Nopales, No Problem

If you've ever driven in the Southwest--or even seen the movie Rango--you know how unnerving the prickly spines of nopales  (noh-pah-lehs) , or cactus leaves, look.

But did you know they make a great addition to any cook's vegetable recipe arsenal? I'm going to guess, though, that most people pass them by in the produce aisle because their appearance.

Besides, how many of us have any idea how to prepare, cactus? Nopales are sometimes called cactus pads, or paddles. The plant from which these flipper-like paddles come, the nopal cactus, also bears .

Nopales can be eaten raw or cooked. One shopper at Tony's Finer Foods told me boiling was her preferred method, while another said I could grill or pan-fry them. When cooked, the leaves have a texture similar to a beefy pea pod, and a taste reminiscent of raw green beans with a little tanginess at the end.

Akin to okra, nopales gives off a gel-like substance. Okay, honestly, it can be slimy. Not appetizing? Don't let that stop you from trying it. My last acquaintance at the grocery mentioned that she cooks nopales with chicken or adds it to her chili.

Taking the cactus leaves home, one starts to wonder how to clean them. In the end, they were only a minor pain to clean (no pun intended). Typically, preparation requires a vegetable peeler and a paring knife. Similar to scaling a fish, use your knife to scrape off the spines, and the peeler to cut out the buds. A trick I learned from one of the elderly customers was to use a new scouring pad (non-wire kitchen sponge). Make sure you wear gloves and under running water, scrub the nopales. Amazingly, the spines and most buds came off without much effort. After the leaves are clean, use your paring knife and trim off the edges and stem end. At this stage, they're ready to eat raw, cut into strips or cube, or you can cook the leaves.

I was inspired by a very helpful customer whose eyes lit up when she told me she likes "Nopales Ensalada." Unfortunately, a language barrier prevented us from exchanging recipes, but something told me that she probably makes it often for her family. Here is a take on my own black bean salad, adding roasted tomatillos and red pepper.

Nopales Salad

• 1 Red pepper, roasted and cooled
• 2 Small to medium tomatillos, roasted and cooled
• 1-15 oz. Can black beans, rinsed and drained
• 1 lb. Nopales, cleaned and trimmed
• 2 Medium tomatoes, seeded and chopped
• 1 Small white onion, finely chopped
• 1/2 Bunch of cilantro, chopped
• 2 Tbsp. apple cider vinegar
• Juice from one lime
• 1 Tsp. salt
• Pepper to taste
• 1 Tsp. ground cumin (optional)
• Queso fresco for garnish

Note: I charred the red pepper and tomatillos in a dry cast-iron skillet, then roasted in a 350 degree oven for 20 minutes. While the pepper and tomatillos cool, heat a dry cast-iron skillet over high flame and add the nopales. The nopales will start to char within a few minutes, continue to "dry cook" for five minutes on each side. Remove from pan and let cool. The leaves will be cooked, tender, but will still retain a crunch, like blanching. Once they are cool enough to handle, cut into cubes.

Combine pepper, tomatillos, beans, nopales, tomatoes, onion and cilantro in large bowl. Add vinegar and lime juice, mix well. Taste the salad, add salt and pepper to adjust flavor (Optional: add cumin at this time). Mix well, and refrigerate to let flavors combine. Before serving, crumble a few tablespoons of queso fresco (mild Mexican cheese) over the salad. Serve cold or at room temperature.