Cactus Pears: Exotic Fruit

 My fave show right now is Chopped. Last night I saw an episode where one of the ingredients were Cactus Pears.. aka Prickly Pears. I wish the contestants would have done soething more creative with them--they just sliced them and served them as is, but what about a puree...a sorbetto....a drink?

I have an intimate relationship with these guys. My Nani was from Sicily, where cactus pears are an abundant and common fruit. We used to get them (from somewhere-- I guess you can find anything in New York) when I was growing up occassionally, and it was always a treat. Nani would carefully peel them just so, to expose the beautiful, albeit seedy, pulpy fuscia-colored fruit. We kids would reverently watch and then she would dole out the slices. I always remember eating it ice cold, and it was very sweet and juicy with a refreshing watery taste reminicent of watermelon. The numerous seeds are just consumed along with the fruit.

They grow here in California and the Southwest, the fruit of the, yeah, Prickly Pear cactus. Since they are common in Latin-American cuisine as well, they are easy to find. I found mine 7 for 99 cents at my favorite latino grocery, King Ranch (more about that here). They also come in the green variety, and they are good too. But I'm a sucker for any weirdly colored fruit, and that amazing bright pink color gets me every time!

I made a fruit salad, and here's what I did. You have to be careful peeling this fruit--most of the time when you get them in a grocery store, the prickly spines are already taken out. But just to be on the safe side, wear gloves when handling them. Trust me, one little wayward cactus spine in your hand will have you going nuts for a few days. They burrow into your skin and its hard to get the lil suckers out.

I take a sharp knife and cut iff both ends.

Then I slice about 1/4 inch into the skin right along the cuts from end to end.

Then the skin is easily peels off, leaving just the fruity inside.

Slice into medalions, or process whole, as you wish, depending on your recipe.

Here's 2 recipes:

Prickly Pear Fruit Salad with Lime and Chili:

4-5 Prickly Pears, peeled and sliced
1 medium pineapple, in chuncks
1/2 small watermelon, cubed
1 medium cucumber, sliced
2 mangoes, chunked or sliced
jicama, sliced into matchsticks (optional)
juice of 2 limes
red chili powder ( I like ancho or pasilla)
sea salt

Arrange the fruit on a platter or in a pretty bowl. Chill well. Just before serving, sprinkle with the lime juice, then the chili powder and a little sea salt. Serve with chili and salt on the side of your guests want to add more... this can be served in lieu of a salad. Its delicious and refreshing.

Prickly Pear Lemonade

3-4 lemons, juiced

3-4 prickly pears, peeled

2 quarts cold water

sweetner to taste (about 1 cup sugar, or 7-8 Splendas

Ice

Mint, for garnish

Press the prickly pears through a strainer or sieve to extract the juice and remove the seeds, set aside. Add the lemon juice and the sweetner in a large pitcher. Stir to dissolve the sugar. Add the prickly pear juice and the water, and stir. Add ice to fill pitcher. Serve with a sprig of fresh mint and more ice. YUM!

Make it a Great Day!

Ann
See you at these parties: Make It Yours , Whatever Goes Wednesday, Frugalicious Friday

Easy Weeknight Recipe: Pesto Pasta with Cauliflower and Peas

Home grown basil? Check. Brown-rice pasta? Check. Head of cauliflower that will go bad if I don't use it soon? Check. Frozen Peas? Check.

This was sooo easy. I used brown-rice pasta, but you can use any type.

My basil is wonderful right now...big and green and tasty... I picked it in bunches and used a total of about 2 cups to make about 1 cup of pesto. Here's the recipe...enjoy!

Pesto Pasta with Cauliflower and Peas
(vegetarian)

for the pesto:
2 cups freshly picked basil
1/2 cup parmesan cheese, grated
1/2 to 3/4 cup good olive oil (I am using a California-grown olive oil I get at Sam's.. its spectacular!)
salt and pepper
pinch of nutmeg
2 cloves garlic, rough chopped

In a small chopper or food processor, run the basil leaves with the garlic and the 1/2 cup oil until smooth-- you may need to add more oil if it looks too dry. Add the cheese and pulse again until it looks combined and thick, sauce-like. Stir in salt, pepper to taste and nutmeg . Place in a bowl, cover and refrigerate till needed.

pasta:
1 package pasta (about 1 lb)
1 cup frozen peas
1 head cauliflower, separated into florets

Bring the water in a large pot to a rolling boil. The key to perfectly cooked pasta is a LARGE pot and at least  6 cups of water to 1 lb pasta, otherwise it gets gummy. Make sure the water is boiling furiously (ALWAYS bring water to a boil with the lid on--its tons faster) Add a small handful (yes, I said handful) of kosher salt. Now add the pasta and stir. bring back up to a boil and add the peas. Let this cook for half the recommended cooking time, and add the cauliflower. Let it boil again, and until, the pasta is al-dente. Drain, saving about a cup of the pasta-cooking water, and put back in the pot, or in a large bowl.

Now, add your pesto to the hot pasta and stir gently to combine. If it looks too dry, add some pasta water to it. But it should not be swimming in liquid, just glistening.

Serve with more parmesan and hot red pepper flakes if you like.

Linkin' up to: Toot Your Horn Tues

Vegetarian Dinner/Side Dish: Swiss Chard

I am not a vegetarian...but I like to eat vegetarian 1-2 times per week. Now that my garden is going...(I first wrote about starting my garden here) we have strawberries and rainbow (swiss) chard... I can start using chard now. The great thing about it is, it regenerates within 2-3 days so you have a continuous supply. Also it does not bolt in hot weather, so you have all summer to enjoy this versatile veg!

Here are the steps in photos. Note my gorgeous new le-crueset -style cast iron enameled cassarole I bought on Overtsock for $47.00!!! It is to die for, made by Lodge. I LOVE IT!!!Check them out.

I mean, isn't this a gorgeous leaf?

Stack the leaves and cut into 1" ribbons--use the stems too, they are toothsome and delicious

Saute the garlic in the oil.

 Add the chard.

 Add the tomato sauce

Now you are ready to add the cheese-- see how  much it reduced?

Now turn off the heat and cover....

Transfer to serving dish and enjoy with french bread, and a simple tomato salad.


Sauteed Swiss Chard

1 large bunch Swiss Chard, washed well and cut into strips
1 small can ( 4oz) tomato sauce
4 cloves garlic, sliced into slivers
olive oil
 freshly ground black pepper
3-4 oz hard cheese, such as Parmesan, manchego or romano, crumbled

Heat cover-able skillet or le crueset-style casserole pot on high heat... quickly add 3-4 tablespoons olive oil and the garlic. saute until fragrant--do not brown or it will get bitter. now add the chard in handfulls, moving it around so the oil and garlic coats all the leaves. saute like this for a few minutes until the leaves begin to wilt. When reduced to about half their original volume, add the tomatoes sauce and combine...keep cooking till stalks are fork-tender and volume is reduced by 3/4. Now crumble the cheese atop and cover. Take off heat and let set until cheese is melty. Serve right from the pot or transfer to a dish and enjoy with a crusty loaf of bread, and perhaps a garden tomato salad.. Simply deeee-vine.