Mother’s Day weekend found us enjoying a relaxing two days filled with food this year.  Big surprise, right?  To be fair, it all began with a visit to Little Italy’s Mercato — more for a Saturday morning downtown than the possibility of what we might purchase.  And purchase we did.  The sole market bag we brought didn’t quite hold what we ended up with — most of it chosen for either dinner that night, or breakfast the next day.

We don’t often venture downtown, but when we do, we’re left questioning why we don’t go more frequently.  It’s fairly quiet on the weekends, and with more and more residents occupying the high-rise condominiums, the sidewalks are dotted with dog-walkers, those who have stopped to have a latte with the morning paper, and lots of farmer’s market shoppers holding bunches of flowers and bags overflowing with weekend cooking possibilities.

In much the same way we do when traveling, we pause in front of a real estate office and scan the photos of “For Sale” properties in the area, imagining ourselves living there instead of where we currently live.  It’s a pleasant pastime we’ve entertained ourselves with seemingly forever — especially in the years when we could barely afford to dream.  What is it about being able to walk just about everywhere one needs to go in a day’s time?  Could we actually get along with only one car?  Might we adjust to living without much of what we own, trading it in for a spectacular view and convenience?

Maybe — but it’s all a game of wondering that takes second fiddle to the marvelous array of fresh offerings we sampled and purchased that day.  The jacarandas were in bloom, the weather was perfect, so why not relax and enjoy the possibilities.

Pasta and a salad?  Or maybe stuffed French toast.

What about all three?

Fresh Italian Herb Pappardelle with Sausage

1/4 c. extra virgin olive oil

1/2 lb. mild Italian sausage, sliced into rounds

1 lg. shallot, sliced

4 lg. cloves garlic

freshly cracked pepper

sea salt

4 oz. Parmigiano Reggiano, finely grated

1/4 c. wild arugula

1/2 c. flat leafed parsley

1 lb. fresh Italian herb pappardelle

Put 4 qts. of water over high heat for the pasta.

In a large skillet, heat the olive oil over medium heat.  Add the sausage and shallots, stirring occasionally, and cook until the sausage begins to brown and the shallots are softened.  Add the garlic and stir, cooking until fragrant, about 1 minute.  Remove from heat.

Add a few good pinches of kosher salt to the boiling water, then add the fresh pasta a bit at a time, stirring gently to make sure the pieces are loosely cooking.  Cook for 3-1/2 to 4 minutes at most.  Pour cooked pasta into a strainer placed over a large bowl or other container to reserve the pasta water.  Pour off all but about 1/4 c. and set aside.

Add the pasta to the reserved sausage mixture and gently stir.  Pour in the reserved 1/4 c. pasta water and mix.  Add the wild arugula, parsley, and half of the grated Parmesan to the mixture and lightly toss.  Season with salt and cracked pepper to taste.

Serve immediately with more of the grated Parmesan as needed.

For the salad…

mixed greens to include pea shoots and basil sprouts, and any other leafy, tender veg you have on hand

toss in some avocado

squeeze on some fresh key lime juice

sprinkle basil oil over

splash on a bit of very nice sherry vinegar

season with Fleur de Sel and cracked pepper

toss and serve

Farmer’s Market credits go to:  Belen Artisian Bakers, Lisko Imports, and Da-Le Ranch.  Wild arugula and parsley is home grown in my very small herb box.

When I think of Earth Day, I think more about how I was raised instead of an event marked on a calendar that occurs once a year.  I guess my mother was green before her time simply because she needed to be frugal with her earnings.  But that’s not all.  Her common sense was what was really at work.  If you’re a single mother who works split shifts and have three children under the age of six, you put all of them in the tub at the same time and teach them that the water cannot rise above their belly buttons.  Absolutely no showers, ever.  You rinse your two girls’ very long hair with a tablespoon of  apple cider vinegar mixed with water they wished was warm instead of shockingly cold.  You nag your children incessantly until they understand that lights are turned off when not in use and that electricity costs money — which sadly does not grow on trees.  You make your children’s clothes, and as much as your younger daughter may not love the idea, pass the older daughter’s clothes down once outgrown.  You make shorts from cut off pants, either outgrown, or made possible by knees that have worn through.  You purchase less of everything and teach them how to take care of what they have, because if they don’t, they’re not getting anything new.  You make popsicles from koolaid poured into ice cube trays and dole them out over a few days like they were gold nuggets.  You remind them to bring home from school each day, not only the brown bag their lunch was in, but the baggies their chips and sandwiches were stuffed in to.  You teach them to clean their plates at meals, and never, ever to waste food.  Ever.   Or else.

