/4 of the way full of water. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat while you form the bean bread dumplings. Use your hands to scoop 3-ounce portions of dough. (Use caution: the dough may still be hot from the bean cooking liquid. Allow it to cool a bit if it is too hot to handle.) Shape the dough into a ball and flatten slightly into a 1-inch-thick oval. Wrap the bean bread in a corn husk, folding the husk around the dough on all sides to completely enclose it.

Pull a thin strip from another corn husk and use it to tie around the bean bread to secure the wrapper. You can also use kitchen twine if the strips of corn husk prove to be difficult!

Repeat with the remaining dough, which should result in about 15 individually wrapped bean breads.

Carefully place the bean breads directly in the large pot of boiling water. Allow the water to come back to a boil, then reduce to a simmer. Simmer the bean breads, uncovered, for about 45 minutes.

The best way to check for doneness is to remove bread from the water and carefully pull back the wrapper; if the husk pulls away from the dough easily, they are done! If the wrapper sticks to the dough, they need a little more time.

When the bean breads are cooked, drain the cooking water through a colander or sieve. Allow the bean breads to drain and cool a bit before serving.

Bean bread can be stored—in the individual wrappers to prevent them from sticking together—in the refrigerator in an airtight container for up to a week. They can also be stored in the freezer, in a Ziploc bag with as much air pressed out as possible, for up to three months.

Grilled Watermelon Faux-Jito

By Nico Albert Williams

Chef Nico Albert Williams (ᏣᎳᎩᎯ ᎠᏰᎵ Cherokee Nation) has created a non-alcoholic mojito made with grilled watermelon and ground sumac to make a tart, sweet mocktail.

Ingredients

3 cups seedless watermelon, cubed
1/4 cup lime juice (about 2 limes)
2 tablespoons smoked salt
2 tablespoons ground sumac
Fresh mint
2 cups club soda

Preparation

Combine the cubed watermelon and lime juice in a blender. Blend until smooth. Using a sieve, strain the watermelon and lime mixture until you’re left with just the juice. Set aside.

In a small bowl, mix smoked salt and sumac until evenly distributed. Prepare 4 rocks glasses by wetting the rim with lime juice and dipping each glass rim into the salt mixture. Place 5 mint leaves at the bottom of each glass. Use a muddler to release the flavor of the mint.

Fill cups with ice. Pour halfway full with watermelon juice. Top with club soda until full. Gently stir with a spoon.

Corn Fritters

By Bradley James Dry

Corn fritters are similar to crispy cornbread and are a home staple served with dinner in many Cherokee households. Although they can be made with fresh corn, Chef Bradley Dry uses cornmeal in his personal rendition.

Ingredients

2 cups self-rising flour
2 cups yellow cornmeal
1 tablespoon garlic powder
1 tablespoon onion powder
Salt and pepper to taste
2 teaspoon sugar
2 teaspoon smoked paprika
2 eggs
2 1/2 cups milk
1 stick butter, melted
2 cups fresh corn
1 tablespoon oil
1 white onion, diced

Preparation

Mix dry ingredients together in a medium bowl.

In a separate bowl, beat eggs and add milk and butter. Mix until combined, and then fold in dry ingredients and corn to create batter.

In a cast-iron pan, heat oil and saute the onion until translucent. Let cool and add to batter.

Once all combined, add spoonfuls of the batter to a greased skillet. Cook until golden brown.

Fried Wishi Mushrooms

By Bradley James Dry

Wishi mushrooms or the mushroom known as hen-of-the-woods, sheep’s head, or maitake are called wishi, short for the Cherokee word du-wi-shi. These fried mushrooms by Chef Dry are a delicate and seasoned rendition of a mushroom found in Cherokee kitchens.

Ingredients

1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
2 eggs
2 teaspoons onion powder
2 teaspoons garlic powder
1 1/2 cup milk
Salt and pepper
2 pounds wishi mushrooms (aka maitake or hen-of-the-woods)

Preparation

Mix together all ingredients, except mushrooms, to form the batter.

Once mixed, take a small amount of mushrooms and drop into batter. Lightly coat, then fry in a shallow pan until golden.

Lightly season with salt and pepper. Serve hot.

