Wednesday, September 27, 2006

Illusive Tuna


I finally know what to do with these ball-sack looking things I see in the Mexican market and growing around town. The other day I saw a stripped one of these cactus' with a "No Mas" sign stuck to it, which got my attention. Then I saw an abundance of them in the front yard of my friends house. Ever the curious kitten, I carefully picked a few and brought them home. I knew they were edible, but I didn't know much more, so today I looked it up. I'm in love with the internet.

Picking them hurts. Duh, I know, but it's not the obvious sharp spiky spines that hurt so much. It's the small ones that stay in your fingers for days and you can't remove because they're seemingly invisible.


They are called Prickly Pear, Cactus Pear, Indian Figs, or, my favorite, Tuna.

Preparing them is supposed to be pretty simple, but I'm kind of afraid to try it. Soaking in cold water is said to remove the spines, but I don't believe it. After "de-spining", you simply cut them in half and peel the skin away like an avocado.

I don't know about that.

You could also remove them with a vegetable peeler and steam over boiling water for a few minutes. You can either slice and eat or mash them up to make a juice. Then you can make the juice into a jam, salad dressing, candy and lot's of other things.

I'm going to try the margaritas. If I can still type afterwards, I'll blah-g about it.

6 comments:

Mommie Dearest said...

You can also eat the leaves they are attached to. People here peel them, steam them and most times they cook up with eggs and onions.

Anonymous said...

Yeah, the margaritas are really yummy, but you know what? Alcapulco restaurant over in SR has them cheap on Margarita Mondays and, well, now you know why we always lived so damn close to the downtown area while we were there. Much less mess, easier and well, everything is more enjoyable that way isn't it?

Marcelo José Blanco said...

mayhaps you'll try Pitahaya (Dragonfruit) I prefer the red-fleshed variety. The juice they make from it in Nicaragua is my crack-substitute.

Donna Piranha said...

Where can I get some of that Dragonfruit crack?
I'm trying out the marg's tomorrow night. I may blog drunk.
We went out for drinks after work today and I had a Mojito made with tequila instead of rum. I asked if they made a prickly pear margie, but she said it was a seasonal thing. Isn't NOW the freakin season bitch?

Anonymous said...

Alcapulco restaurant is gone.
It's now 505 Mendacino

Donna Piranha said...

That would be Mendocino, Sideshow. Mendo.