Nopales from a Jar -- What to Make?

Question

In restaurants, I've mostly encoutered them chopped into salads, which I enjoy -- and can figure out on my own. Ditto for the scrambled eggs with nopales that one occasionally finds in breakfast tacos. Anyone got any interesting, creative, but not-too-fancy-shmancy ideas?

I just impulse-purchased my first jar of them, and they're pretty darned good straight up -- more or less the same as I've had in restaurants (doubts about which had led me to avoid buying my own).

Eager to try making something new and different and showing off for company!

Answer

Sadly the Jar ones are VERY inferior to freshed cooked ones, which is what most GOOD mexican resturants will use them for... 

If I was stuck with a jar... my first suggestion would be with eggs and chorizo... They don't cook for long (Their texture is pretty bad with the 'canning' process) and the chorizo will help LIVEN up their flavor. 

In the future, when the the craving strikes, PLEASE get fresh and boil them youself. It's not terribly hard and many Hispanic Markets sell them already cut up and washed. Heck if you are lucky, you have a little grandma like mine living next to you who sells them cleaned and ready to go from their yard! She ONLY uses the most tender tasty paddles... :) 

--Dommy!

Answer

Ok, I'm gonna do it. I'm gonna give away my family's cactus chicken recipe.

6 skinless boneless chx thighs, cut into chunks
1 large jar nopales (the kind that come in strips)
1 large can tomatillos
1 can tomato paste
1 large onion, roughly chopped
1 small can chopped green chilies; OR three to four jarred pickled jalapenos, chopped (I like the kind from Goya); OR two chopped canned chipotles and a few spoons of their adobo sauce
1 box low sodim chx broth
ground cumin to taste
cilantro

Brown the chicken in a heavy-bottomed dutch oven (or similar). Once browned, throw in the onion and cook until soft (a few minutes). Drain and rinse the nopales, and throw them in the pot. Drain the tomatillos and add to the pot. Try not to pop the tomatillos as you drain them, you don't want to lose the juice and seeds within, but once they're in the pot, break them up with a wooden spoon (be warned, they'll squirt). Add the tomato paste, chilies (and adobo if using), and some ground cumin (I usually add about 2 tsp, but it should be to taste). Stir to combine, then add chx broth to cover the items in the pot. Stir, turn down the heat to a very low simmer, cover and let it do its thing for about 35-40 minutes. When you come back to it, stir aggresively to help the chicken shred into small pieces. You'll want this to end up as the consistency of a thick stew -- it shouldn't be brothy at all. Keep simmering and stir-shredding the meat until it's the right thickness. Taste and adjust salt/pepper seasoning as needed. If you like a bit of tartness, add a squeeze of lime. Chop a large handful of cilantro and stir it in before serving. We like to eat this wrapped in tortillas, accompanied by thick yogurt (or sour ceam), guac, and tomatillo salsa.

PS: of course you can sub pork or beef for the chicken. I've even done this veg style for friends who don't eat meat.

Answer

OMG Litchick, I made your family's recipe and it is delicious!!! The best!! Thank you so much for sharing.

Topics

Locations

Your post has been published!

Nopales from a Jar -- What to Make?

More from Chowhound

Guides

The Ultimate Spring Produce Guide: What's in Season & How to Use It

Recipe Round-Ups

Quick and Easy Instant Pot Breakfast Recipes for Less Morning Stress

Guides

How to Care for Enameled Cast Iron So It Lasts a Lifetime

Home

The Best Tool to Clean a Wood Cutting Board Is Probably in Your Compost Bin

Trending Discussions

Chowhound Recipes That You are Saving

A Final Goodbye for Chowhound

Favorite Chowhound Memories

NY Times: Chowhound Closes After 25 Years of Food Obsession, Wisdom and Debate

January–April 2022 Baking COTM: DESSERT PERSON by Claire Saffitz

Quick Links

Latest Discussions

Cookbook of the Month

Dish of the Month

Weekly Menu Planning

Get fresh food news delivered to your inbox

12 Irish Foods to Celebrate St. Patrick's Day That Aren’t Corned Beef and Cabbage

Chowhound

Policies

Community

Editorial

Content