Ensalada De Nopales Food

ENSALADA DE NOPALES, CACTUS SALAD

Ensalada de Nopales, Cactus Salad image

This is an easy, healthy salad that hinges on the young paddles of the prickly pear cactus. If you don't gather them yourself, you can buy them already de-spined, and sometimes already diced, in Latin Markets. One note on this salad: Eat it straight away. It will get a bit slimy if you leave it for a day or two.

Provided by Hank Shaw

Categories Salad

Time 1h

Number Of Ingredients 11

Ingredients

4 nopales paddles, despined
Fine grain salt
4 plum tomatoes, seeded and diced
1/2 white onion, chopped
1/4 cup lime juice
2 serrano or jalapeno chiles, seeded and minced
1 teaspoon Mexican oregano ((regular oregano is fine))
1 tablespoon olive oil
1/4 cup chopped cilantro
1/2 cup crumbled cotija or feta cheese
1 avocado, diced ((optional))

Steps:

Dice the nopales and toss with salt. You want all the cut sides of the nopales to have salt on them. Put them in a colander in the sink and let this drain for 1 hour. When the time has elapsed, rinse the nopales under cold water until they are no longer slimy, which should take maybe 3 to 5 minutes. Pat dry with a kitchen towel put into a large bowl.
While the nopales are sitting in the colander, mix the diced onion with a little salt and the lime juice and let them pickle a bit. This takes the harsh edge off the raw onion. If you want, you can add the minced chiles to the lime juice, too.
When you're ready, mix all the ingredients together and serve.

Nutrition Facts : Calories 184 kcal, Carbohydrate 11 g, Protein 5 g, Fat 15 g, SaturatedFat 4 g, Cholesterol 17 mg, Sodium 218 mg, Fiber 5 g, Sugar 4 g, ServingSize 1 serving

ENSALADA DE NOPALES (CACTUS SALAD)

Ensalada De Nopales (Cactus Salad) image

Make this super delicious Ensalada De Nopales drizzled with an easy lime vinaigrette. This nutritious cactus salad is perfect for lunch or as side.

Provided by Ana Frias

Categories Salad Side Dish

Time 30m

Number Of Ingredients 13

Ingredients

2 cups cooked nopales (see instructions here) (diced or cut into strips)
1 cup Tomate (your favorite type) (diced)
1 large Jalapeño o serrano pepper (sliced thinly, optional)
½ cup Red onion (sliced)
1 Avocado
A handful cilantro (chopped)
¼ cup Queso panela, queso fresco or feta cheese (200g) (cubed or crumbled)
3 Tablespoons lime juice (1 large lime)
⅓ cup extra virgin olive oil
½ teaspon dried oregano
½ teaspoon Kosher or sea salt (or more to taste)
¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper (or more to taste)
1 teaspoon agave nectar, honey or maple syrup.

Steps:

In a small bowl or jar whisk together the olive oil, lime juice, agave or honey, dried oregano, salt and pepper.
Set aside.
In a large bowl combine the cactus, tomato, sliced onion, cilantro, queso fresco, and jalapeños if you're using any. Mix to combine all ingredients.
Note: Do not mix in the avocado just yet as it will become all mushy when mixing the salad a few times. Leave it for the last step!
Pour the desired amount of dressing over the salad and mix together.
Add the cubed avocado and gently fold into the salad.

Nutrition Facts : ServingSize 1 serving, Sodium 800 mg, Sugar 10 g, Fiber 9 g, Cholesterol 30 mg, Calories 360 kcal, SaturatedFat 8 g, Fat 23 g, Protein 16 g, Carbohydrate 23 g, UnsaturatedFat 12 g

CACTUS SALAD

Cactus Salad image

Learn to make a classic salad from Mexico's iconic nopal cactus and discover your new favorite veggie. You can use jarred or fresh cactus pieces.

