BOCA Tacos y Tequila ★ 4.5
BOCA on North 4th Avenue in Tucson runs weekend Sonoran brunch from Maria Mazon's Top Chef finalist kitchen, with brunch tacos and tequila pours.
Order: Brunch tacos and the salsa flight
History
Tepary beans (Phaseolus acutifolius) are native to the Sonoran Desert and have been cultivated by the Tohono O'odham for over 4,000 years. The drought-resistant variety thrives in 100F-plus heat and minimal water, making it one of the most resilient food crops on Earth. White teparies and brown teparies survived modern agricultural marginalization through Native Seeds/SEARCH, the heirloom seed bank founded in Tucson in 1983. Mission Garden grows tepary beans every season, and modern Tucson kitchens like Mission Garden cooking demos and BOCA Tacos use them in tacos and refritos.
Make it at home
Ingredients
- 450g dried white or brown tepary beans
- 1 medium white onion, halved
- 4 cloves garlic, crushed
- 1 dried bay leaf
- 1 tsp salt
- 1 tsp ground cumin
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- Fresh cilantro and lime wedges to serve
Method
- Rinse the tepary beans and soak in cold water overnight, at least 12 hours.
- Drain the beans. Place in a heavy pot with the onion halves, garlic, bay leaf and 2 liters of fresh water.
- Bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer. Cook uncovered 2 to 3 hours, until the beans are tender but still hold shape. Add water as needed.
- When the beans are tender, add salt and cumin. Simmer 15 more minutes.
- Discard the bay leaf and onion halves. Stir in olive oil.
- Serve warm in bowls with chopped cilantro and lime wedges, or mash into refritos.
Tip from the editors. Teparies take longer than pinto beans. Don't add salt early; it tightens the skins. Native Seeds is the canonical source for true heirloom teparies.
This is the TableJourney editorial recipe, modelled on the canonical bistro / counter version. The first place to try the dish in its city of origin is below.
Where to eat tepary beans
More cities are in research. Want tepary beans covered somewhere specific? Tell us where you want to eat.