Whatever you call it, that ubiquitous cactus that is probably hanging out in more back yards than many of us realize, is packed with superfood nutrition. The leaf or “pad” of the nopale is believed to support many aspects of health and well being such as weight loss, blood purification, maintaining blood sugar balance, and more. My personal philosophy is that nature designed the nopale to provide good, somewhat complete nutrition in climates where growing and cultivating food, and finding an abundant water source may be a challenge. In any case, I feel extremely lucky to have two nopale trees in my food garden. They are going crazy right now producing more nopales than we can keep up with. In the spirit of water conservation, food sustainability, and good health, why not explore how many accessible nopales are growing in your world? Here is a simple, very traditional egg recipe for enjoying fresh nopales from your garden. Be sure to cut the nopale when the leaf is still young and the thorns are still soft to the touch. Once the thorns have become wooody and hard, the nopale leaf is too mature for culinary enjoyment. You can cut nopales, clean, and cut into “nopalitos,” basically cleaned and cut up nopales, and store them in an air tight bag or container for up to a week or two.
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huevos con nopalitos
Makes 2 servings 1 large or 2 small nopale pads 3 cloves of garlic, peeled and smashed but still intact 1/2 medium onion, chopped 4 eggs 1 tbsp. healthy cooking oil of your choice Salt & pepper to taste Chopped cilantro, scallion, or other fitting green food for garnish Sliced avocado and salsa (optional)
Working carefully not to prick your fingers, peel the thorns from the nopale using a pearing knife or potato peeler. Cut the stem end of the pad if it is rough and woody, so that there is just tender nopale pad left. Rinse briefly then cut into strips and then into cubes, about 1/2 inch or so. You now have “nopalitos.”
In a saucepan cook the nopalitos with enough water to cover, along with the smashed garlic, long enough for the garlic and nopalitos to become tender, maybe 10 minutes. Strain and rinse once with cold water. With your fingers, pick out the garlic, smash with your fingers or mince with a knife and add back into the nopalitos. This will add extra yummy flavor when you cook the nopalitos with the eggs. In a medium egg pan, heat the oil and sautee the onions and the nopalitos-garlic until the onions become tender. Add the eggs and scramble as you would with any scrambled egg & vegetable dish. Taste for salt & pepper, toss in the green garnish at the last minute, and serve with your favorite salsa, sliced avocado (optional) and tortillas.
huevos con nopalitos
Ingredients
- 1 lare nopale pad or 2 small
- 3 cloves garlic peeled and smashed but still intact
- 1/2 medium onion chopped
- 4 eggs
- 1 tbsp. healthy cooking oil of your choice
- Salt & pepper to taste
- Chopped cilantro, scallion, or other fitting green food for garnish
- Sliced avocado and salsa optional
Instructions
- Working carefully not to prick your fingers, peel the thorns from the nopale using a pearing knife or potato peeler. Cut the stem end of the pad if it is rough and woody, so that there is just tender nopale pad left. Rinse briefly then cut into strips and then into cubes, about 1/2 inch or so. You now have "nopalitos."
- In a saucepan cook the nopalitos with enough water to cover, along with the smashed garlic, long enough for the garlic and nopalitos to become tender, maybe 10 minutes.
- Strain and rinse once with cold water. With your fingers, pick out the garlic, smash with your fingers or mince with a knife and add back into the nopalitos. This will add extra yummy flavor when you cook the nopalitos with the eggs.
- In a medium egg pan, heat the oil and sautee the onions and the nopalitos-garlic until the onions become tender. Add the eggs and scramble as you would with any scrambled egg & vegetable dish.
- Taste for salt & pepper, toss in the green garnish at the last minute, and serve with your favorite salsa, sliced avocado (optional) and tortillas.