And you teach them how to eat their vegetables — especially the green ones.

In celebration of Earth Day and smart, frugal moms everywhere who were green long before it was the cool thing to do, this soup is for you.  It’s healthy, and made with a bit of this, and a bit of that from my vegetable drawer.

Cream of Dandelion & Greens Soup

6 oz. dandelion greens, thick stems trimmed, then chopped

3 oz. baby spinach

3 oz. baby arugula

1 T extra virgin olive oil

2 c. good vegetable broth

1 lg. leek, white and light green parts only, cleaned, sliced

1 carrot, peeled and chopped

1-1/4 c. low fat milk

1-1/2 tsp. grainy Dijon

salt & pepper to taste

chives for garnish

Coarsely chop the dandelion greens and toss with the other greens.  In a large wide-bottomed pot over medium, heat the olive oil and add the carrots and leeks, stirring occasionally, about 5 minutes.  Add the greens all at once and continue to cook, stirring occasionally, about 10 minutes more.

Heat the vegetable broth to a simmer while the vegetables are cooking, then add it to the pot.  Stir and bring to a simmer, allowing to cook about 15 minutes.  Turn the heat to low and add the milk, stirring occasionally, and simmering until well-heated.

Puree in small batches using a blender or food processor, or puree in the pot with a hand-held blender.  Stir in the Dijon, season with salt and pepper, and sprinkle a few chopped chives over each bowl when serving.

Notes:

• I made this soup and the Cream of Asparagus soup on the same day.  I’d picked up the dandelion greens at Specialty Produce the day before and had quite a few left after the salad I made for myself.  Since I’d enjoyed the salad, I wanted to try a soup, but didn’t have quite enough dandelions left, so true to form, had additional greens in my veggie drawer.  Voila!  Soup.
• My husband and son liked the asparagus soup more than this, but the flavors are so different, it was difficult for me to compare them.  Although the Dijon can be optional, it added something special to this soup.  The greens provide a little bite, so it’s a match made in heaven.
• The soup is fairly thick, so when it comes time to add the milk, you can add as little or as much as you’d like.
• It’s just as delicious the next day — just keep tightly lidded after cooled down and chill.
• I’m not a chilled soup kind of person, but this is nice at room temperature — perfect for lunch even on a warm day sitting in the shade out back, enjoying all the greenery and blossoms that Spring Time brings each year.
• This soup was adapted from Melissa Breyer at care2 who has lots of other yummy things to do with dandelion greens.  Go see!
• If you’d enjoy a reminder about just how healthy dandelions and other greens are for your entire body, then check my notes out here.
• If you still haven’t been able to get something made and sent to Chris of Melecotte for the Cooking to Combat Cancer III blogging event, then you still have time!
• And if you’re interested in general information about Earth Day, then check out these links.  Earth Day.gov Earth Day Network Earth Day 2009 EnviroLink
• Check out epicurious and their Green Kitchen Tips while you’re at it.

If there was ever a salad season, Spring would be it. Baby veggies and greens are everywhere and just opening a food magazine has me craving salad more than I normally do. I’ve never lived above the 36th latitude in my life, so I could argue that it’s salad season all year long, but I’ve concluded others don’t necessarily feel that way.

Having spent the last couple of years learning about people’s food preferences on the web, I can sadly say that most of you would rather gaze at a piece of cake than a salad — or any vegetable, for that matter.

What is it about vegetables? Is it the pervasive greenness? The sometimes startling flavor of certain varieties? Or, is it more a childhood of over-cooked, badly seasoned peas, canned greens, and worse, wilted salads of flavorless iceberg lettuce drowning in bottled thousand island salad dressing, and peppered with a few bland pieces of tomato long stored in the vegetable bin of a fridge?

I say all of the above. Thankfully, I escaped it all — except at school when I was served the ubiquitous sage colored canned peas, forcefully spooned on the plastic tray by one of the less than friendly cafeteria ladies. I’d stare at those peas after finding my place at one of the long benches and hear my step-father’s voice telling me that I had to clean my plate because there were people starving in the world out there, and I was fortunate to have food to eat.

