Cooking Cactus

[patricimo54]

Last May I posted "Nopalitos" and showed the proper way to prepare them for cooking. Tonight I cooked up a batch and I thought I'd share it with y'all.



After scraping the small thorns and trimming the outer edge I gave them a quick rinse and cut them into strips and placed them into a pot to boil them in salted water.



They are ready to to be removed from the pot and rinsed when they change colors.



After rinsing I added them to a hot oiled skillet of onions, jalapenos, and sliced tomatoes and gave the mess a little stir fry.



Once they were done I loaded up a warm tortilla and ate them along with my bowl of beans.

[cam]

Oh nice! Would be good addition to some fajitas, ya think? I've only ate the fruits off the cactus.

Cam

[patricimo54]

May 3, 2010 21:46:41 GMT -5 cam said:

Would be good addition to some fajitas, ya think?

Cam

You could use them with fajitas for sure. One of my favorite ways to eat them is with is fried in lard with beans, chili's, onion and eggs rolled up in a tortilla.

[Admin]

You always have some great looking eats going on. If I'm ever in Texas I'll know where to stop.

[dennis78]

Looks good. When I lived in phoenix they always had them at the store. I always wanted to try them but didn't know how.

[maritimer]

May 4, 2010 6:10:20 GMT -5 Admin said:

You always have some great looking eats going on. If I'm ever in Texas I'll know where to stop.

They look good pat

[trapperandhunter]

looks good ! ;D

[patricimo54]

May 4, 2010 6:10:20 GMT -5 Admin said:

You always have some great looking eats going on. If I'm ever in Texas I'll know where to stop.

Come on down and I'll fill your gut with some of the tastiest groceries you have ever encountered. If I can't cook what you want I'll know where to get it. ;D
How does armadillo and dumplings sound to you? Pressure cooked rattlesnake or deep fried Gar balls?

[Admin]

How does armadillo and dumplings sound to you? Pressure cooked rattlesnake or deep fried Gar balls?

Is that armadillo on the halfshell?

[patricimo54]

The cactus eating is more of a Mexican than Texican thing. The Mexican that turned me on to it is a fellow that I have work with going on 25 years. He brought me a taco (anything rolled up in a tortilla is a taco) this morning for breakfast.



As you can see by the pic. that the nopalitos are dominant. There is just enough onion, chili, tomato and egg to enhance the flavor of the cactus. All of this was cooked in lard and placed on a home made tortilla, and let me say it was great. I am very health concise when it comes to cooking almost all things, but when it comes to cactus, cooking it with lard really makes a difference. ;D

[acewoodsman]

i lived in texas for a few yrs but i never did get the chance to try those they look pretty good ;D

[Admin]

Interseting stuiff Pat. I find it interesting to hear what folks eat in different parts of the country, especially Cam's Gizzard plate.

[maritimer]

May 19, 2010 13:56:55 GMT -5 Admin said:

Interseting stuiff Pat. I find it interesting to hear what folks eat in different parts of the country, especially Cam's Gizzard plate.

[trapperandhunter]

lol ! ;D