Source Report # 4

" Something Delicious Beneath the Prickles"

http://www.gourmetsleuth.com/nopalitos.htm viewed on 9/30/08

For this source report I thought I may as well see if I could find yet another article about Nopales cactus. Not only did I find more information about this cactus, I found information on how to clean them. It seems this particular cactus is also called a Prickly Pear cactus. And I found out the thick oval shapes are called paddles. The plant is the genus Opuntia from the Cactaceae family. Nopal means cactus in the Spanish language and Nopales is the term for "cactus stem". The word Nopalitos is the term the pads are called once they are cut up and then prepared for eating. Two food crops come from the prickly pear cactus, the "nopalitos" which I already have mentioned and the prickly "pear" or fruit of the cactus. This type of cactus has been noted to have been grown and eaten in Central Mexico since before the Spanish arrived. Spanish explorers carried the plant to Spain and from Spain it spread to North Africa and then as well to certain parts of the United States. It is also located in the Mediterranean area. To select your cactus: wearing gloves, select pads that are eight inches long or 20 cm., but not any longer. To prepare the pads remove the thorns and the "eyes" with a vegetable peeler or small paring knife. Wash the pads well with cool water and peel with a paring knife or there are special tools you can purchase. Trim off any blemished or discolored areas. Slice the now cleaned pads in strips ( slices), pieces, or you can leave them whole. Most people serve the cactus grilled or boiled. Some people dice the cactus up and put it in bean and rice dishes. There is more information about how the cactus is grown and harvested, but I will save that for my paper. I suggest you visit the website and get all the facts as they have written it. Plus, there are some really good recipes to try and more interesting facts. Mustang Sally