We have some prickly pear cactus growing in a pot out back. It is prickly and grows quickly. I can remember my father-in-law telling me that in south Texas it would get very dry. So dry that their cows didn't have much to eat on. Cattlemen would get propane blow torches and burn the spines off of the cactus. Once they were burned and the cactus pads were blistered, the cows would devour them. They had a food/water source all around them, they just needed a little help!
We have the cactus around us. We'll kind of use the same idea to make a dish called Nopalitos. The cactus in our back yard pots put on fresh new pads that are green and tender. Tricia harvests a bunch (about 3 pounds) off the cactus and brings them inside.
Very carefully, she slices the edges off the nopales.
Then, even more carefully, she scrapes the spines off the pads with a sharp knife. You want to get them all off!
Then, the cactus are diced into cubes. They are easy to cut, believe it or not.
Nopalitos
3 lbs. nopales, cleaned and dried
1 tsp salt
Saute for 1-2 minutes, then put the lid on the pot. Cook with the lid on for 20 minutes until the liquid evaporates.
Cactus, when cooking ooze out a slime similar to okra when it cooks. This goes away as you saute.
After 20 minutes, add 2 cloves minced garlic, 1/2 cup onion, 2 ounces chilis, 2 cups whole kernel corn and cook for 3-4 minutes. After that is done squeeze 1 tablespoon lime juice, put the lid on and cook for 3-4 minutes. Then, you are ready to eat.
If you have any leftovers (big if), this is great in quesadillas. Enjoy!
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