I have always been curious about the odd brightly colored spiky globes that protrude from the cacti in our yard, today was the day I found out what they taste like!
We have several kinds of cactus in our yard. Couldn't tell you what kind they are but this is what they look like......
There are several varieties of cactus pear. The prickly pear
cactus is a fruit AND a vegetable. The green pods are the napolito and the
vegetable part, and the red to purple pears are the fruit, also known as
tuna.
The pears have a
melon-like aroma and a sweet but bland flavor. Popular in Mexico, Central and
South America, the green pods are abundant year around but the pears are
harvested in the later Summer months.
Cactus pear is fantastic raw, peeled and chilled by itself or made into a tasty
salsa. You will find it used for its
medicinal properties, but it can also be used to make
juice, salads, jelly or even in a
margarita!
Selecting and preparing the prickly pears should be done
with care. If you are buying them, make sure they have been de-spined. If you
are picking them yourself, wear thick gloves when handling and carefully scrape
off the prickly spines. You will also need to trim the “eyes,” and remove any
remaining prickers with a vegetable peeler or a sharp knife. Another effective method of removing the thorns and spines is with a blowtorch which may sound extreme, but it is a quick and effective way of getting getting it done!
The fruit is edible raw, with a flavor reminiscent of
watermelon, but with a more granular texture. The fruit is full of tiny seeds
which can be chewed and eaten, swallowed whole, or spit out. It has been used
to make juice, jelly and candy. You can
peel and dice the pear much like a pineapple for cereal or toppings on ice
cream and mixed in salads. Seeds can also be dried and ground into flour.
To cook, steam over boiling water for just a few minutes (if
cooked too long they will lose their crunchy texture). Then slice and eat. Steamed
cactus is delicious added to scrambled eggs and omelets, or diced fresh and added to
tortillas. They taste especially good
with Mexican recipes that include tomatoes, hot peppers and fresh corn.
Now that I know how sweet and delicious they are, I can't wait to experiment and try more recipes. Not only are they tasty but the prickly pears are full of antioxidants and they provide vitamin C, vitamin E, Magnesium and fiber.
