Below are Saguaro Fruit Recipes and Additional Learning Resources gathered from a recent Study Program presented by the Arizona-Sonora Desert Museum. For the Slideshow on our recent Saguaro Fruit Harvest experience see our post here.
Connie’s Punched-up Punch
1 gallon prickly pear juice
1 C sugar (opt)
12-oz. can orange juice concentrate
12-oz. can lemonade concentrate
46-ounce can unsweetened pineapple juice
1-liter bottle carbonated water
2 Tbl lime juice (2 limes juiced)
Combine in a large punch bowl. Serve with fresh orange slices over ice.
Tepary Bean Stew, Vegetarian by Connie
1 lb dried brown tepary beans, rinsed
1 onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 Tbl oil
1 red bell pepper
1 green bell pepper
2 carrots, sliced in circles
1 bay leaf
½ Tsp cumin
1 10 oz can mild Rotel® tomatoes and green chilies
1 butternut squash, peeled, and cut into 1/2 inch cubes
1-2 C fresh pumpkin, peeled and cut into 1/2 inch cubes
½ C cut up greens (celery leaves, carrot tops, kale, purslane, bok choy, spinach, etc.)
Salt and pepper to taste.
Pre-soak-optional: Soak beans overnight in water OR bring to boil, reduce heat and simmer for 2 minutes. Remove from heat. Cover and let stand for 1 hour. Do not drain before cooking to retain nutrients.
No soak method-preferred: Put beans in pan and cover with water, flavorings, spices, sautéed onions, meat broths optional, etc. Do not add tomatoes or acidic ingredients until beans are tender.
Bring to boil and let simmer covered for 1 ½-2 hours.
Remove 1/2 cup cooked beans, with a little liquid (this will be used to thicken the stew).
Sauté onion and garlic in oil and add with rest of ingredients to beans and simmer for 30-45 minutes or until the vegetables are cooked. To thicken stew, put the reserved 1/2 c beans and liquid in a blender and blend until smooth. Pour into the stew and heat through.
(If your beans are still too liquid, save the nutrients by reducing the broth: drain beans, save liquid, then boil liquid in separate pot until reduced by ½ or more. Return thickened liquid to bean mixture and reheat.)
Cholla Bud Citrus Salad
4 C cooked cholla buds
1 Tsp olive oil
1 garlic, large clove, minced
1 large jicama, ~1 C, diced
1 fresh pineapple, ~1 C diced, or 1C kumquats, seeded and quartered
1 jalapeno, cleaned, diced
¼ C parsley, chopped
¼ C mint, chopped
8 oz baby spinach leaves
Sauté cholla buds in oil and garlic. Cool
Place in large bowl. All remaining ingredients
Dress with Citrus Vinaigrette
Citrus Vinaigrette for Cholla Bud Salad
¼ C olive oil
2 Tbl rice wine vinegar
1 C orange juice
1 Tbl minced fresh ginger
Salt and pepper to taste
Red pepper flakes, pinch
Whisk oil, vinegar and juice. Add remaining ingredients.
Dress salad.
Makes ~ 1 1/4 C.
Squash Enchiladas w/Tomatillo Sauce Serves 6
2 C baked, mashed ha:l or butternut squash
2 Tbl olive oil
¼ C onion, chopped
1Tbl garlic, minced
½ C canned corn
12 6-inch corn tortillas
4 C Monterey Jack Cheese (~16 oz) grated
Salsa Verde Picante (available in stores)
Heat oil in a large skillet, sauté onion, and garlic for 3 minutes. Mix in squash and corn. Season with salt and pepper.
Warm tortillas (microwave, fry or heat over direct flame)
Place 1 heaping Tbl of squash mixture down center of tortilla. Top with 1Tbl of cheese. Roll up tortillas. Arrange seam side down in 13x9x2” baking dish
Spoon salsa and remaining cheese over enchiladas. Bake until heated through, about 20-30 minutes.
Serve 2 enchiladas per plate.
Savory Mesquite Cornbread
¾ C whole-wheat flour
½ C Mesquite meal
¾ C yellow cornmeal
2 Tsp salt
1 Tsp cumin
1 Tsp garlic powder
1 Tsp chile powder
¼ C olive oil
2 eggs
1 ½ C-2 C milk
1 jalapeno pepper, diced (opt)
½ C Spanish onion, diced (opt)
Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Grease an 8×8” pan or 16 muffin tins
Blend first 8 dry ingredients.
Whisk oil, eggs and milk.
Combine wet and dry ingredients. Do not over mix.
Blend in jalapeno and onion if desired
Spread evenly in pan our muffin cups.
Bake about 40 minutes for pan or 20 minutes for muffins.
ORGANIZATIONS/NATIVE FOODS RETAILERS:
For more information about the native foods ingredients used in these recipes, or to purchase them through their retail shops, check out these resources:
Tohono O’odham Nation Cultural Center and Museum
Topawa, AZ
Desert Rain Café
Sells, AZ
Native Seeds/SEARCH
Tucson, AZ
Arizona-Sonora Desert Museum
2021 N. Kinney Rd. Tucson
