The cooking traditions of the indigenous peoples of North America, drawing from regional larders: Pacific Northwest cedar-planked salmon, Plains bison and wild rice, Eastern woodlands maple and corn, Southwestern beans and chillies. The Three Sisters (corn, beans, squash) are foundational; foraged greens, berries and nuts complete the table. Slow-pit cooking, smoking over hardwoods, and stews simmered in clay or cast iron define the techniques. Frybread, while a 19th-century product of forced relocation, is now an iconic across-tribes shared dish.
A food-safe cedar plank submerges in water for an hour. The salmon (skin on, one side) gets a brief dry cure of brown sugar, salt and crushed juniper. Maple syrup and lemon zest go on at the end of the cure. The hot grill cooks the plank from below while the salmon cooks from the slow heat radiating up, a steam-smoke method, neither pure grilling nor pure baking. The result is a salmon that tastes faintly of forest, cured-cured-not-curried.*
A simple yeasted dough, flour, baking powder, milk, salt, a touch of sugar, rests until soft and pliable. Each portion stretches by hand into a 15 cm disc, then drops into hot oil for 90 seconds per side. Wojapi simmers berries, water and maple syrup to a thick sauce; thickens slightly with a small amount of cornflour. The hot frybread piles on a plate; warm wojapi spoons over.
Diced onion and garlic sweat in sunflower oil. A whole butternut squash, peeled and cubed, browns briefly to caramelise the edges. Dried sage and ground sumac (or a squeeze of lemon) season. Stock and tomatoes go in; everything simmers for 30 minutes until the squash is collapsing. Drained pinto beans and hominy (or sweetcorn) join for the last 15 minutes. A splash of maple syrup at the end balances. Garnished with toasted pumpkin seeds and fresh sage.
A small dice of butternut squash softens in butter with onion and garlic; corn kernels and pre-cooked beans (kidney, pinto or borlotti) join in. Stock loosens; sage and bay perfume; the lot simmers until the squash is tender and the broth has reduced to a glaze. Maple syrup and cider vinegar balance at the end.
Venison shoulder is cut into 2 cm cubes and browned hard. Dried wild mushrooms (porcini, morel, or a mix) are hydrated in hot water, both the mushrooms and the soaking liquid become part of the dish. Onion is softened; the venison returns; wild rice is toasted in the pot for 1 minute; everything simmers in a mushroom-and-stock blend 45 minutes until the rice splits and curls. A splash of maple syrup at the end balances the savouriness. Fresh thyme and toasted pumpkin seeds finish.
