The Sioux Chef’s Indigenous Kitchen

Sherman introduces readers to the healthy food of the Dakota and Minnesota territories, with surprising and tasty results. Sherman grew up on the Pine Ridge Reservation in South Dakota and later started a Minneapolis catering company called the Sioux Chef, which focuses on Native American cuisine and serves as the inspiration for this delightful cookbook. Recipes include wild-rice cakes, white-bean and winter-squash soup, rabbit braised with apples and mint, and a simple sweet-corn sorbet. Ingredients are all indigenous to North America and are easily sourced, and Sherman’s instructions are clear and to the point. One dish commonly associated with Native Americans—fry bread—is omitted by design (Sherman notes that the dish came about “150 years ago when the U.S. government forced our ancestors from the homelands”). Interestingly, none of his recipes call for flour or sugar (maple syrup is his sweetener of choice). This is an illuminating guide to Native American food that will enthrall home cooks and food historians alike. [em](Oct.) [/em]