Relishy Cactus-Paddle Salad

Name: Relishy Cactus-Paddle Salad
Prep time: 1 h
Cook time: 1 h
Total time: 1 h
Yield: 4
Cuisine: Global
Ingredients: 4 servings cactus; 4 servings cider vinegar; 4 servings cilantro; 4 servings jalapenos; 4 servings nopales; 4 servings onion; 4 servings oregano; 4 servings queso fresco; 4 servings radish; 4 servings romaine lettuce; 4 servings Salt; 4 servings tomato; 4 servings vegetable oil

Relishy Cactus-Paddle Salad might be just the side dish you are searching for. One serving contains 206 calories, 4g of protein, and 15g of fat. This recipe covers 20% of your daily requirements of vitamins and minerals. This recipe serves 4. From preparation to the plate, this recipe takes approximately 1 hour. It is a good option if you're following a gluten free diet. If you have onion, salt, jalapenos, and a few other ingredients on hand, you can make it.

Instructions

The cactus: Prepare the fresh cactus according to the Notes below.

Assembling the salad: Shortly before serving, thoroughly rinse and drain the boiled or canned (but not the roasted) cactus, then mix with the tomato, onion and coriander. Blend together the dressing ingredients by thoroughly whisking or by shaking in a tightly closed jar; taste for salt, then pour over the vegetables and toss to combine.

Ingredients you will need

Vegetable

Coriander

Tomato

Onion

Salt

Equipment you will use

Whisk

Garnish and presentation: Line a decorative platter with the lettuce leaves and heap up the cactus salad in the center.

Ingredients you will need

Lettuce Leaf

Sprinkle with cheese, arrange the pickled chiles and radishes over the top and serve. Timing and Advance Preparation

Ingredients you will need

Radish

Cheese

Chili Pepper

With prepared cactus paddles on hand, the salad goes together in 15 minutes or so. It is best when served within a few minutes of being dressed.Traditional Variations

Ingredients you will need

Nopales

A Cactus Salad from Puebla: Prepare the preceding recipe, substituting 5 to 7 ounces of steamed green beans (ends snipped) for of the cactus and 1/3 cup grated mozzarella (they use a string cheese) for the fresh cheese.

Ingredients you will need

String Cheese

Green Beans

Mozzarella

Cheese

Garnish with diced avocado. This salad is frequently made with several teaspoons chopped fresh oregano.Regional Explorations

Ingredients you will need

Fresh Oregano

Avocado

Cactus paddles fixed in one way or another are popular in Central and West-Central Mexico. Salady mixtures of the nepal reach a pinnacle in Toluca, where one is made with a light chile guajillo sauce anti fried onions, one with serrano chiles and carrots, and one with the standard mix of onions, tomatoes, cheese, radish and fresh coriander; the latter usually has no dressing.Cactus Paddles

Ingredients you will need

Fresh Cilantro

Nopales

Serrano Pepper

Fried Onions

Guajillo Pepper

Tomato

Carrot

Cheese

Onion

Radish

Chili Pepper

Sauce

Boiling is the most common method of cooking: For 4 medium paddles, bring 4 quarts water to a boil in a 6- to 8-quart pot, heavily salt it and optionally add teaspoon baking soda (to lessen the discoloration).

Ingredients you will need

Baking Soda

Water

Salt

Equipment you will use

Pot

Add the prepared cactus and boil uncovered over medium-high heat until quite tender, 15 to 20 minutes. (Failing to cook the cactus long enough will leave you with sticky cactus that continues to leak a mucilaginous substancesimilar to what okra exudes, known as baba in Spanish; also, baba will make the water thick and foamy, so watch for boil overs.) Rinse the cooked cactus for several minutes under cold water, then drain thoroughly on paper towels.

Ingredients you will need

Water

Okra

Equipment you will use

Paper Towels

My favorite way to cook cactus (because it involves no haba-leaching water) comes from West-Central Mexico, where whole charcoal-grilled or griddle-cooked cactus paddles sometimes accompany regional specialties: Leave the paddles whole after cleaning, simply scoring each side lengthwise 3 times with a knife.

Ingredients you will need

Nopales

Water

Equipment you will use

Frying Pan

Knife

Brush each side with vegetable oil, then sprinkle with salt and a little lime juice. Roast them over a medium-low charcoal fire (which gives them a wonderful flavor) for 15 minutes, turning occasionally, or roast them on a griddle heated to slightly lower than medium, turning, for about 20 minutes. For the most even cooking, roast them in the oven at 3500 for about 25 minutes. Cool, then cut it into strips or dice.

Ingredients you will need

Vegetable Oil