Green Beans and Bacon

By Bradley James Dry

For this summer staple and favorite comfort food, Chef Bradley Dry (Cherokee) recreates his grandmother’s recipe, using fresh green beans and bacon cured in his family’s smokehouse.

Ingredients

1/2 pound bacon
1 pound fresh green beans, trimmed
1 tablespoon butter
Salt and pepper to taste

Preparation

Fry bacon to desired darkness. I usually fry until dark and crispy.

Drain half of the fat and add green beans. Add 1/4 cup of water to lightly poach beans.

Once water is cooked out, add the butter and crumble bacon to the pan. Turn to low heat and cover for 10 minutes without mixing the beans.

Season with salt and pepper before serving.

Kanuchi

By Bradley James Dry

Kanuchi is a sweet Cherokee hickory nut soup that is an excellent source of healthy fats, protein, and complex carbohydrates. The Cherokee people often harvest hickory nuts in the fall and eat kanuchi during the wintertime due to its nutritional value. Since hickory nuts can be difficult to harvest, Chef Bradley Dry uses pecans in this simple and delicious kanuchi recipe.

Ingredients

3 cups pecans
4 tablespoons butter
1/4 cup brown sugar
2 cups white rice, cooked
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup maple syrup

Preparation

In a food processor, blend the pecans in batches. They should resemble coarse sand.

In a medium-sized pot, add butter and sugar on a low flame. Stir until sugar melts. Add cooked rice and mix until coated. Add pecans and remaining ingredients.

Add 5 cups of water and simmer on low for 20 to 25 minutes.

Tortillas de Papa

By Centro de Textiles Tradicionales del Cusco

Tortillas de papa are thin, fried potato tortillas made in the style of Chinchero, Peru with pumpkin, onion, and corn flour. This recipe is by textile weaver Martha Quispe Huaman of the Centro de Textiles Tradicionales del Cusco (Quechua). Makes 40–60 tortillas.

Ingredients

1/2 kilo potatoes, cooked and mashed
1/2 kilo squash or pumpkin
1 kilo corn flour (corn meal, ground as fine as possible)
5 eggs
3 tablespoons baking powder
3 cups water
2 cups green onions (only the green part), finely chopped
Salt and pepper to taste
Vegetable oil for frying the tortillas

Preparation

Boil the potatoes without the skin until they are well-cooked and soft. Once cooked, smash them in a bowl. It doesn't need to be completely mashed, some small chunks can remain

Peel the squash and boil it until it is well-cooked and soft. Mash the cooked squash in a separate bowl.Combine the mashed potatoes and squash in a large bowl. Add the corn flour, eggs, baking powder, and water.

Mix well until everything is well incorporated.

Add salt and pepper to taste, along with the chopped green onions. Mix until everything is well incorporated. The dough should be well mixed and a little sticky, but not too liquidy.

Heat a skillet with vegetable oil. There should only be a thin layer of oil covering the base of the skillet.

Take small portions of the dough with floured hands and shape them into tortillas about 3 to 4 inches wide. Do not place them on any plate or container, as they will stick. Fry the formed tortillas in the skillet, cooking them like pancakes until they are well browned and cooked on both sides.

Pepián De Gallina

By Sara Curruchich

A traditional Guatemalan dish, pepián de gallina is made with a rich recado rojo sauce made from guaque chile, pasilla chile, and toasted pepitoria with chicken. Musician Sara Curruchich (Kaqchikel Maya) shares her mother’s recipe and recounts how the kitchen is a safe space for the women in her family to exchange their experiences and feelings.

Ingredients

1 pound green beans
2 güisquiles/chayote (mild squash)
2 pounds potatoes
2 ounces pepitoria (pumpkin seed powder)
2 ounces sesame seeds
4 pounds tomatoes
2 guaque chiles
2 pasilla chiles (also known as raisin chiles)
2 onions
4 garlic cloves
4 slices of bread
1 whole small chicken
4 garlic cloves
Salt to taste
Cilantro to taste

Preparation

Trim the green beans. Peel and cut the chayote and potatoes into pieces. Set aside.

Toast the sesame seeds and pepitoria. Roast the tomatoes, chiles, onion, garlic, and bread. Blend all the roasted and toasted ingredients to form a recado rojo.

Bring the chicken to a boil in a pot filled with water. Once the boil has started, add the chayote and potatoes, then the recado. Season with salt.

