Nopales

[voyager]

Fresh nopales! How come I've never tried these?! I finally bought several paddles from the guy who sells them at our Sunday flea. A guy stands and shaves the spines. Sold RTC at $2.00 a pound.

 

Most recipes suggest boiling/stewing them. But I finally found that grilling was an option. Oh, yes!!!

 

Salt, pepper, olive oil. Super hot grill pan. Cook maybe 5 minutes per side. And, OMG! These are so delicious!

 

(Tonight, in a salad of red pepper and red onion. No vinegar, just the residual OO.)

 

[Sneakeater]

I've never had grilled nopales. I hope someday I can.

[Sneakeater]

I remember the first time I ever had them (stewed). I was like, FUCK . . . .

[Anónimo]

We live in Michoacán México, in a world of nopales. In fact, we have the plant in our back yard. But I usually buy a small bag for $5 or $10 pesos, which is a lot of nopales. I use one or two smaller pads in a blended smoothie, called "Jugo Verde" It's made of orange or grapefruit juice, celery, parsley, nopal and some fresh pineapple. Other additions are optional: flaxseed, nutritional yeast, fresh ginger root, etc.

It's best drunk soon, as its refrigerated life is maybe 1-2 days. It's healthful and reputed to help in a weight loss diet. It's also beneficial for the alimentary tract.

 

Another excellent use for nopales is the refreshing Ensalada de Nopales, made by cutting the pads into thin strips and blanching them briefly in boiling salted water. A pinch of baking soda tends to reduce the baba or slime.

The rinsed, cooled strips are then seasoned with fresh lime juice, finely diced onion, diced tomato, fresh chiles (I use chile perón or serrano), cilantro, and salt to taste.

[joethefoodie]

Another excellent use for nopales is the refreshing Ensalada de Nopales, made by cutting the pads into thin strips and blanching them briefly in boiling salted water. A pinch of baking soda tends to reduce the baba or slime.

The rinsed, cooled strips are then seasoned with fresh lime juice, finely diced onion, diced tomato, fresh chiles (I use chile perón or serrano), cilantro, and salt to taste.

 

This sure sounds like that salad both Sneakeater and I have enjoyed at Atla.

[Suzanne F]

I'm glad you brought up the slime. I shy away from nopales because of it, even though I don't mind it in okra. Is that the only way to eliminate it?

[voyager]

I'm glad you brought up the slime. I shy away from nopales because of it, even though I don't mind it in okra. Is that the only way to eliminate it?

 

The reason I chose to grill the paddles, and will continue to do so, is to avoid the slime and for the resulting tender but (yes, Suzanne, your word) "toothsome" product. FWIW, I also grill okra for the same reason.

[small h]

You can also bake the cactus strips. It takes a while, but the slime does dry out of them, eventually. I wish I could get someone to de-spine them for me. I always manage to stab myself at least once.

[Suzanne F]

My C-Town frequently has them, already despined. (One of the few vegetables I have to get at the supermarket instead of Greenmarket) I guess I should give them another try. You say grill pan worked okay, voyager? I like that idea.

[voyager]

Just finished a batch. Salt, pepper, EVOO, then into hot grillpan. Fan on, but i noticed no smoke or odor. I do like the grilled taste this adds.

 

I notice that Pati Zinich sautes the cubed paddles until they are "dry". Same effect I would think.

 

Finished salad: nopales, early girl tomatoes, white onion, garlic, jalapeno, cilantro, lime juice, fresh white cheese. I didn't add oil since the paddles were grilled with a coating of EVOO. This is REALLY nice.

 

[rancho_gordo]

re slime, tomatillo skins with the boiling paddles and cooking in copper both help.

 

http://www.ranchogordoblog.com/2009/07/fun-with-nopales.html

[rancho_gordo]

In case you find some in the wild (which isn't so hard to do), here's how i clean them.

[Suzanne F]

Thanks for the tips!