Make this James Beard winner's recipe for her popular fish hash
Mashpee-Wampanoag chef Sherry Pocknett, the first Indigenous woman to win the award, pays homage to her family with this healthful meal.
Mashpee Wampanoag chef Sherry Pocknett made history last year as the first Indigenous woman to win a James Beard Award, which recognizes exceptional culinary talent in the United States. At her restaurant, Sly Fox Den Too, in Charlestown, Rhode Island, she honors her Northeast Woodlands roots and her family’s rich cooking traditions. The establishment specializes in American classics with unique twists reflecting Pocknett’s heritage, such as quahog “chowdah,” three-sisters succotash (corn, beans, and squash), and sandwiches served on her locally famous fry bread.
With her creations, Pocknett—who has recently been battling breast cancer—emphasizes healthful ingredients, such as sustainably raised and hunted meats and fresh produce (much of it grown in her family’s own gardens), prepared using time-tested methods to preserve nutrients. Like many of her fellow Native American chefs and restaurateurs, she believes this traditional fare acts as a medicine of sorts, nourishing not only the body but also the mind and spirit.
Her dishes pay homage to family meals she savored growing up, like a fish hash that minimizes waste by using leftover potatoes from last night’s dinner. “Throughout my childhood, my mom cooked whatever my dad brought in the door,” she says, “whether it was from the ocean, the woods, or our four-acre farm.” Here Pocknett shares this popular dish, which has a permanent spot on the specials board and showcases her tribe’s diverse foodways.
Morning Fish Hash With Poached Eggs and Corn Cakes With Strawberry-Cranberry Chutney
MORNING FISH HASH WITH POACHED EGGS
• 1½ lb bluefish, striped bass, mackerel, or salmon
• 6 Yukon gold potatoes, medium diced and cooked
• 1 large onion, diced
• 2 Tbsp butter
• 8 eggs
• 1 Tbsp white vinegar
• 1 green onion, thinly diced
• To taste: salt pepper, garlic powder, olive oil
CORN CAKES
• 2 cups yellow cornmeal
• 1 cup flour
• 1 Tbsp baking powder
• 1 tsp salt
• ½ tsp pepper
• 1 8.75-oz can corn, including liquid
• 1 bunch green onions, thinly diced
• ½ cup dry cranberries
• 2 cups water
STRAWBERRY-CRANBERRY CHUTNEY
• 2 lb whole cranberries, fresh or frozen
• 2 lb fresh strawberries, sliced
• 2 cups sugar
• juice of 1 lemon
INSTRUCTIONS
1. For the fish: Preheat oven to 400°F. Season fish with salt, pepper, and garlic powder to taste, and bake for 15 minutes. Set aside.
2. For the chutney: In a large saucepan, combine all ingredients and cook over high heat for 10 minutes, until berries break down and sugar is melted. Reduce heat and simmer for 20 minutes, stirring continuously. It should start to smell like a June strawberry harvest. Place in a bowl and refrigerate to cool. It can be made ahead and stored in the refrigerator for two to three weeks.
3. For the hash: In a 12-inch frying pan or skillet over medium heat, sauté cooked potatoes and onion in olive oil, salt, and pepper until they are golden brown and have a crisp on them. Add fish (juices and all) and butter for extra-rich flavor, then break up the fish with a spatula. Cook until hot and crispy, adding salt and pepper to taste.
4. For the corn cakes: In a large mixing bowl, combine all ingredients except water. Add 1 cup water, mix, then slowly add remaining cup water. Mix until batter is thick. Fry about ¼ cup of batter like a pancake in a lightly oiled cast-iron skillet over medium heat until golden brown, two to three minutes a side.
5. For the poached eggs: Fill a small frying pan with water and place over high heat. Bring water to a boil, add vinegar, then give liquid a swirl. Meanwhile, crack eggs into a separate small dish to ensure yolks don’t break. Carefully slide eggs into water and cook until whites are set, two to three minutes as you prefer. Using a slotted spoon, remove eggs from water.
6. To serve: Place a generous portion of the hash onto plates, top each helping with two poached eggs, and garnish with green onions. Add a side of corn cakes and chutney. Enjoy.
Kari Rowe, who is Oglala Lakota, Turtle Mountain Ojibwe, and Irish European, has over 20 years of experience in commercial and editorial photography and design. Based in Portland, Oregon, she amplifies Indigenous stories and businesses.
This story appears in the July 2024 special issue on "Indigenous Futures" of National Geographic magazine.