But I’d leave those peas on my tray. I’d leave them because they weren’t fit for human consumption, and I’d be surprised if any of the nutritional value originally in them was left at all. Besides, nobody at home would know I joined all the other kids in dumping them in the trash before running out to recess.

Thankfully, my mother avoided canned peas in our home meals, opting for frozen instead. And salads were routine so it’s no surprise that I love my veggies even if my younger sister mysteriously didn’t. With each passing year, I look forward to what new ingredients are featured, or interesting combinations that will make my salads a meal in themselves.

My husband and sons refer to my salads as “feed” but eat them without complaint. Maybe it’s because I’ve worked hard to teach them what nutrients the greens and brightly colored veggies in that bowl contain, and how those nutrients affect their bodies and overall health. Or maybe it’s because they’re just plain good.

Have you ever had dandelion greens and fresh English peas in a salad?  Add some lovely asparagus and a Gordon Ramsay tomato vinaigrette and dinner is served.

My taste buds sang all night long…                                       

Dandelion Asparagus Salad with English Peas and Tomato Vinaigrette

For the salad…
1 bunch dandelion greens
1/2 bunch large asparagus, bottoms trimmed and shaved
1 spring onion, halved lengthwise
extra virgin olive oil
sea salt
fresh cracked pepper
shaved Parmesan

For the dressing…
2-3 ripe roma tomatoes, peeled, seeded, and diced
1/2 c. extra virgin olive oil
1 shallot, minced
juice of 1/2 lemon
1 tsp. good balsamic vinegar
1/2 c. flat leafed parsley, no stems

Rinse the dandelion greens, and if necessary, remove any coarse stems.  Allow to dry on a clean towel and then arrange on a large platter.  Drizzle with some extra virgin olive oil and set aside.

Prepare the asparagus by removing the woody portion of the stem and using a vegetable peeler to scrape away all the skin below the tips.  Drop the asparagus in a few inches of rapidly boiling water for 1-2 minutes depending on the thickness of the asparagus, and then lift out to douse in an ice bath to stop the cooking.  Retain the cooking water for the peas.  Remove from the ice bath when completely cool, allow to dry on a clean towel, then place on a platter and sprinkle with a tablespoon of extra virgin olive oil and a sprinkle of sea salt and some fresh cracked pepper.

To prepare the peas, use the same hot water to blanch the peas, allowing to cook in softly boiling water for 3 minutes.  Retain the cooking water for the tomatoes.  Remove and douse in an ice bath, then remove to a clean towel to drain.

Prepare the onions by placing them on a parchment lined baking sheet and sprinkling them with olive oil, salt and pepper.  Place them under the broiler until they begin to brown.  Remove from the heat and set aside.

To prepare the tomatoes, bring the pan of reserved water back to the boil and place the tomatoes in the pan.  Allow to sit for about 1 minute, then remove to an ice bath.  The skins should be easy to remove and discard.  Cut the tomatoes, remove the seeds and membranes, then dice the remaining meat.

In a small skillet, heat the 1/2 c. olive oil and shallots over low heat until they begin to soften, about 10 minutes.  Pour in the lemon juice, balsamic vinegar, and tomatoes, increasing the heat and cooking about 5 minutes until tomatoes are soft.  Pour the mixture into a food processor or blender and pulse until pureed.  Season with salt and pepper and cover to keep warm.

In the same skillet, turn the heat to medium high and add the prepared asparagus.  It should sizzle in the pan when you add it.  Allow to cook 2-3 minutes, turning it to make sure all sides begin to brown slightly.  It should be crisp but tender when done.

Arrange the asparagus over the dandelion greens and add the peas and broiled spring onions.  Spoon some of the warm tomato vinaigrette over, and shave a bit of Parmesan as well.

Pass around additional vinaigrette if desired.

A printable version of the recipe can be found here.

Notes:

