Cactus (aka "nopales" in Latin America)

[Susannah]

Anyone know what type of cactus and what type of leaf one needs to make nopales? Living in Italy I find many cacti (especially Sicily) yet have never seen it as a side-dish in any regional cuisine. Cooking instructions would also be useful! Thanks!

[antonio]

Hi Susannah, I ate nopales in Mexico and I think this kind of cactus doesn't exist in Italy. Or if it exists I think it's different from the Mexican one. Also the characteristical cactus of Southern Italy, the so called "fico d'India", although it had been imported in Europe from America, nowadays it's very different from his "american progenitor". The fruits of italian cactus are more little and sweet than the american ones, in Mexico called "tunas".
About "nopales" I've seen in Mexico how they cook them. The more difficult things I think is cut off thorns from the leaf, even if nopales' thorns are different from italian "fico d'india"'s ones. They are bigger and there isn't the problem that they can fly and prick you everywhere. The woman I saw cleaning it didn't either use gloves.
After the cleaning this woman cut the leaf in smaller pieces and then put them boiling in a pot of water, for about half an hour. Nothing more. After we ate them like a salad, with some salt (but not olive oil, because in Mexico they haven't)....
That's all, if you find, invite me...;)

[Marco]

Hi everybody.
I stopped when I read the post since I never heard about nopales. Now, thanks to you, I know that also cactus are eatable.
However here is a quick demonstration I found on the web:
www.compulsivetraveler.tv/videos/644-Cooking-with-Zarela-Thorny-iss...

ciao

[Susannah]

Thanks! This video is great as it is true "show and tell". I remember at ranch round-ups that the cowboys just threw the leaves doused in oil on the barbeque grill as mentioned in the video.

You guys have inspired me to research more this morning and I found: http://www.motherearthnews.com/Real-Food/1984-05-01/Cactus-Its-Edib...
(not sure how to get link to be clickable...)

In it it says that even the fico d'India varietal should be good. The thing is to find young leaves (would be great to know the dimensions of a young leaf). I will be in Tuscany next weekend and will try...

How about we enter into this year's cous cous contest in Sicily doing a "native" version with cactus and fish?

[Susannah]

Ciao Antonio,
In English they don't call them "Prickly-pears" no nothing!

I had forgotten about the "tunas" (growing-up partially on a ranch in California I was often given food to try from the Mexican wives of the ranchhands and thought they were talking about fish for years). I like nopales in one of the traditional ways which is mixed with scrambled eggs- a sort of omelette eaten with tortillas.

[Francesca Ambrosini]

What do you mean "in English they don't call them "Prickly-pears"? I have heard cacti fruit termed "prickly pears" on many occassions. Maybe I don't know English? After all I'm from New York :-p

[Susannah]

I am a bit frazzled writing in too many languages... sorry what I meant to type was "they don't call them prickley-pears for nothing"

[antonio]

Ciao Susannah,
sorry if I didn't answer, but I've been around for Easter holidays.
In the beginning I thought for a long "tunas" were fishes, like "tonni" in Italian; I discovered what they were when I bought some at the market... But I think Italian ones are better, surely sweeter.
I've some friends from Marsala, so I know about their home made couscous. I had to make a doc about this, but at the end I didn't... Perhaps I will... Anyway your idea about the couscous contest is great. The only things is to make sure that "fico d'india"'s leaves are eatable.;)

Hi Francesca,
I don't know if you ever tried something super-good: the "fichi d'india" 's "granita" (I guess you know what is granita...)
About picking up "fichi d'india" in Calabria we use to tie a can at a stick...;) this is the fatser way to pick up them without the right stuff...

[Francesca Ambrosini]

Hello Susannah,

I think Nopales are typical of Mexican landscape. As far as know only the leave pads (tender part) are used. In Sicily we like the fruit. They are called "Fichi d'India". Can not begin to tell you the funny stories spending my summers growing up in Italy. When my Sicilian side of the family would set foot on Italian boot no "fichi d'India" would be left in sight. I think they even had gloves ready in back of car... :-p
I live in the States. We get cactus fruit here but it never tastes like the Italian fruit!

http://www.mexgrocer.co.uk/spanish/Del-Sol-Nopalitos-Nopales-Cactus...

[Francesca Ambrosini]

I found this recipe. Sounds like Susannah tried something special made by the Ranch workers wives! Thanks for sharing.

http://www.univision.com/content/content.jhtml?cid=546879

[Susannah]

Just have to wait until June to get the good, fresh young leaves... Will definitely try; thanks Francesca!

[Francesca Ambrosini]

Thanks for the reply Susannah. Keep us posted!