Garnish with cilantro. Serve with rice.

Peixe na Patioba

By Antonia Gonsalvez da Silva

Peixe na patioba, yellowtail snapper wrapped in patioba leaf and prepared on a charcoal grill, is a favorite dish of Pataxó artist Antonia Gonsalves da Silva.
Serves 2.

Ingredients

2.2 pounds whole yellowtail snapper, or fish of your choice, cleaned
2 medium patioba leaves (substitute banana leaves if patioba leaves are not available)
3 lemons
Salt to taste

Preparation

On a cutting board or baking tray, make a few long narrow cuts along the fish (at least 3 or 4) which will allow flavor to seep in.

Give the fish a lemon bath, and rub the salt all over the fish. Wrap it with the patioba leaf and secure the leaf with kitchen twine so it doesn’t open.

Place the wrapped fish on a charcoal grill.

With coals at maximum temperature (“live flames”), cook for 30 to 50 minutes.

Pique Macho

By Imilla Skate (Fabiola Gonzales Torres & Brenda Mamani Tinta)

Pique Macho is a representative dish of Cochabamba, Bolivia, the hometown of Imilla Skate (Quechua/Aymara). Skaters Fabiola Gonzales Torres and Brenda Mamani Tinta share their familial recipe for this spicy platter.

Ingredients

Oil
3 potatoes (Dutch or imilla)
Dish with cold water
1 tomato
1 locoto pepper
1 onion
5 thin chorizo sausages
1.1 pounds (1/2 kilo) beef tenderloin
3 eggs, hard boiled
1/4 cup white wine
Salt and black pepper to taste

Preparation

Heat the oil to 160°C (320°F).

Peel the potatoes and cut them into thick sticks.

Soak them in cold water, which will prevent them from browning. Drain the water and pat the potatoes dry. Heat the oil to 180°C (355°F), and fry potatoes until crispy. Remove from heat (about 5 to 10 minutes).

While they’re frying, cut the chorizo and beef into medium cubes and season with salt and pepper. Cook them together on a hot, oiled skillet. Mix the meat with the chorizo and sausages to let the flavors integrate.

Cut the onions into julienne strips and the tomatoes into wedges. Cut the hard-boiled egg into semi-thick segments. Slice and devein the locoto pepper.

Serve the beef and chorizo on a platter, mixed with the fries. Add the onions, tomatoes, eggs, and peppers on top.

Bison Flank Steak with Tepary Bean Salad and Juniper-Epazote Sauce

By Robert Kinneen

Chef Robert Kinneen (Tlingit), based in North Carolina and raised in Alaska, was inspired by the flavors he worked with during his time cooking in the northern part of the Sonoran Desert. This recipe showcases the desert’s resilient agriculture practices, unique landscape, and amazing foods.

Ingredients

Preparation

Clean flank steak of any silverskin. Rub spices, garlic, oil, and vinegar on each side. Set aside and let rest on the counter for 10 to 15 minutes.

Bring a pan on the stove or a grill up to medium-high heat. Apply salt to the meat right before applying to heat. Cook to desired temperature. Let rest on cutting board for 3 to 5 minutes before slicing against the grain in 1/4-inch slices.

For the salad, combine beans, buds, peas, cactus, jicama, and kale in a bowl. Season with salt, then mix and set aside.

For the sauce, puree epazote, seeds, and spices in a container with an immersion blender. Add oil and agave. Finish with salt to desired taste.

To plate, spoon sauce on bottom of the plate, portion salad over the sauce, and fan out the flank over the beans, showing off the color of the meat in the fanning.

Pan-Seared Salmon with Kombu and Foraged Vinaigrette

By Robert Kinneen

This recipe demonstrates some of the unique flavors and perspectives in the Arctic. Salmon is high in omega-3 fatty acids, a natural solution to a deficit of sun, especially in higher circumpolar areas where the sun is absent during the winter solstice. High in vitamin C, spruce tips and rose hips were used to treat scurvy among explorers. Seaweed and beach asparagus offer trace minerals that help the body absorb the omega-3 fatty acids. Cedar boughs offer anti-inflammatory and other health benefits.

Ingredients

Preparation

In a bowl, mix together kombu, beach asparagus, and salmon roe. Set aside.

