Cactus, Chayote, and Green-Apple Salad

Name: Cactus, Chayote, and Green-Apple Salad
Prep time: 1 d 1 h
Cook time: 1 d 1 h
Total time: 1 d 1 h
Yield: 6
Cuisine: Global
Ingredients: 0 teaspoons black pepper; 0 teaspoons Rounded cayenne; 2 chayotes (1 pound total), peeled, halved lengthwise, and seeds discarded, then cut into 1/4-inch-thick sticks (3 to 4 inches long); 1 Granny Smith apple, left unpeeled, halved, cored, and thinly sliced lengthwise; 3 Tbsps fresh lime juice; 4 navel oranges; 454 grams fresh nopales (prickly pear cactus paddles; about 5; see cooks note, below); 5 Tbsps olive oil; 79 milliliters raw (green) hulled pumpkin seeds; 0 teaspoons salt; 2 scallions, trimmed and thinly sliced

Cactus, Chayote, and Green-Apple Salad might be just the side dish you are searching for. One portion of this dish contains roughly 3g of protein, 14g of fat, and a total of 208 calories. This gluten free, dairy free, and whole 30 recipe serves 6. Head to the store and pick up scallions, rounded cayenne, olive oil, and a few other things to make it today. From preparation to the plate, this recipe takes approximately 25 hours.

Instructions

Put 1 cactus paddle, flat side down, on a work surface. Scrape horizontally from narrow base of paddle toward wider end with a vegetable peeler or knife to cut off thorns and brown spots. Dethorn paddle on other side in same manner, then trim all around edge. Repeat with remaining paddles, then cut paddles crosswise into 1/4-inch-thick slices.

Ingredients you will need

Vegetable

Base

Equipment you will use

Peeler

Knife

Blanch cactus in a 6- to 8-quart pot of boiling salted water until just softened, about 1 minute. Immediately transfer with a slotted spoon to a bowl of ice and cold water to stop cooking.

Ingredients you will need

Water

Ice

Equipment you will use

Slotted Spoon

Bowl

Pot

Drain in a colander and rinse under cold water. Pat dry, then transfer to a large bowl along with chayotes, apple, and scallions.

Ingredients you will need

Green Onions

Chayote

Apple

Water

Equipment you will use

Colander

Bowl

Cut peel and all white pith from 3 oranges with a sharp knife. Working over bowl containing cactus mixture, cut segments free from membranes, letting segments fall into bowl. Squeeze juice from membranes and remaining orange into bowl, then add lime juice, salt, and pepper and toss.

Ingredients you will need

Lime Juice

Orange

Pepper

Juice

Salt

Equipment you will use

Knife

Bowl

Let stand until chayotes are wilted, about 30 minutes.

Ingredients you will need

Chayote

While salad stands, toast pumpkin seeds in 2 tablespoons oil in a 10-inch heavy skillet over moderately low heat, stirring frequently, until puffed and pale golden, 3 to 4 minutes.

Ingredients you will need

Pumpkin Seeds

Toast

Cooking Oil

Equipment you will use

Frying Pan

Remove from heat and stir in cayenne. Cool seeds in oil in skillet.

Ingredients you will need

Ground Cayenne Pepper

Seeds

Cooking Oil

Equipment you will use

Frying Pan

Drain salad in a colander set over a bowl, then transfer juice to a 1-quart saucepan and boil until syrupy and reduced to about 1/3 cup, 4 to 5 minutes.

Ingredients you will need

Juice

Equipment you will use

Colander

Sauce Pan

Bowl

Remove from heat and whisk in remaining 3 tablespoons oil. Return salad to bowl and toss with dressing, pumpkin seeds with oil from skillet, and salt to taste.

Ingredients you will need

Pumpkin Seeds

Salt

Cooking Oil

Equipment you will use

Frying Pan

Whisk