Nopal recipes

The nopal can be such an enigmatic ingredient with many benefits.
However, not everyone knows how to use it in the kitchen. Well, this is what we are here for.
Here are three quick and easy nopal recipes that will transport you straight into the heart of Mexico.

Eggs with Nopal Recipe:

• Prep time: 10 minutes

• Cooking time: 35 minutes

• Serves: 4

Ingredients:

• 1 large peeled and cubed potato
• ½ chopped red onion
• 3 tbsp. Virgin olive oil
• ½ sea salt
• 1 serrano chili
• 1 large tomato
• 1 cup of tender cactus nopales
• 6 large eggs
• ¼ teaspoon freshly ground pepper
  
  

Directions:

1. Preheat the oven to 210° C . Place onion and potato on a baking tray and drizzle ½ tbsp olive oil over the veggies and sprinkle salt. Bake for 10 minutes, take the tray out, turn veggies and bake for another 10 minutes.
2. Add ½ tbsp. olive oil to frying pan over high heat and begin to sauté nopales, add ¼ tsp of salt. Continue to sauté for 3 – 5 minutes, then reduce heat to low and leave for 3 – 4 minutes whilst continuing to toss in a frying pan. Set aside.
3. Stem and seed serrano chili and chop alongside tomato.
4. In a bowl whisk eggs with remaining salt and add pepper
5. Heat large skillet over high heat. Add remaining oil and leave for 1 minute. Stir in potato, onion, chili, tomato, and nopales. Cook for 3 – 4 minutes until piping hot. Reduce heat to medium, pour in egg mix, stir often until set (3 minutes approx.) Sprinkle cheese if desired on top, serve and enjoy!

Nopal Taco Recipe:

• Prep time: 5 minutes

• Cooking time: 10-15 minutes

• Serves: 3 Tacos

Ingredients:

• ¾ cup of Tender Cactus Nopales
• 3 corn tortillas
• 1 tbsp of extra virgin olive oil
• ½ medium white onion
• 1 fresh lime
• ½ fresh green chili
• 1 pinch of table salt
• ½ cup fresh coriander chopped
• Guacamole
• Hot sauce

Directions:

1. Heat one tablespoon of olive oil in a skillet set at medium heat. Add onion and cook for 3 minutes until tender and caramelized. Toss in tender cactus nopales and bring heat up for 2 minutes. Sprinkle salt and pepper to taste and continue to mix well. Watch as the color of the nopales changes to a paler green as it begins to release its juices. Cook for 5-7 minutes more. Add green chili and lightly toss around the skillet to cook for 2 minutes. Remove from heat.
2. Begin assembling tacos by heating the tortilla on a pan, 2 minutes on each side. Add your filling to the tortilla, squeeze the lime, add chopped cilantro, guacamole, and hot sauce to taste, close, and enjoy!

Nopal Salsa Recipe:

• Prep time: 15 minutes

• Cooking time: 15 minutes

• Serves: 3 Cups

Ingredients:

• ¾ cup of Nopales
• 2 green tomatoes,
• ½ large white onion, peeled and cut into 4 chunks
• 2 jalapeño chiles
• ½ ripe avocado
• 1 teaspoon extra virgin olive oil
• 1 cup coriander, stems removed
• 1 garlic clove peeled
• Juice from 1/2 a lime, about 1 tablespoon
• 1 teaspoon dried Mexican oregano
• 1 teaspoon salt

Directions:

1. Preheat the oven to 200°C. Place the nopales, onion, and jalapeños on a baking tray and bake vegetables for 10 minutes. The skin of the veggies should be slightly crisp, the more charred the skin, the better.
2. Place the oven-roasted veggies in a food processor, blender, or mortar along with the coriander, garlic, avocado, oregano salt, and lime juice. Blend until smooth for about 30 seconds to 1 minute.
3. Pour salsa into a container and allow to rest for 30 minutes for the flavors to simmer properly. Serve in your favorite dish with tortilla chips and enjoy!