Skip to main content

Technique of Preparing Nopales

Ingredients

Preparation

  1. Step 1

    Lay the nopal paddle on a flat surface. With a sharp knife, trim the base of the paddle.

    Step 2

    Trim around the outside edge of the paddle with the tip of the knife.

    Step 3

    Carefully slice the thorny nods from the trimmed nopal paddle.

    Step 4

    Clean nopal cactus paddle in water.

    Step 5

    Cut the cleaned cactus paddle into 1/2-inch slices, widthwise, or diagonally across the paddle.

Santa Fe School of Cooking: Flavors of the Southwest © 2006 Susan Curtis and Nicole Curtis Ammerman. Reprinted with permission by Gibbs Smith, Publisher. All rights reserved.
Read More
Turn humble onions into this thrifty yet luxe pasta dinner.
This chicken salad nails it—creamy, herby, and endlessly riffable.
Filberts, goobers, scaly bark nuts: Explore the world beyond almonds in this guide.
Like crispy gnocchi caprese and raspberry—brown butter skillet cake.
A flurry of fresh tarragon makes this speedy weeknight dish of seared cod and luscious, sun-colored pan sauce feel restaurant worthy.
The secret to flavorful, never-greasy eggplant parm? Brine the eggplant first.
Like hot honey chicken with peaches and a dirty martini spritz.
No grill needed for this just-charred-enough sweet and spicy chicken.