Adapting authenticity in Three Sisters Salad

The classic Three Sisters recipe calls for corn, beans and squash to be cooked in a soup or stew, along with onions, tomatoes and seasonings. McElroy transformed the ingredients into a composed salad to make a recurring menu item that could be served in any season. Frozen corn allows the salad to be replicated year-round.

Along with butternut squash, McElroy incorporates roasted zucchini and yellow summer squash into the salad. Both are easy to prep and cook, he says, and they brighten up the dish. Dried red and navy beans are cooked in advance, blast-chilled and refrigerated to use as needed. McElroy sometimes varies the salad by using white, black or pinto beans, he says.

The addition of cooked wheat berries is a modern twist that turns the dish into a more nutritionally balanced vegetarian item. McElroy updates and freshens the presentation with halved cherry tomatoes instead of chunks, and a garnish of toasted pumpkin seeds.