Provided by Robin Grose

Categories Appetizer Salad Side Dish Salad

Time 40m

Yield 4

Number Of Ingredients 11

Ingredients

1 tomato, chopped
1 small white or purple onion, chopped
2 cups of chopped, cooked nopales (from a jar, or see below recipes for instructions for using fresh cactus)
1/4 cup finely chopped cilantro (leaves and stems)
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 tablespoons freshly squeezed Mexican lime juice
1 tablespoon dried oregano
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
Crumbled queso fresco cheese , for garnish
Thinly sliced onion, for garnish
Sliced avocado, for garnish

Steps:

Gather the ingredients.
Pour canned or jarred nopales into a strainer to drain. Rinse under running water until jar liquid is washed off. Leave nopales in long strips or chop into pieces about the same size as the tomato and onions.
In a large glass, ceramic, or stainless steel bowl, toss together tomato, onion, nopales, and cilantro.
Place olive oil, lime juice, oregano, and salt into a small jar with lid on. Shake vigorously until mixture comes together. Pour dressing over salad and toss again, gently but thoroughly.
Cover bowl and refrigerate salad for at least an hour and up to 24 hours for flavors to meld. To serve, garnish with cheese, onion, and avocado.

Nutrition Facts : Calories 371 kcal, Carbohydrate 23 g, Cholesterol 21 mg, Fiber 11 g, Protein 11 g, SaturatedFat 7 g, Sodium 418 mg, Sugar 8 g, Fat 29 g, ServingSize 4 portions (4 servings), UnsaturatedFat 0 g

ENSALADA DE NOPALES Y CAMARONES - CACTUS AND SHRIMP SALAD

Ensalada De Nopales Y Camarones - Cactus and Shrimp Salad image

Cactus is a common and tasty food item in Mexico and parts of SW USA. Cactus, or NOPALES as they are known in Texas and Mexico, can be found fresh and needle free in the produce section. You can even find jars of Nopales or Nopalitos (little (pieces of) Nopales) in the ethnic aisle of your grocery store. If you choose to use those please drain them and rinse them well. Green Beans or chayote can be substituted if cactus is not available. The nutritional info here is not correct as the olive oil is used for coating the items you are grilling and in the dressing. Not all of it is consumed. This recipe is from La Comida Del Barrio (meaning Foods from the neighborhood) Latin American Cooking in the U.S., by Aaron Sanchez (Clarkson Potter, 2003) This dish would be wonderful with any Mexican cerveza (beer) or with a crisp and fruity Sauvignon Blanc.

Provided by Mamas Kitchen Hope

Categories One Dish Meal

Time 25m

Yield 4 serving(s)

Number Of Ingredients 12

Ingredients

3 tomatoes
1/2 medium red onion, diced
1 jalapeno, diced
1/4 cup cilantro, chopped
1 garlic clove, minced
1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil, divided
4 nopales (cactus paddles- about 1 to 1 1/2 cups when made into strips)
salt & freshly ground black pepper, to taste
1/2 lb medium shrimp, peeled and deveined
1/4 cup cider vinegar
splash tequila, I use Herradura reposado (optional)
lettuce leaves or corn tortilla, for serving

Steps:

Seed and dice tomatoes. Chop onion and cilantro. Finely dice the jalapeno and mix all together in a large bowl. Set aside.
In a separate medium sized bowl, combine the garlic and half of the extra virgin olive oil. Brush the nopales with the garlic oil to coat using a basting brush, season both sides with salt and pepper to taste. Reserve the leftover garlic oil.
Place the cactus on a preheated a grill or grill pan over a medium-high flame and cook until limp, about 4 minutes on each side. Remove and allow to cool, then cut the pads into ¼-inch thick strips. Add to the tomato mixture.
Brush the shrimp with the reserved garlic oil and season with salt and pepper. Grill for 3 minutes on each side, until firm and pink and add to the tomato-nopales mixture.
Add the vinegar, tequila and remaining olive oil and toss to coat. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Serve in a lettuce leaf or corn tortilla.

Nutrition Facts : Calories 326.9, Fat 28.2, SaturatedFat 4, Cholesterol 86.4, Sodium 91.1, Carbohydrate 6.2, Fiber 1.4, Sugar 3.2, Protein 12.6