Ingredients
Nopales
Other Names: Cactus leaves, cactus paddles, nopalitos.
General Description: Nopales (Nopalea cochenillifera) are the edible thick, green fleshy branches of the prickly pear cactus. The nopal’s pads, or “paddles,” are flat, hand-size vegetables, either green or purple, covered with spines that must be removed before eating. Long popular in Mexico, the fleshy oval pads are gaining popularity in the U.S. They contain a mucilaginous liquid that is cooked out in most recipes. Nopales have a slightly tart green bean-like flavor and chewy texture. Wild nopale plants have more spines than cultivated nopales. Almost all those sold commercially have the spines already removed. In many cases, the pads have also been cut up into small squares or strips called nopalitos.
Season: Though fresh nopales are available year-round in Mexican markets and some supermarkets, they’re at their most tender and juicy in the spring.
Purchase: Buy small, firm, pale green nopales with a glossy sheen.
Avoid: When the leaves have grown thick and lost their sheen the nopales will be pithy inside. Avoid wrinkled nopales.
Storage: Refrigerate for 1 week lightly wrapped in plastic.
Preparation:
- Use a vegetable peeler or brush to remove the skin, which will remove any protruding nodes—the beginnings of new spines.
- Trim any rough edges with a paring knife or vegetable peeler.
- Pat with paper towels if desired to remove sticky secretions.
Serving Suggestions: Add grilled or boiled nopalitos to salad or cut into small dice and add to salsa. Sauté nopalitos with scrambled eggs and diced onion, chiles, and tomato for a traditional Mexican Lenten breakfast. Marinate cooked nopalitos with carrots, jalapeños, and onions escabeche-style for a Latin American pickled side dish. Cut nopales into strips, batter, and fry like French fries.
Flavor Affinities: Chiles, cilantro, corn, eggs, lemon, lime, onions, sweet bell peppers, tomato, tortillas, tropical fruits.
from Quirk Books: www.quirkbooks.com
