[CH] Nopales
Littlewood (small@aye.net)
Wed, 28 Oct 1998 13:42:48 -0500
Resending this in plain text, and to the correct address this time (my
apologies to MBower!). .....just to add my 2 cents of info.
***Eric: Nopal.....if I'm not mistaken..... is from the oval pads of
what we call 'prickly pear' cactus in the States. Singe off the spines,
peel, medium dice and cook/simmer in lightly salted water until tender
and still quite green. Has a bit of a gelatinous (no, not quite slimy)
texture. Home based vendors were selling this out of buckets,
campsite to campsite on the beach in Guayabitos (below Tepic and
above PVallarta). $1 or $2 bought the entire bucketful. A delicacy
....delicious scooped-up with those coarse, fried tortilla shells you
only seem to be able to find in Mexico. Washed it down with a
pacha/shot of some kind of cactus liquor in a plastic milk jug we'd
purchased while driving thru the town of Tequila. A small chunk of
cactus left in the jug to show origin. About $2.50/gallon and
deliciously potent. I love Mexico.
I've seen 'nopalitos' in strips, in glass jars at the local grocery.
Have never tried them though... couldn't be as good.
El Yucateco makes a habanero _paste_ too.
***Also...for an authentic restaurant in Louisville, you might try 'The
Mayan Gypsy'. I hear it is great, but haven't been there yet. The
owner/chef used to sell his wares out of a lunch wagon and was finally
able to realize his dream of his own restaurant. Will have to go there
alone as my friends/family aren't into heat....poor souls.
Jeannine Smallwood
Underwood, IN USA