Cactus and other desert edibles recipes?

[olylurker]

Hey i found myself in the sonnora desert on my travels in a town called wickenburg outside of pheonix. Ive seen a ton of these prickly pear cactus around and know how to get to the fruit just wondering if anyone knows a cool way to cook em. Also if anyone with some desert knowledge knows some other cool things you can forage or eat out here thatd be rad.

 

[travelin]

https://www.google.com/#q=prickly+pear+recipes

enjoy, prickly pear is one of the best things about desert environments out west. just be SURE to use gloves to pick them thick leather gloves. you can sear em on a fire to burn off the stickers, but don't even touch one without it being cleaned off.

I just used a thick leather work glove, made sure the inside pulp was reddish/purplish where its picked and then cut it open and peeled the outer layer partially off and cut it into small chunks and eat it right there or sometimes if I was camped id pick them with gloves and toss them in the fire and roll em around with a stick a while, then peel em and chunk em up. ive put chunks of them in water bottles and shake it hard a while and it gives the water a fantastic flavor.

I think you will like em, most folks do.

lots of recipes for them, see the link.

 

[olylurker]

thanks man yeah i burned it over campfire and it turned out pretty good. Talked to this oldtimer who makes wine out of prickly pear and jams too so i got some cactus hunting to do while im out here

 

[skillpore]

Most cactus fruits are edible. You can also eat the pads raw or cooked. Turns a dark green when done.

 

[Desperado Deluxe]

You can eat the young green fleshy pads by boiling them with the spines removed. Also called el nopal.