• Chris of Mele Cotte is hosting her 3rd year of “Cooking to Combat  Cancer” and this salad, along with many other recipes I’ll share during the month of April, qualifies.  The deadline to submit something is April 29th, so please take a bit of time to  get the information from Chris’ site and consider getting involved.  The more we understand how much fresh fruit, vegetables, and other food can help fight certain types of cancer, the better we’ll all be.
• The tomato vinaigrette is based on one from Gordon Ramsay’s 3-Star Chef.  It’s light, and lovely, and oh so fresh.  Easy to make, too.  Ramsay uses basil in his version which I’ve also tried and love.  Either way, it’s worth making.  It’s also perfect for dipping crusty bread into.  I’m thinking that it would be lovely with a bit of pasta.
• Many thanks to Specialty Produce in San Diego  for my dandelion greens. Like many other greens such as mustard, endive, kale, chard, and spinach they are a super source of folate, a form of vitamin B important to cell health.  Some research studies have shown that diets low in folate have an increased risk of breast, pancreatic, and colon cancer.  They’re not cruciferous (like kale, cabbage, and broccoli…) however, which all provide even more benefit to our bodies.  There is an amazing amount of information available on the health benefits we can experience if we eat dandelion greens — more so than I could begin to mention here.  Take some time to search yourself — I promise  you’ll be amazed.
• Asparagus is also an excellent source of Folate as well as vitamins K, C,  A and B1, B2, B3, and B6.  Its list of general health benefits is equally staggering as that of dandelion greens.  There are some interesting studies that suggest that asparagus could affect the development of lung and skin cancer.
• Many thanks to Specialty Produce for my beautiful fresh peas.  Peas are a legume, so are a good source of protein.  Like asparagus and dandelion greens, they’re also a good source of Folate as well as vitamins C, B6, and niacin.  And I have to eat crow now, because evidently, the nutritional value of the dreaded canned pea is nearly similar to that of fresh.  Unbelievable.
• Spring onions (also courtesy of Specialty Produce…) Onions, like garlic, are a member of the allium family and purported to be beneficial in reducing the risk of stomach and colorectal cancer.
• Tomatoes contain an important phytochemical called lycopene which is known to have an effect on the risk of developing prostate cancer.  Although studies have shown the effect to be more positive if the tomatoes are cooked, tomato products in general are beneficial.

To make sure you enjoy every healthy aspect of this salad, go ahead and mess it up a bit.  Then dig in!

One of the difficulties that arises when I cook is not being able to find particular ingredients.  Most often, the item is one of a few featured in a recent issue of a food magazine I enjoy, and because the content is seasonal, one would believe that finding those ingredients might be easier.

Unfortunately, it isn’t true, and when it comes time for me to cook something new, I have to drive to several stores to find what I’m looking for — if I can find it at all.  When I am able to locate that one special ingredient, I’m left wondering where it was grown, and by whom, annoyed that most often, it isn’t from anywhere near San Diego.  Thankfully, I have a new venue to track down those one of a kind ingredients when it comes to fresh fruit or vegetables:  Specialty Produce.

Last week, I had the opportunity to visit Specialty Produce and tour their facility in Middletown, an industrial sort of neighborhood relatively close to the airport and downtown.  It’s a bustling place where employees are either wheeling unique merchandise through the warehouse, or monitoring phones and computers taking orders from local chefs and other merchants.

Here was finally a place I could get chervil, or purslane, or chanterelles when no one else has them.  And there’s a great section with produce from area growers with items I’ve never seen before — like Red Frill Mustard and Watermelon Radishes.  It was like being in a candy shop when you’re a veggie lover like me — the only drawback is that one can only purchase so much fresh food and still be able to enjoy it within the next day or so.

The best way to utilize this great San Diego resource if you’re an avid home cook like me is to check out what’s in stock using their website.  It will tell you not only what’s in stock, but what’s in peak season and at the height of quality.  Nutritional information is also available which is something I always keep my eye on.

Along with the mustard and radishes I mentioned above, I brought home Black Kale, Yellow Foot Chanterelles, Green Garlic, Oro Blanco Grapefruit, and some cute little Hauer Pippin from Windrose Farm in Paso Robles.

Oh the fun I’ve had cooking with this food…

First to be sampled:  Yellow Foot Chanterelles.  Chanterelles are my favorite mushroom, their flavor when sauteed rich and woodsy tasting.  I did read that Yellow Foot Chanterelles aren’t supposed to have as distinctive a flavor as some of the other varieties, but I truly enjoyed what I tasted.  I didn’t want to add them to larger dish, so used olive oil, a bit of the green garlic, some fresh thyme and parsley, seasoning them with freshly ground pepper and salt to enjoy with bread.  I could only imagine what they might taste like with pasta, or in risotto.  Truly delicious.

