How to cook with cactus paddles, plus a recipe for chile verde with pork and nopales

Have you ever noticed a stack of fresh cactus paddles at your local market, but were unsure how to use them — or at least how to keep from getting stuck? The paddles of the prickly pear cactus are common in Latino markets, where they’re known as nopales. They can be prepared in a variety of ways (grilled, pickled, sauteed, etc.) and are added to a host of dishes, from soups and stews to salads, tacos and more. And they add a delicate flavor to the chile verde recipe below.

Often, the paddles are shaved of needles before they’re sold, but it’s not unusual to find a pile of prickly paddles at the market, with only a pair of tongs provided to protect your hands as you choose the ones you want to take home. Removing the needles and cleaning the paddles takes care, but it’s not difficult: Grabbing the tip of the paddle away from any stickers, hold the paddle on a slant and scrape downward with a sharp knife toward the tip of the paddle to remove needles. If any remain, cut them out one at a time. Then, cut around the entire cactus pad to remove the outer edge and base. Finally, slice or dice the cactus as called for in the recipe, or keep the paddle whole if you’re planning to grill or saute.

CHILE VERDE WITH PORK AND NOPALES

Total time: 2 hours | Serves 4
Note: From Senor Fred.

TOMATILLO SAUCE

2 tablespoons olive oil
1 medium onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 pound tomatillos, husks removed, rinsed
2 poblano chiles, roasted, peeled, seeded and torn into large strips
1 jalapeno, stem removed
3 bunches cilantro, chopped
3 sprigs epazote, tough stems removed
1 teaspoon dried Mexican oregano
1 1/4 cups chicken stock

1. Heat the olive oil in a skillet. Add the onion and garlic and cook just until the onion is translucent.

2. Add the tomatillos, poblanos, jalapeno, cilantro, epazote leaves, oregano and chicken stock and simmer for 20 minutes.

3. Remove the sauce from the heat. Cool it slightly, then puree it in a blender.

PORK AND NOPALES

1 tablespoon oil
1 pound trimmed pork shoulder, cut into 1-inch cubes
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 pound nopales (cactus paddles), trimmed, peeled and cut into 1- by one-half-inch pieces
4 poblano chiles, roasted, peeled, seeded and cut into 1- by one-half-inch pieces
Tomatillo sauce
Salt, pepper

1. Heat the oil in a large skillet. Add the pork and sear until lightly browned. Add 2 cups water and the salt and simmer until the pork is tender, about 30 minutes. The liquid will reduce to a few tablespoons. Remove from heat and set aside.

2. In a separate saucepan, bring 1 quart of water to a boil. Add the nopales and simmer for 10 minutes. Remove the nopales from the heat, drain and rinse with cold water. Combine the nopales and the poblano pieces and set aside.

3. Add the tomatillo sauce and the nopales mixture to the pan with the seared pork. Simmer for 10 minutes. Season with salt and pepper.

Each serving: 404 calories; 25 grams protein; 25 grams carbohydrates; 10 grams fiber; 24 grams fat; 6 grams saturated fat; 70 mg. cholesterol; 883 mg. sodium.

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