
Who needs Viagra when you've got this prickly pair?
Mexicans have been eating the potent prickly pear cactus, or nopal, for hundreds of years. And just look at the Aztecs. Talk about testosterone. Now they had a pair to spare.
Nopales is the stem or paddle of the cactus, and nopalitos are the pads that are cut up and ready to eat. So technically this should be called Nopalitos Cactus Salad. But I think my pal, Nopal, with his prickly pair, would find that diminutive emasculating. So I'm going with the more virile Nopales Cactus Salad. Who wants a cutesy cactus when you could have cahones, comprende?
1 pound cleaned cactus paddles, diced (to clean them yourself, watch video)
½ cup radishes, diced
½ cup tomatoes, diced or cherry tomatoes, halved or quartered
¼ cup red onion, diced (about ½ an onion)
¼ cup packed cilantro, chopped
2 TBSP olive oil
3 tsp lime juice
1 tsp dried Mexican oregano, crushed (available at Latin markets)
Salt and pepper to taste
Serve with crumbled cotija or feta cheese
Blanch diced cactus in boiling water for 5 to 7 minutes or until tender. Drain and rinse well. Let cool, and combine with the remaining ingredients in a serving bowl. Chill several hours until the flavors have blended. Serve cold or room temperature with warm corn tortillas.
Related Links:
Travel Bite: Street Snacks, Mexico City
Travel Bite: Market Day, Chiapas, Mexico
Travel Bite: Xochimilco Snack Vendor
Oh Adair- thanks for the LOL so early in the morning re: slime and politicians.
ReplyDeleteSo funny! I do think i would feel like badass if i said i ate cactus. I hope your next recipe has some L-M-N-O-P. :)
ReplyDeleteFunny, I just made almost this exact salad – my first experience with nopales. I didn't put it on my blog, and now I'm glad, because I couldn't have written anything as good as this!
ReplyDeleteYou're so funny I'd even read your blog if there weren't any recipes. But I'm glad there are!
ReplyDeleteI was hoping it was going to be you in the video. Instead it was some guy with cahones. GREG
ReplyDeleteI love your photographs! And the salad looks great, too. Cilantro and lime juice...count me in!
ReplyDeleteI love nopales, sans the thorns of course. Now I need to try this salad! Farmer's markets have been carrying nopales, along with purslane, a Bijouxs favorite. PS Thank you for including the video.
ReplyDeleteVery entertaining Adair - have to admit I have tried to love "nopales" but I just can't do it - guess that's also why I have an aversion to slimy politicians as well!!!
ReplyDeleteI love nopales but have only eaten them at restaurants because I didn't really know what to do with them. Maybe now I'll be ballsy enough to buy some. ;-)
ReplyDeleteThis is so original. I never would have thought that cacti are edible.
ReplyDeleteNow, where will I find these in Holland..? :)
Thanks for the kind words, everyone!
ReplyDeleteNopales - are on my list of ingredients to feature. You beat me to it. Waiting til I scavenge for them out in the wild like I did with my mom as a kid. I remember removing the thorny espinas with a pair of pliers.
ReplyDeleteNext, you're gonna tell me to eat dandelion weeds or something. Oh wait... I hear people do that already.
ReplyDeleteI'll keep this in mind the next time I'm lost in the desert. :-)
[K]
Wow! Impressive, Adair! I'd love to try this (sans cilantro, though) ;)
ReplyDelete