Using an immersion blender, puree whole boughs, spruce tips, seaweed, and rosehips, plus vinegar, mustard, and agave. Slowly drizzle in sunflower oil. If it starts getting too thick, you can add a teaspoon of water.

Alternatively, if dry ingredients are pulverized in a spice grinder, you can add all ingredients to an 8-ounce jam jar and shake to bind together. Make sure to shake before each use.

Dry the salmon with a towel to remove excess moisture, Season with salt.

In a heavy-bottomed pan over medium-high heat, add oil. Place salmon flesh side down. Let cook for 45 seconds to 1 minute. Flip and either continue cooking to desired temperature or remove from heat. Let rest for 2 minutes before eating.

To plate, take a portion of salad and place in the middle of the plate. Place fish on top with dressing around the well of the plate.

Masa

By Bricia Lopez

For Chef Bricia Lopez, “masa is the essence of Mexico” and is one of the staples in Oaxaca. This recipe has been passed down generationally among her family in Oaxaca. Learn more about Oaxacan cuisine Bricia Lopez’s cookbook, OAXACA: Home Cooking from the Heart of Mexico.

Ingredients

1/2 cup pickling lime
4.4 pounds dried white field corn kernels

Preparation

In the largest heavy-bottomed pot you have, dissolve the pickling lime in 5 1/2 quarts of water. Once the powder has dissolved, add the corn. The corn should be completely submerged in water. If not, add more water so there is at least 2 inches of water above the corn.

Place the pot over low-medium heat and gently simmer for 1 hour to nixtamalize the corn. When the nixtamal changes from white to yellow and the corn easily peels away from its skin, turn off the heat.

Let sit for at least 16 hours.

The next day, strain the pot’s contents through a colander and discard the water. Rinse nixtamal until the water comes out clear. You’ll know the corn is ready for masa when it is tender to the bite. It should be al dente like pasta.

If using a tabletop wet-stone grinder, carefully add about 1/2 cup of water in batches to grind to a pound of cooked nixtamal. Smooth masa for tortillas takes about 40 minutes, and masa quebrajada for tamales and atole takes about half that time. (If you don’t have a grinder, you can try a mortar and pestle or a food processor.) Repeat until you’ve gone through all the masa. Make sure to follow the instructions and safety guidelines of your grinder.

Using your hands, work the masa until a dough forms. When all the dough has stuck together and a putty has formed, it is ready. Keep in the refrigerator for up to a week.

Mole Verde

By Bricia Lopez

Chef Bricia Lopez is a Oaxaca-born, Los Angeles-based chef and entrepreneur. Her mole verde highlights the masa flavor along with hoja santa, green tomatoes, tomatillos, and epazote. Learn more about Oaxacan cuisine Bricia Lopez’s cookbook, OAXACA: Home Cooking from the Heart of Mexico.

Ingredients

1 cup dried navy beans, rinsed
1 tablespoon sea salt
1/4 cup white onion, chopped
3 cloves garlic, peeled
1 tablespoon sea salt
1 cup green tomatoes, sliced (can be substituted with red tomatoes)
3/4 cup tomatillos, husked and rinsed
1 1/2 serrano chiles, stems removed and chopped into large pieces
3 cloves garlic, peeled
1/2 cup white onion, chopped
1 1/2 teaspoons cumin powder, freshly ground
5 1/4 ounces fresh masa
1 tablespoons sea salt
2 hoja santa leaves
10 fresh parsley sprigs
10 fresh epazote leaves

Preparation

In a large pot, combine the beans and 8 cups (about 2 liters) of water. Bring to a boil, then lower the heat to a simmer, cover, and cook until the beans are softened. This should take about an hour. After an hour, add the salt. Once the beans are tender, taste for seasoning and turn off the heat.

Meanwhile, in another large, heavy-bottomed pot, bring a generous 3 quarts (about 3 liters) of water to a boil. Add the onion, garlic, and salt. Lower the heat to a simmer and cook, covered, for an hour. Skim off any impurities that rise to the top. After about 1 1/2 to 2 hours, remove from the heat and strain the onion and garlic out of the broth.

In a blender, combine green tomatoes, tomatillos, chiles, garlic, onion, cumin, and 1 cup (240 ml) of water. Blend until smooth. Add this mixture to the broth.

