I thought some viewers might enjoy seeing one of the cactus fruit I grow. The seeds are a little to numerous and hard for eating out of hand, but it makes really good jam. The jam color is beautiful. I have other varieties that are good for eating out of hand. The quarter in the photo is for size comparison.
This message was edited Jul 23, 2008 2:20 PM
Do you ever eat the leaves? I understand they are great for stablizing blood sugar in diabetics and for lowering cholesterol. I have heard the jam is delicious.
pajaritomt, The pads of this species is not particularly palitable. We do eat the tender young pads of other opuntia species. Hispanics call the prepared dishes nopalitos. They are on the menu in many Mexican restaurants. Most supermarkets in So. Cal. now stock them in their produce departments.
I am trying to learn to prepare them. So far I blended them up with pineapple and grapefruit juice. Yetch. Got any good recipes?
You can dice the cleaned pads and add them to salads. They add a tang to the salad.
Thanks, bettydee! I will give that a try.
pajaritomy, I don't know where you got the recipe you tried but it sounded like you left out the big dose of tequila. I don't want to take up this threads space with recipes. The pads are eaten both cooked and raw. They don't necessarily have to be peeled if they are young and tender but the clochids and still soft spines have to be removed about like the eyes in a potato. The most similar vegatables I can think of are green beans or okra.
I would suggest you google "nopalito recipes" I am sure you will find lots of good info.
Bon Apetite, or however you spell it.
