Sumac Lime Corn Ribs with Sikil Pak

At Javelina, we feel Albariño pairs well with this dish. The acidity mirrors the acidity of the wine, while cutting through the richness of the pumpkin seeds in the sikil pak. Rather than competing, the lime and sumac match the citrus of the Albariño in a way that allows more delicate flavors of the wine to come forward.

Summer Supper is a walkaround tasting event on Sunday, Sept. 13 hosted by Portland-based nonprofit Urban Gleaners. This unforgettable evening features 15 of Portland’s most acclaimed chefs, each crafting inspired small plates using gleaned and upcycled ingredients, transforming what’s often discarded into something extraordinary. A curated selection of local beer, wine, craft cocktails and nonalcoholic beverages from some of the region’s favorite vendors will complement the culinary creations.

As Urban Gleaners commemorates its 20th anniversary, the organization continues to provide the vital service of eliminating hunger and food waste in the Portland metro area, all while celebrating the amazing food community that defines the city. Urban Gleaners annually rescues nearly 1.2 million pounds of food from the landfill and distributes nourishing meals to over 8,000 food-insecure families each week.

Support Urban Gleaners’ mission buy purchasing Summer Supper tickets here: urbangleaners.org. VIP tickets: $150, general admission: $100, children 4-12: $25, 3 and younger are free.

Corn Rib Ingredients

• 4 corn cobs
• 2 tablespoons sumac
• 2 tablespoons salt
• 1 ounce lime juice

Sikil Pak Ingredients

• 1 ½ quarts stewed tomatoes
• 1 pint roasted pepitas
• 3 charred poblano peppers
• 2 ounces lime juice
• 1 bunch cilantro
• 2 tablespoons salt

Directions

1. Roast pepitas in the oven at 350°F for 8-10 minutes, until they get some color and start to make crack and pop a bit in the oven.
2. If possible, char poblano peppers over open flame. Once charred, allow to soften for aboun 1 hour for optimum texture. Remove charred skin from poblano before using in a blender.
3. Blend roasted pepitas in a blender until they are fine powder. This takes some time and patience, as you want the pepita powder to be fine enough to stick to itself. When it’s the proper texture, it starts rising up the sides of the blender and falling back into the blades.
4. Place remaining ingredients in the blender, starting with the tomatoes. Blend until a smooth texture similar to a thin peanut butter.
5. Boil corn for 10-15 minutes.
6. Cut the corn cob in half at the center mark of the corn. Stand the corn on the flat side you just created, and cut into the cob in the center. The goal is to get 4 equal size corn ribs per half of corn.
7. Heat rice oil (or any frying oil available) to 350 °F. Fry your corn ribs for roughly 3 minutes, until the corn cobs begin to curl.
8. Pull corn ribs out of oil and put directly into a mixing bowl. Toss with sumac, salt and lime juice.

Serve

Serve corn ribs alongside the sikil pak. Dip corn ribs in sauce and enjoy.

Chef Alexa Numkena-Anderson weaves together her Yakama, Hopi and Mexican Indigenous roots to impart a culinary experience rooted in tradition and community.

Being the eldest of six, Alexa taught herself to cook in order to take care of her siblings, thus finding her passion in cooking. In 2012, Alexa moved to Portland, where she attended Le Cordon Bleu Culinary School while working as a line cook. Her experience took her through several acclaimed Portland restaurants, including performing operations and menu development.

Six weeks after giving birth to her first child, she started the Javelina: Indigenous Dining pop-up with her husband Nick. In May 2025, Alexa opened her first brick-and-mortar location in N.E. Portland.

She prioritizes creating a welcoming and representative space for the Northwest Indigenous community to gather.

Javelina Indigenous Dining

4636 N.E. 42nd Ave., Portland

(503) 505-0913 • javelinapdx.com