In the same blender, puree masa and 1 cup (240 ml) water until smooth. Add 2 cups (480 ml) of hot broth. Blend again, being careful not to get burned by the liquid. Add the masa broth back to the pot.

Over medium heat, bring the pot full of broth to a simmer. Cook for 15 minutes, stirring constantly so that it doesn’t stick to the pan. Add salt and taste, adjusting as needed.

Once the broth is hot, add the cooked beans with a slotted spoon, so just the beans get transferred and not the broth. Keep simmering.

In the blender, combine the hoja santa, parsley, and epazote with 1 cup (240 ml) of water and blend until smooth. Pour into the pot and stir until just combined. Season to taste.

Remove the pot from the heat and serve in bowls, piping hot.

Cacao Amaranth Protein Bars

By Claudia Serrato

Dr. Claudia Serrato (Purépecha/Huastec/Zacateco) from Los Angeles, California, reimagines the super grain amaranth in a modern setting and combines it with other extraordinary Indigenous seeds and nuts. This combination creates a nutrient-dense protein bar ready on the go.

Ingredients

1/2 cup puffed amaranth
3/8 cup (about 6 tablespoons) pecans, roughly chopped
1/4 cup pumpkin seeds
1/6 cup (about 2 tablespoons plus 2 teaspoons) sunflower seeds
1 tablespoon chia seeds
1 tablespoon flax seeds
3 tablespoons cacao nibs
2 tablespoons dried fruit, like cranberries or cherries
2.6 tablespoons (about 2 tablespoons plus 2 teaspoons) maple syrup or agave nectar
2 tablespoons coconut oil, melted
2.6 tablespoons (about 2 tablespoons plus 2 teaspoons) peanut butter
Pinch of sea salt

Preparation

Mix dry ingredients: in a large mixing bowl, combine the puffed amaranth, chopped pecans, pumpkin seeds, sunflower seeds, chia seeds, flaxseeds, cacao nibs, and dried fruit.

Combine wet ingredients: in a separate bowl or saucepan, gently warm the maple syrup (or agave nectar), coconut oil, and peanut butter. Stir until the mixture is smooth and well combined.

Combine wet and dry: pour the wet mixture over the dry ingredients, stirring thoroughly until everything is evenly coated.

Press and chill: line a small tray or a portion of a larger tray with wax or parchment paper. Press the mixture firmly into the tray. Refrigerate for at least 2 hours, or until the mixture is firm.

Cut into bars: once set, remove from the refrigerator and cut into bars or squares.

Chicha de Cacao

By Claudia Serrato

Dr. Claudia Serrato (Purépecha/Huastec/Zacateco) from Los Angeles, California, makes this traditional drink from the sweet pulp surrounding cacao beans, which is fermented into a mildly alcoholic drink. Vegan, gluten-free.

Ingredients

1 cup fresh cacao pods (enough to collect a significant amount of cacao pulp)
1 cup water
2 tablespoons sugar (optional, depending on desired sweetness)

Preparation

Open the cacao pods and scoop out the pulp and seeds. The seeds are used to make chocolate, but we are using the pulp.

Place the pulp in a large container for fermentation. You can either ferment the pulp with the seeds or remove them, depending on the specific tradition or preference. If desired, add sugar to promote fermentation and enhance sweetness. Add water to slightly dilute the mixture, though some traditional methods just use the pulp without additional water.

Cover the container with a cloth to allow air to enter and prevent contaminants. Let it ferment for a few days and up to a week, depending on the ambient temperature and the desired level of fermentation. Warmer temperatures will make it ferment faster. The environment’s wild yeasts will naturally ferment the sugars in the pulp.

After fermentation, strain the liquid to remove any solids or seeds. The resulting drink can be served chilled. It may have a slight effervescence and a unique, tangy flavor profile.

Maize Cacao Elixir co*cktail

By Claudia Serrato

Dr. Claudia Serrato (Purépecha/Huastec/Zacateco) from Los Angeles, California mixes two ingredients that are not always alongside one another. This elixir is an experimental take on maize’s savory flavor and cacao’s sweetness. The corn-infused tequila is brewed overnight with roasted kernels, making for a delicious drink. Serves 1.

