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
- 1 pound Uncooked, Dried Tepary Beans
- ½ pound bacon diced
- 1½ pounds Canned or Fresh Tomatoes diced
- 1½ Onions diced
- 2 Garlic Cloves minced
- ¼ pound Green Chiles diced
- 1 teaspoon Chile Powder
- ½ teaspoon Dried Oregano
- ¼ teaspoon Ground Cumin
- Salt and Pepper to 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
- 1-2 Tohono O’odham Squash 1⁄2 - 3⁄4 inch cubed
- 24 I’itoi Onions, Sliced Sliced
- 1/4 cup olive oil
- 11⁄2 tablespoons cumin
- 6 Chiltepin crushed
- 4 cups Tomatoes fresh
- 16 I’Itoi Onions
- 1/2 cup Cilantro
- 2-3 cloves garlic
- 1/4 cup olive oil
- Juice of Two Limes
- 1 1/4 Amaranth Grain
- 1/2 cup Scallions chopped
- 1 cup Cilantro fresh
- 1/2 cup Lime Juice
- 1/4 cup olive oil
- 2 cloves garlic pressed
- 32 Corn Tortillas
- 1 pound Mexican Goat Cheese crumbled
- Cilantro chopped
- Tomatoes diced
- Lime Wedges
- Sour Cream
- 2 cups Napa Cabbage finely shredded
- 1 Carrot finely shredded
- 1/4-1/3 head Green Cabbage finely shredded
- 2 tablespoons Cilantro fresh, chopped
- 1 Green Onion minced
- 1 teaspoon Jalapeño (or Serrano Chile, to taste)
- 1 tablespoon Mayonnaise
- 1 tablespoon Lime Juice fresh
- 1/2 teaspoon Cumin Seeds (or 1⁄4 teaspoon ground Cumin)
- salt to taste
- Pepper to taste
- 1/4 cup Lemon Juice
- 1/2 cup Orange Juice
- 2 tablespoons Dijon Mustard
- 2 tablespoons Clover Honey
- 1/4 cup basil leaves freshly chopped
- salt
- Pepper freshly ground
- 1/2 cup 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
- 1 1/2 cups All-Purpose Flour
- 3 tablespoons Sugar
- 1 Lemon zested
- 1/2 teaspoon Sea Salt fine
- 10 tablespoons Unsalted Butter chilled, cut
- 3 tablespoons Ice Water
- 3 1/2 ounces Almond Paste room temperature, cut into 1/2-inch pieces
- 1/3 Mascarpone Cheese room temperature
- 1 teaspoon Vanilla Extract
- 2 tablespoons Honey
- 6 Large (or 10 Small) Fresh Figs (or 20 reconstituted Dried Figs) sliced, stems removed
- 1/4 cup 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
- 1/2 cup Butter room-temperature
- 1/2 cup Vegetable Shortening
- 1 1/2 cups Brown Sugar
- 1 teaspoon Vanilla Extract
- 2 Eggs large
- 3 cups Old-Fashioned Oats
- 1 cup All-Purpose Flour
- 1/2 cup Mesquite Flour
- 1 teaspoon Baking Soda
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1 cup 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:
- Jamaal Henderson
- Casandra Suarez
- Sammie Cota
- Arnette Jones
- Guadalupe Thomas
- Adan Salazar
Pima Community College Desert Vista campus offers two culinary curriculums. Visit Pima.edu to learn more. ✜