The Red Frill Mustard was next.  It was the most unusual item I brought home and loving greens as much as I do, I couldn’t wait to taste it.  I thought about doing another saute or stir fry, but the delicately filagreed leaves would be more beautiful in a salad.  I had some escarole I’d purchased elsewhere so combined the two with sliced forelles, toasted walnuts, blue cheese, and a simple walnut viniagrette from Jacques Pepin.  Evidently, mustard is excellent for women’s health — specifically with regard to the effects of menopause such as a reduction in bone density and my very favorite:  hot flashes.  Note to self:  eat mustard greens daily.

Watermelon Radishes ended up in our dinner.  I’d already planned on a recipe calling for a pickle using red radishes, but after tasting one of the watermelon radishes, I had to use them.  Much larger than regular radishes, they do have a bit of a bite, but it’s not as strong as that of a regular radish.  They’re very pleasant to just munch on, so I know that they’d be spectacular in a salad.

They were beautiful in Fine Cooking’s Pan Seared Skirt Steak with Warm Radish and Red Onion Pickle.  In fact, the next night, I toasted some buns and we made sandwiches of the left overs.  Truly yummy!

Black Kale, or what is also known as Tuscan Kale and Cavalo Nero was perfect in a pasta dish that I’d planned to use Rapini Greens in.  The Black Kale leaves are much more tender than those of regular kale, so I decided not to steam them ahead of time.  Instead, I fried bacon, reserving 1 T of the fat and adding a few tablespoons of olive oil.  I sliced them before adding them to the hot pan to allow them to wilt, added the green garlic, some shallots, and then the pasta.  It’s a standard pasta dish I make when I don’t feel like using a recipe and I switch out the greens as well as include cannellini beans from time to time.  I’d bend your ear telling you about how healthy kale is, but you can read about it here.

The green garlic was used in several dishes, but I tasted it raw to think about the flavor and its comparison to the garlic we all normally use:  the bulbs in the papery skin.  Its flavor is a bit more sharp and fresh, and I can see how using too much may overpower a dish, but I like it and wonder just what it would taste like if piled into a batch of fried rice, or veggie stir fry.

You’ll have to wait for the cute little pippins and grapefruit….

But in the meantime, if you’re a local foodie, then do your homework ahead of time scanning on-line what Specialty Produce has to offer.  That way, you can get right to it once you arrive, allowing those hard at work to do their jobs.

If you plan to visit, bring a big sweater and your own bag to carry your goodies.

Today is quite different than the past many months that I’ve posted.  Today marks one of the very few times that I’ve baked a recipe for the Daring Bakers that isn’t classified as a sweet.  And even more importantly?  It’s the first gluten-free recipe as well.  This month’s challenge of Lavash Crackers has been hosted by Natalie of Gluten A Go Go, and Shel of Musings From the Fishbowl.  The recipe is from Peter Reinhart’s The Bread Baker’s Apprentice.

I definitely have that post for you today,  but thought I’d put a local type of spin on it.  Seriously local.

Ever had nopales? These Lavash Crackers with garlic, crushed red pepper flakes, and cumin can really take on a substantial salsa…

Hillside near our house.

Nopales is the Spanish name for the rounded, sort of Mickey Mouse looking ears of the Prickly Pear Cactus.  The pads or paddles, as they’re called, are the veggie portion of the plant, and they can be cooked.  Living in San Diego for as long as I have, it’s impossible not to know what they are, and that they can be eaten.

The first time I’d heard of Nopales, I lived in Spain.  The prickly pear cactus there were often grown as fences between property lines, and they reached as high as some trees.  I remember hearing that people not only ate the bright red “pears” that grew on the tips of the pads, but the pads as well.  It wasn’t something I thought sounded remotely appetizing.

Recently, my sister-in-law, who is Mexican, invited us over to watch the first Notre Dame football game of the season.  They were playing San Diego State, both my husband and my alma mater.  Plus our niece is a freshman at Notre Dame, and on their softball team, so the event could involve some friendly rivalry — as long as you understand that both teams are pretty much horrible this year.  My sister-in-law makes the best salsa ever, so I knew I’d be happy in the food department.  Who cares about football.

And she didn’t disappoint, of course.  But as I shoveled the very first scoop of spicy salsa in my mouth, I noticed that she was watching very carefully.  And she had a bit of a grin on her face.  As I slurped and crunched my way through a couple more bites, I did notice the color being a bit less bright, and an almost citrusy flavor.  The texture was also not quite the same.  So I knew something was up.  My brother-in-law joined in at that point and asked whether we’d ever had her cactus salsa before…

So the next fifteen minutes or so, I grilled her about where she purchased the cactus, and whether you could just go out and pick it off the hill side.  And how to tell whether a pad was good enough to pick, and how to clean them, and prepare them…

Those stickers are a bit daunting, yes?

