Smoked Blue Masa Sope with Heirloom Tomato and Nectarine Aguachile

Introduction

Today’s menu is all about the transition from the golden heat of the Central Valley to the cooling coastal fog of the Pacific. This dish is a love letter to that bridge—pillowy blue corn masa, charred over almond wood, meeting the sharp, electric chill of a stone fruit aguachile. It’s soft, soulful, and captures the ephemeral magic of a late-summer afternoon in Northern California.

Ingredients

• 1 cup organic blue corn masa harina
• 3/4 cup warm filtered water
• 2 tablespoons Sonoma extra virgin olive oil
• 1/2 teaspoon flaky sea salt
• 2 large heirloom tomatoes, different colors, diced small
• 2 ripe nectarines or white peaches, sliced into thin wedges
• 1 Fresno chile, seeded and finely minced
• 1/4 cup verjus or white balsamic vinegar
• Juice of 2 Ojai Pixie tangerines (or limes)
• 1 tablespoon fresh cilantro flowers or torn leaves
• 1/2 teaspoon smoked alderwood salt
• 1 small watermelon radish, shaved paper-thin

Instructions

1. In a medium bowl, combine the blue corn masa harina and sea salt. Slowly add the warm water and a splash of olive oil, kneading until a soft, play-dough-like consistency forms. Cover with a damp cloth for 10 minutes.
2. Divide the dough into small golf-ball-sized rounds and flatten them into discs about 1/2 inch thick. Pinch the edges upward to create a small rim.
3. Heat a cast-iron skillet over a medium-high flame (or an oak-fired grill). Lightly sear the sopes for 3-4 minutes per side until charred spots appear and they feel firm but yielding.
4. While the sopes are warm, toss the diced tomatoes, nectarines, and Fresno chiles in a bowl with the verjus and citrus juice. Let the mixture macerate for 5 minutes to create a bright brine.
5. Place the warm sopes on a serving plate. Top each with a generous spoonful of the tomato and nectarine mixture, ensuring some of the bright juice soaks into the masa.
6. Garnish with shaved radish, cilantro flowers, a final drizzle of Sonoma olive oil, and a pinch of smoked salt.

This dish is meant to be eaten with your hands, leaning over a wooden table while the sun dips below the horizon. It is light enough for a degustation but rich enough in flavor to leave a lasting memory. Enjoy the harvest.

Emily