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Filling

1 quart corn, divided

1-1/4 cups minced tomatoes

1-1/2 cups minced red bell pepper

6 tablespoons sun-dried tomatoes, soaked

1-1/4 cups pine nuts, soaked 1–2 hours

1-1/4 cups cashews, soaked 1–2 hours

1 teaspoon sea salt

3/4 teaspoon nutritional yeast

2 tablespoons minced red onion

2 tablespoons stemmed and chopped fresh cilantro

1 clove garlic, peeled and minced

3/4 cup fresh lime juice

Sauce

2 cups sun-dried tomatoes, soaked 1 hour

1 ancho chile, soaked 10–15 minutes

1 Roma tomato, diced

1/2 shallot, chopped

2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice

1/4 cup olive oil

4 teaspoons raw agave

2 teaspoons salt

Pinch chile pepper flakes

“Sour Cream”

1 cup cashews, soaked 1–2 hours

1/2 cup water

1/4 cup olive oil

4-1/2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice

3/4 teaspoon salt

Assembly

12–18 corn husks

1 cup beet juice

Corn husk “strings” (strands torn from ends of husks)

Ancho chile powder

Filling Place 2 cups corn, the tomatoes, and the red bell pepper in a bowl; set aside. In a food processor, blend the remaining corn and ingredients until very smooth. Pour into the bowl with corn, tomatoes, and red bell pepper, and mix well with hands. Store in refrigerator.

Sauce Squeeze water from sun-dried tomatoes and ancho chile. Place all ingredients in a Vita-Mix and blend until smooth. Store in refrigerator.

“Sour Cream” Blend all ingredients in Vita-Mix until completely smooth. Store in refrigerator.

Assembly Tear 24–36 strings from corn husks and place in a bowl with beet juice. Place strings on dehydrator screens for 20 minutes to dry. Soak corn husks in water 30 minutes and dry well. Place 2–3 tablespoons tamale filling in the middle of each husk and tie both edges with strings. Place 3 tamales on each plate. Serve with sauce and “sour cream.” Sprinkle with ancho chile powder. Serves 4–6

Cornbread Bruschetta with White Truffle “Sour Cream” and Spiced Tomatoes

I love the combination of high/low cuisine—rustic food combined with an elegant ingredient or two. Several years ago, I opened a restaurant, Monzu, which was named for the French chefs who occupied Sicily’s kitchens when Napoleon’s troops invaded the region. The resulting French approach to traditional Italian cooking brought some interesting contrasts. In my own cuisine, if I were still cooking on a regular basis, I’d love a baked potato with fresh black truffle.

Bruschetta

1 cup flax meal

1 tablespoon dried oregano

2 cups fresh corn kernels

1-1/3 cups walnuts, soaked 8–10 hours

1 tablespoon sea salt

1/2 teaspoon black pepper

1/4 cup olive oil

1/2 shallot, minced

1 tablespoon nutritional yeast

2 tablespoons raw agave nectar

1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice

1 tablespoon minced jalapeño

1 teaspoon ancho chile powder

“Sour Cream”

1 cup cashews, soaked 1–2 hours

1/2 cup water

1/4 cup olive oil

2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice

1/2 teaspoon salt

3 tablespoons white truffle oil

Tomato

1 tablespoon chopped cilantro

1 tablespoon nama shoyu

1 tablespoon olive oil

3 tomatoes, seeded and diced

1 tablespoon minced shallots

1 tablespoon chopped chipotle peppers, soaked 1 hour

Salt and pepper to taste

3 tablespoons julienned basil

Assembly

1/4 cup basil leaves

Fresh black pepper

Bruschetta Place flax meal in a medium-size bowl; set aside. Process remaining ingredients in a food processor until smooth. Add to bowl with flax meal and stir until well combined. Spread on Teflex sheets in desired shape to 1/2-inch thickness. Dehydrate at 115 degrees F for 24–36 hours until almost completely dry but still a bit pliable.

“Sour Cream” Blend all ingredients in a Vita-Mix until completely smooth. Refrigerate until firm.

Tomato Toss all ingredients together and season to taste.

Assembly Spread a thin layer of “sour cream” on each piece of bruschetta and top with a generous amount of tomatoes. Garnish with basil and black pepper. Serves 4–6

Orange, Pistachio-Cacao, and Mesquite Truffles

When I first began experimenting with raw food, my need for snacking was more present than it is