We asked students and faculty in Pima Community College’s Culinary Arts program: What dish represents Baja Arizona to you?
We created our recipes and menu based on the local and indigenous crops growing in our Pima Community College organic garden that we feel reflect Baja Arizona’s flavors and history. The items growing in the garden right now that directed us into preparing these recipes are Tohono O’odham squash, tomatoes, cilantro, I’itoi onions, chiltepin, green chiles, jalapeños, amaranth, cabbage, and tepary beans from a previous harvest. Although we do not currently have a fig tree, we were able to source some locally grown figs from Mission Garden for our fig and almond tart.
Arizona Tepary Ranch Beans
| Servings |
| 6-8people |
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- 1pound Uncooked, Dried Tepary Beans
- ½pound bacondiced
- 1½pounds Canned or Fresh Tomatoesdiced
- 1½ Onionsdiced
- 2 Garlic Clovesminced
- ¼pound Green Chilesdiced
- 1teaspoon Chile Powder
- ½teaspoon Dried Oregano
- ¼teaspoon Ground Cumin
- Salt and Pepperto taste
- Sort beans, discarding any foreign material. Soak overnight.
- Place beans in a large stockpot. Add enough water to cover beans by 2 inches. Cover and bring to a boil over high heat. Boil 2 minutes.
- Remove from heat and let soak, covered, 1 hour. Drain. Add water and simmer, partially covered, for 1 hour.
- Cook bacon in large skillet until crisp. Add bacon and the drippings to beans.
- Add tomatoes with juice to beans. Add onions, garlic, chiles, chile powder, dried oregano, and cumin.
- Simmer, partially cooked, 3 hours or until beans are very tender.
- After 3 hours, the beans should have a little liquid. If they become too dry, add more water. If beans have too much liquid, uncover and boil over medium heat, stirring frequently.
- Season with salt to taste. Garnish with fresh oregano if desired.
- Cut lime into wedges; pass to the table to squeeze over each serving.
Roasted Tohono O’odham Squash, Amaranth, and I’itoi Salsa Tacos
Roasted Tohono O’odham Squash, Amaranth, and I’itoi Salsa Tacos.
| Servings |
| 16people |
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|
- 1-2 Tohono O’odham Squash1⁄2 - 3⁄4 inch cubed
- 24 I’itoi Onions, SlicedSliced
- 1/4cup olive oil
- 11⁄2tablespoons cumin
- 6 Chiltepincrushed
- 4cups Tomatoesfresh
- 16 I’Itoi Onions
- 1/2cup Cilantro
- 2-3cloves garlic
- 1/4cup olive oil
- Juice of Two Limes
- 1 1/4 Amaranth Grain
- 1/2cup Scallionschopped
- 1cup Cilantrofresh
- 1/2cup Lime Juice
- 1/4cup olive oil
- 2cloves garlicpressed
- 32 Corn Tortillas
- 1pound Mexican Goat Cheesecrumbled
- Cilantrochopped
- Tomatoesdiced
- Lime Wedges
- Sour Cream
- 2cups Napa Cabbagefinely shredded
- 1 Carrotfinely shredded
- 1/4-1/3head Green Cabbagefinely shredded
- 2tablespoons Cilantrofresh, chopped
- 1 Green Onionminced
- 1teaspoon Jalapeño(or Serrano Chile, to taste)
- 1tablespoon Mayonnaise
- 1tablespoon Lime Juicefresh
- 1/2teaspoon Cumin Seeds (or 1⁄4 teaspoon ground Cumin)
- saltto taste
- Pepperto taste
- 1/4cup Lemon Juice
- 1/2cup Orange Juice
- 2tablespoons Dijon Mustard
- 2tablespoons Clover Honey
- 1/4cup basil leavesfreshly chopped
- salt
- Pepperfreshly ground
- 1/2cup Canola Oil
- Preheat oven to 375 ̊
- Cut squash into 1⁄2 - 3⁄4-inch cubes.
- Thinly slice onions.
- Toss with olive oil and cumin. Roast until tender, 20-30 minutes, depending on size of cubed squash.
- While squash cooks, cook amaranth.
- Combine seeds with 2 1⁄2 cups water in a pot and bring to a boil. Reduce heat, cover and simmer for 20 minutes, until grains are fluffy and water is absorbed.
- To make salsa, blend ingredients together.
- Prepare sides. Heat tortillas and layer each with amaranth, squash, and salsa.
- Top with cilantro, tomatoes, a squeeze of lime juice, and sour cream or Greek yogurt.
Mission Fig and Almond Tart
Mission Fig and Almond Tart.
| Servings |
| 6-8people |
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- 1 1/2cups All-Purpose Flour
- 3tablespoons Sugar
- 1 Lemonzested
- 1/2teaspoon Sea Saltfine
- 10tablespoons Unsalted Butterchilled, cut
- 3tablespoons Ice Water
- 3 1/2ounces Almond Pasteroom temperature, cut into 1/2-inch pieces
- 1/3 Mascarpone Cheeseroom temperature
- 1teaspoon Vanilla Extract
- 2tablespoons Honey
- 6 Large (or 10 Small) Fresh Figs(or 20 reconstituted Dried Figs) sliced, stems removed
- 1/4cup Apricot Jam
- Prepare crust.
- Fill crust and fold like a galette.
- Top with jam.
- Bake at 400 degrees for 40 minutes.
Oatmeal-Mesquite Raisin Cookies
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- 1/2cup Butterroom-temperature
- 1/2cup Vegetable Shortening
- 1 1/2cups Brown Sugar
- 1teaspoon Vanilla Extract
- 2 Eggslarge
- 3cups Old-Fashioned Oats
- 1cup All-Purpose Flour
- 1/2cup Mesquite Flour
- 1teaspoon Baking Soda
- 1teaspoon cinnamon
- 1/2teaspoon salt
- 1cup Raisins
- Preheat oven to 350°.
- In a large bowl, combine butter, shortening, sugar, eggs, vanilla, and cream together.
- Beat with electric mixer until combined.
- Mix oats, flour, baking soda, cinnamon, and salt. Add to the wet mixture and stir until combined. Add raisins.
- Use a tablespoon to measure batter and place onto an ungreased baking sheet lined with parchment paper.
- Bake for 12-15 minutes or until golden brown. Remove and let cool on a cooling rack.
Faculty:
(From left) Darryl Wong, culinary faculty, Pima Community College Desert Vista Campus; Elizabeth Mikesell, Center for Training and Development chef instructor, Pima Community College Desert Vista Campus; Barry Infuso, lead faculty, Pima Community College Desert Vista Campus
Students:
Pima Community College Desert Vista campus offers two culinary curriculums. Visit Pima.edu to learn more. ✜
The post Voices September/October 2015: What Dish Represents Baja Arizona to You? appeared first on Edible Baja Arizona Magazine.