Yield: 4 servings
Time: 45 minutes

Ingredients

8 oz Smallhold Blue Oyster mushrooms
½ cup Heirloom Blue Corn Masa Harina from Masienda
1 medium leek
1 medium shallot
1 tsp of himalayan salt, more to taste
2 tbsp of high heat oil
1 sprig of rosemary
1 serrano pepper
3 ½ cups of water

Directions

Step 01 - Prep. Wash your leek thoroughly. Cut your leek and shallot into thin rounds.

Step 02 - Pull your blue oyster mushrooms vertically into half inch strips.

Step 03 - Cut your serrano pepper vertically and gut it (unless you want it to be spicy). Pluck your sprig of rosemary. Set all of this aside.

Step 04 - Mix the dough. In a small mixing bowl, add in half a cup of blue masa harina and half a cup of warm water. Mix until a dough forms, it should be like play-doh.

Step 05 - Cook the alliums and mushrooms. Heat your pan to medium-high heat. Drop in a tablespoon of high heat oil and throw in your shallots, bring your flame down to medium. Once translucent, toss in your leeks. As they begin to soften and get glossy, sprinkle in a pinch of salt. Set aside.

Step 06 - Using the same pan, add in another tablespoon of oil on medium heat. Add in half of the serrano and the rosemary sprig. Once the chile starts dancing, add in your mushrooms and mix well.

Step 07 - Sear your mushrooms for around 7 to 10 minutes.

Step 08 - Once they are seared, turn off the heat and remove the rosemary. Set the mushrooms and chile aside.

Step 9 - Blend. In your food processor, add in one cup of your leek and shallot mixture––reserve the rest for plating. Add your mushroom (saving a few mushrooms for plating) and chile, and one cup of fresh water. Blend until smooth.

Step 10 - Place your mixture in a medium-sized pot.

Step 11 - In your food processor, blend your masa with one cup of water, and once it’s smooth, add it to your pot. Turn up the flame to medium, add another cup of water and mix.

Step 12 - Simmer. Let it cook for about five minutes, stirring occasionally, and then cover the pot, leaving a small sliver open, for about five more minutes or until it begins to simmer. Once it’s simmering, taste your soup and adjust the salt.

Step 13 - Let it cook a bit more, until you get some bigger bubbles. Taste again, still stirring occasionally, and adjust if necessary.

Step 14 - Plate the atole with your extra leeks and mushrooms, and sprinkle on some finishing sea salt if desired. Enjoy!

By: Andrea Aliseda