How to Cook A Cactus Pear

Cactus pear, or prickly pear, grows in many places in the United States as well as throughout the Americas, and not just in the arid places where most cacti are at home. I know people who use cactus pear for landscaping in North Carolina, Georgia, Virginia and other such places that are anything but dry.

Given its wide range and ease of growing, not to mention its abundance in the wild, I'm surprised that it doesn't show up in more recipes than it does. Perhaps it's the difficulty of harvesting the cactus pads that deters most would-be cooks.

You can find cactus pear pads in many Mexican specialty grocery stores, or tiendas, where you may find it under the name of "nopal." When chopped up and added to dishes that you may find in a Mexican restaurant, the pieces may be referred to as "nopalitos." The scientific genus name, covering some 250 species, is opuntia.

Even if you decide to harvest some prickly pear pads from a plant growing in your yard, it's worth the extra effort. Truly, it is a versatile plant that can be prepared in a huge variety of delicious ways. Scientists are also discovering that it has many health-giving properties.

When collecting cactus pads, whether from your yard or from the wild, be sure to wear thick gloves to protect your hands from the spines and from the hairlike growths called glochids, which can really irritate your skin. Try to pick only the young, tender pads, which will be glossier and greener than older ones.

Remove the spines and glochids by carefully peeling the pads. Once they're peeled, you can even eat the pads raw if you want. Try chopping them into small pieces and adding them to salads, where their taste will be somewhat like that of green peppers.

To cook cactus pear, bring a saucepan of water to a boil. Peel and slice a couple of good-sized cactus pads and drop the slices into the boiling water. Reduce heat and let cook for about 20 minutes. Remove from heat and drain. Now you can add butter and any favorite seasonings (powdered garlic is great!) and serve.

You can also sautée cactus pear chunks in a skillet. With or without seasoning, they will make an interesting side dish to any meal.

A popular dish in the southwestern U.S. and parts of Mexico is an omelet made with cactus pear pads. Again, just cook the chopped cactus pads in a skillet and add it to the egg batter for the omelet.

As you can see, cooking with cactus is not as formidable as it might seem to those who are unfamiliar with this plant's long history of use in cuisines from the south of the border. Try it!

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Cookware Sets - What Is The Best Type Of Cookware And How To Choose It?

There are many types of cookware sets to choose from. There are all kinds of gourmet cookware sets hard anodized, stainless steel, enamel, non stick and cast iron just to name a few. The selection is so large that it could be overwhelming.

I consider myself somewhat of an amateur chef. I learned alot by watching many of the gourmet cooking shows that are on television. I also subscribe to several gourmet-cooking magazines. Plus it also helps when your bother in-law is professional chef.

I purchased my first gourmet cookware set many years ago. I bought this set because it was one of the most highly rated sets and very popular at that time. I also could use the cooking utensils that I already had. I didn't have to worry about scratching it like you do with a non stick set. I figured this would be the only cookware I would ever need and I would just add to it as needed. However, over time, I found this not to be the case and this would not be the only set I would ever have.

I found that the best cookware to choose really depends on the dish or meal that you are going to prepare.
As an example, if you're preparing a low fat meal you would most likely use a non stick skillet to cut down on the amount of fat in the dishes you prepare. If you were making meals that started off with sautéing or browning first and then finished the cooking in the oven, I would use cookware that was oven safe and could go from the cooktop burner right into the oven. This also saves time on clean up because you're using less pots and pans when you cook this way.

When grilling or preparing meals outdoors I prefer something very durable like cast iron. It is also my skillet of choice when making fried chicken. A lot of people would shy away from cast iron because it had to be pre-seasoned before you could being cooking with it. However nowadays many manufacturers of cast iron cookware sell it already pre-seasoned and ready to use. Cast iron is probably one of the oldest cookware sets around. Many grandmothers and great grandmothers had this type of cookware for a lifetime.

In Summary: After many years, it has been my experience that there really is no one "do all" set of cookware. In my opinion it really depends on the type of meal you are preparing and the type of cooking you are doing.

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Camping Cookware - What Type Should You Get?

Most people when camping go out and build a fire. Sometimes it's just for hot dogs and marshmallows on sticks, but other times full meals are cooked over the fire. There is quite a bit of inexpensive cookware available that doesn't really work well or last very long. However, there is some cookware that is worth the initial investment because it can be used for quite some time.

Please note that camping cookware and backpacking cookware are a bit different in terms of weight. If you are a backpacker, you will want to focus on lightweight and small types of cookware. When you are looking for camping cookware, get the heavy cast iron that is built to last. This type of cookware works the best.

Find a good skillet that is at least a few inches deep. Make sure that it is cast iron and has a long handle. These are great because they can't be laid right on the fire if need be. They are deep enough to be able to boil water and soups. Almost anything can be cooked on the surface. A quality one will last you for years without any problems or issues.

Consider getting a dutch oven as well. You can cook almost anything you can think of in them and are very easy to work with. They are heavy enough that they will stand up on their own and flat enough that coals can be placed on the top of the lid as well.

Aluminum foil is also worth the investment. There are many cooking recipes that focus on aluminum foil as it heats up easily and cooks everything inside like an oven. For the price this is a great option. It can at times be used for wrapping food to cook inside the dutch oven or to line the dutch oven, making for easier clean up.

Remember, camping is all about connecting with the outdoors and enjoying your time with family and friends. Finding the perfect camping cookware can make your time more enjoyable and allow you to make some memorable outdoor meals!

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