Ensalada de Nopalitos
Excerpted from Asada: The Art of Mexican Style Grilling by Bricia Lopez and Javier Cabral. Copyright © 2023 by Bricia Lopez and Javier Cabral. Photos copyright © 2023 by Quentin Bacon. Published by Abrams.
A carne asada is a very salad-friendly affair. All the piles of grilled meat beg for some crisp vegetables to eat them with. If you are only going to offer one salad, this is the one to make. Instead of boiling or grilling nopales, they are cured in salt, which maintains the limelike tartness that these cacti offer and their vibrant green color as well.
This recipe, and others like it, can be found in the article “3 Colorful, Vegetarian Mexican Side Dishes Perfect for Your Next Cookout.”
How to Make It
1
Slice the nopales into 1⁄2-inch squares; you should have about 4 cups. In a bowl, toss the nopales with 2 tbsp. of the salt. Allow them to rest until the nopales have softened and released all their slime, about 30 minutes. Rinse well under cold water.
2
Heat the olive oil in a large pan over medium heat. When hot, add the garlic, chiles, 2 cups of the cured nopales, the oregano, cumin, pepper, and remaining 1 tsp. salt. Cook and stir well for 5 minutes. Add the vinegar, stir for 1 more minute, and remove from the heat.
3
Toss in the remaining 2 cups cured nopales and serve in a large bowl.
Ingredients
8 cactus paddles (nopalitos), about 1.75 lbs.; purchase ones with thorns already removed
2 tbsp plus 1 tsp. sea salt
1 tbsp olive oil
1 clove garlic, minced
1 guajillo chile, stems and seeds removed, cut into thin rings
1 chile de árbol, stems and seeds removed
1 ½ tsp dried Mexican oregano
1 dash ground cumin
freshly ground black pepper
1 tsp pineapple vinegar (can substitute citrus vinegar)
Directions
1
Slice the nopales into 1⁄2-inch squares; you should have about 4 cups. In a bowl, toss the nopales with 2 tbsp. of the salt. Allow them to rest until the nopales have softened and released all their slime, about 30 minutes. Rinse well under cold water.
2
Heat the olive oil in a large pan over medium heat. When hot, add the garlic, chiles, 2 cups of the cured nopales, the oregano, cumin, pepper, and remaining 1 tsp. salt. Cook and stir well for 5 minutes. Add the vinegar, stir for 1 more minute, and remove from the heat.
3
Toss in the remaining 2 cups cured nopales and serve in a large bowl.
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