Ensalada de Nopales
4 cups diced nopales (Note: you can also just cut into strips)
2 tablespoons olive oil
salt, to taste
3 tomatoes, diced, or green onions, chopped
1 – 3 serrano chiles, chopped
¼ cup cilantro, chopped
1 – 2 freshly squeezed limes, to taste
Clean the cactus paddles by trimming the edges and scraping off the spines. Cut into dice or strips.
Toss the cactus with 1 tablespoon of the oil, sprinkle with salt. Place the cactus on a baking sheet and into a 350 degree oven until it is tender, about 15-20 minutes. Or, you can sauté the cactus in a skillet until tender.
Mix all the remaining ingredients in a bowl, adding the cactus and the remaining tablespoon of olive oil. Taste and adjust the seasoning.
(reprinted with permission from Lisa Gahafer)