Monday, August 19, 2013

Nopales (Cactus Paddles) Three Ways: Pickled, In Cheesy Quesadillas, & In Spicy Salsa Verde

Use one fruit or vegetable in three different ways - that's the theme of this month's Creative Cooking Crew challenge, hosted as always by the lovely Joan of Foodalogue and Lazaro of Lazaro Cooks.

This is both a deliciously intriguing and a perplexingly open-ended challenge. Any fruit. Any vegetable. Any three ways. To narrow down the endless choices, I decided I'd make three things that would form a part of one dish. The trick would be to manipulate one ingredient into three components with different, yet complementary, tastes and textures.

So I chose something both versatile, and, I hope, a bit unique (at least in my neck of the woods). Nopales, or cactus paddles:
I have always loved the varied flavor profiles of Mexican cuisine, but since my visit to Mexico City, it's become one of my absolute favorite cuisines in the world, and I love trying my hand at Mexican dishes whenever I can. Nopales are a common ingredient there and easily found, and I'm lucky that my local Mexican grocery carries them - with the thorns already removed! They taste a bit like a cross between  green beans and asparagus, with a bit of a lemon-y overtone.

I decided I'd make a salsa verde, pickled nopales, and nopales quesadillas with habenero jack and queso fresco. As I made my quesadillas very cheesy they are actually more Tex Mex than authentically Mexican. But very good nonetheless!
Like okra, nopales have a bit of a slime issue. There are different ways to deal with that, and I used a different method with each of my dish's components.

For the pickled nopales, I cut one cactus paddle into strips and covered it in salt for about an hour  to draw out the slime. For the salsa verde, I roasted the paddles whole, and for the quesadillas I boiled chopped nopales and then rinsed them several times. The boiling method worked best at eradicating slime, but none of the dishes were what I would consider off-puttingly slimy.

Look Ma, no slime!
For the pickled nopales (do this step first): Salt and rinse a cactus paddle as described above. Chop and place in a heatproof glass container along with 1/2 chopped red onion and one habanero pepper that's been cut in half.  Add a pinch of salt. Heat 1/2 cup red wine vinegar and 2 tablespoons sugar and pour over the cactus and onions. Let sit at room temperature for several hours.

For the salsa verde: Over the flame of your gas stove, roast one Poblano pepper, one jalapeno, and one Serrano pepper until black. Meanwhile, in the oven at 400 F, roast 5 tomatillos, 1/2 white onion, and 2 salted cactus paddles until the tomatillos split. Peel the blackened peppers, give everything a rough chop and  and whizz it all together to a chunky texture with an immersion blender, along with a handful of cilantro, a squeeze of lime, and salt to taste. Refrigerate.

For the quesadillas, boil chopped nopales and rinse. On a corn tortilla layer refried beans, shredded habanero jack cheese and the nopales. Top with a corn tortilla and fry on a hot skillet until the cheese melts. Garnish with queso fresco, salsa verde, and pickled nopales.

And then enjoy the spicy goodness.


Want to see  the amazing creations the other Crew members have come with? Make sure to visit Lazaro's round up on August 29. But don't worry, I will remind you if you forget!





19 comments:

  1. Very cool ingredient choice. I have seen them in Mexican stores alas not in Montreal. I have had the occasional dish with them in restaurants. So happy you went with a fun challenge and love ll the recipes.

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  2. I love how you never take the easy way out on these fun challenges. I see nopales in the supermarkets here from time to time. No slime issues as they always look so dried out and unappealing...as if they have sat there for too long...because nobody knows what to do with them. Not so Trix. Three great ideas, alone or together!

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  3. I never thought that something made out of cactus would make we want to lick the screen. There may be a slight drool streak on the screen now... I am not confirming or denying.

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  4. These grow all over the hills of LA. I have foraged for them many times. I always make a salsa. Thanks for some new inspiration. GREG

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  5. I'm so jealous right now, I haven't eaten fresh nopales in a very long time. You did an amazing job, Trixie. My mama would be proud of you.:)

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  6. We have cacti here but they don't use them for eating except the pears. I'd love to try something like this though if I can figure out if the ones here are edible.

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  7. I'm jealous! (minus the slime!) I never would have thought of using nopales, let alone creating three separate, distinct recipes. Bravo!

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  8. I just decided what I'm doing so very impressed you are already posted. I've never tackled nopales. Love the way they taste though –– when someone else does the work!

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  9. Wow this is a new one on me didn't even know these paddles were edible! I am very curious on what they do taste like. Never the less you did a marvelous job with this dish! As always! ... hope all is well..

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  10. What a meal! I've had cactus before, but not this particular kind...I'd love to try it and I love what you made with it!

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  11. What a beautiful article. I have never cooked with nor eaten Nopales, so this is fascinating to me. Thanks for the enlightenment!

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  12. Mexican cuisine is one of my favorites too. Really awesome choice of ingredient. I love how all three of your preparations come together. I want a quesadilla with everything on top!

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  13. Out of the box ingredient choice. Executed to perfection. You are an absolute star!

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  14. Congratulations on picking a really unique item -- and executing it so well.

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  15. I never tried cooking with Nopales, but now, after reading this post I think I will. The pickling would be great for the next challenge. I Really enjoyed this post.

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  16. I always see nopales but never know what I should do with them - I will have to try this! Looks like such a delicious dish!

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  17. This is food out of my comfort zone and I enjoyed reading the process about something I know little about. Thank you for submitting such a lovely dish with good information on nopales.

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  18. i don't think i've ever tried reading cactus paddles, but now I want to make this meal :)

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  19. I like your way of using nopales, although, in my experience, the "slime" is not an issue. We just have learned to see it as part of the nopales experience.

    Saludos,
    Don Cuevas

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