Ingredients

2 ounces corn-infused tequila
1 ounce fresh lime juice
0.6 ounces cacao powder
1 cup water
1/2 cup sugar
Dash of chili powder or small slice of fresh chili, adjusted to taste
Agave syrup, to taste
Ice
Lime wheel
Toasted ground maize (optional)
Cacao nibs

Preparation

To make corn-infused tequila: soak 1/2 cup roasted corn kernels in 8 ounces tequila overnight, then strain and store.

To make the cacao syrup, combine cacao powder with water and sugar in a small saucepan. Bring to a simmer over medium heat, stirring until the sugar has dissolved and the mixture is well combined. Strain through a fine mesh to remove any lumps, and let cool before use.

In a co*cktail shaker, combine the corn-infused tequila, fresh lime juice, a desired amount of cacao syrup (start with about 1 ounce and adjust to taste), chili powder or fresh chili, and a splash of agave syrup. Fill the shaker with ice and shake vigorously until well-chilled.

Strain the mixture into a glass over fresh ice. Garnish with a lime wheel, a sprinkle of toasted ground maize (if using), and a cacao nib on top.

Raw Cacao Avocado Pudding

By Claudia Serrato

Dr. Claudia Serrato (Purépecha/Huastec/Zacateco) from Los Angeles, California creates a light pudding to be eaten any time of day. This nutrient-dense pudding is easy on the stomach and inspired by Mexican ancestral foods. The creamy fusion can be used as a topping to any sweet treat. Serves 2.

Ingredients

2 medium-sized, ripe avocados
1/4 cup raw cacao powder
2 tablespoons agave syrup or maple syrup, adjusted to taste
1 tablespoon + 1 teaspoon melted virgin coconut oil
1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
Pinch of sea salt

Preparation

Halve the avocados, remove the pits, and scoop out the flesh.

In a blender or food processor, combine the avocado flesh, raw cacao powder, agave or maple syrup, melted coconut oil, vanilla extract, and sea salt. Blend until smooth and creamy.

Check the flavor and adjust the sweetness or cacao intensity as needed.

Portion the mixture into four 2-ounce servings. Refrigerate for 1 to 2 hours to allow the pudding to set, as the coconut oil solidifies.

Garnish each serving with your favorite toppings like a sprinkle of cacao, shredded coconut, or fresh fruit before serving.

Succotash

By Elena Terry (Wild Bearies)

Succotash has a long history: an invention of the Indigenous peoples in what’s now known as New England, foreign colonists adapted the dish as a stew in the seventeenth century. Composed of ingredients unknown in Europe at the time, it gradually became a standard meal in New England cuisine.

Ingredients

1 onion
1 garlic clove
1 yellow, orange, or red bell pepper
1 cup cherry tomatoes
1/2 zucchini
1 can beans, drained and rinsed
1 can corn, drained and rinsed
1/4 cup olive oil
1/4 cups champagne vinegar
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
2 tablespoon honey
Salt and pepper to taste
4–5 fresh sprigs parsley, finely chopped

Preparation

Roughly chop the raw vegetables in a medium dice. Add them to a large bowl with canned beans and corn, and mix well.

In a blender, combine vinegar, mustard, and honey. Pulse until combined. While blending on low, slowly add the olive oil.

Salt and pepper the dressing to taste and add to the succotash. Garnish the salad with parsley.

Three Sisters Soup

By Elena Terry (Wild Bearies)

Three Sisters refers to the Indigenous companion plants of corn, beans, and squash. This hearty soup has many variations, but Chef Elena Terry (Ho-Chunk Nation/Prairie Band Potawatomi) uses fragrant sage, fresh sweet corn, canned beans and squash.

Ingredients

3 carrots
1 leek
2 acorn squash, peeled and cubed
1 butternut squash, peeled and cubed
2 cups hominy or fresh sweet corn
2 cloves garlic
2 celery sticks
1 quart chicken (or vegetable) stock
2 cans white navy beans, rinsed
Fresh sage leaves, finely chopped

Preparation

Chop carrots, leek, and squash. Add chopped vegetables and corn to an 8-quart saucepan with olive oil. Saute on high heat for about 2 minutes.

Deglaze with chicken stock, and bring to a boil. Once it reaches a boil, turn down to simmer and add rinsed beans. Add sage.

Continue to simmer, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables are tender.