I did find some at a local market, and that’s not a surprise, because they usually can be found here and there.  But I also spent some time foraging on a hill side and quickly found more.  Sure San Diego has lots of palm trees, but it’s technically a desert, so undeveloped hillsides are covered with low-growing brush that is bone dry at this time of the year, and yes, cactus.  I guess the toss up on this would be whether I wanted to use the very unprickly pads I purchased, or take my life in my hands to try and tangle with something wild.

No contest.  The purchased pads won.  But I enjoyed this salsa enough to know that I will be heading out to the hillsides to choose my own pads…or that house around the corner that has some very nice ones growing in the front yard.

Lavash Crackers with Nopales Salsa
makes 1 sheet pan of crackers

1-1/2 c. all purpose gluten free baking flour
1/2 tsp. kosher salt
1/2 tsp. instant yeast
1 T sugar
1 T extra virgin olive oil
1/2 c. water, room temp

For the topping, mix together the following…
1 tsp. Oh! So Garlic! seasoning blend
1/2 tsp. cumin seeds
1 tsp. dried red pepper flakes
1/2 tsp. kosher salt
1-2 cranks of fresh pepper, coarse

In a mixing bowl, stir together the flour, salt, yeast, sugar, oil, and just enough water to bring everything together into a ball.  The dough will be somewhat dry and medium firm, but tacky.  Lightly oil a bowl and transfer the dough to the bowl, rolling it around to coat it with oil.  Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and ferment at room temp for at least 90 minutes or overnight until doubled in size.

Between two sheets of parchment or silicone baking sheets, roll out the dough to 1/8″ thickness.  Carefully peel off the top layer of parchment or silicone.  Using a fluted pastry cutter, slice through the dough to make crackers.  Pierce each piece with a fork a few times.  Sprinkle lightly with water, and then sprinkle on spicy topping.

In a 350 degree F oven, bake the crackers for about 15 minutes until the tops are evenly golden brown.  Remove from oven and let cool in the pan at least 10 minutes.  Store in a well-sealed container if not eating immediately.

Notes:

• I used Bob’s Red Mill all purpose gluten-free flour
• I used olive oil instead of veggie oil
• Oh! So Garlic! is made by Lizzie’s Kitchen and is a blend of dehydrated garlic, onion, parsley, chives, and other spices.
• I actually measured the thickness of my crackers (1/8″) and they were more chewy than crisp.  I baked them in a convection oven for 15 minutes.
• I used active yeast instead of instant yeast, and just mixed everything together.
• I left the dough out over night at room temp — it doubled in size.
• Good flavor — very filling.

Cactus Salsa

2-3 medium to small prickly pear cactus pads
1/3 bunch cilantro, stems and leaves
2-3 pinches salt

1 jalapeno, stemmed and seeded
3-4 roma tomatoes, chopped
3-4 green onions, sliced
1/3 bunch cilantro, chopped
2-3 good pinches salt

First prepare the nopales…
Choose pads that are small to medium in size.  Make sure they’re firm, and with no brown or soft spots.  Remove the stickers by slicing the entire nodule from the pad.  Also trim all edges. Dice the trimmed pads, and place them in a large sauce pan with several good pinches of salt, and a handful of cilantro, stems and all.  Cover completely with water and bring to a boil, covered.  Lower heat after the boil, and simmer for about 90 minutes.  Remove cliantro stems, and drain well.

Now make the salsa…
Mix the cooked nopales with the remainder of ingredients, and correct seasonings.

Serve with crackers, chips, or with tacos.  It’s a nice addition to cornbread, too, baked in the batter.

Notes:

• When chopping the nopales, they do get pretty juicy, kind of like okra.
• When they’re cooking, they actually smell like asparagus.
• I had both parsley and cilantro on the counter and accidentally threw in the parsley.  No big deal — I knew I’d be putting cilantro in the salsa.  I’m sure it would have been far more flavorful cooked with the cilantro.  Oh well.  Next time.
• They’re quite good, and have a tangy, citrusy taste.
• Can’t wait to try on fish or chicken.
• There are lots of different sources of information about nopales, as well as recipes that are different from what I’ve shared.

Okay, now it’s time to make the rounds to see what the other Daring Bakers have come up with.