Name: Grilled Nopales Salad with Cracked Black Pepper Oil (Nopales con Aceite de Pimienta Negra)
Yield: Serves 8
Cuisine: Mexican
Ingredients: 1½ teaspoons salt; ¾ cup extra-virgin olive oil; 1½ pounds fresh nopales cactus paddles, needles removed; 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper; 1 teaspoon dried oregano, preferably Mexican; ½ cup red wine vinegar; ½ cup Cotija cheese, finely grated; 6 red lettuce leaves; 2 medium serrano chiles, stemmed, seeded, and finely diced; 1 cup chopped cilantro; ½ small red onion, cut into ¼-inch dice; 2 cucumbers, peeled and cut into ½-inch dice; 4 heirloom tomatoes, cut into ½-inch dice; Cracked Black Pepper Oil; 1 avocado, preferably Hass variety, halved, peeled, seeded, and sliced, for garnish

Preparation info

Serves
8

Difficulty
Medium

Appears in

Dos Caminos Mexican Street Food

By Ivy Stark

Published 2013

About

Grilled cactus paddles are a Mexican treat. Cooking them over charcoal adds a wonderful smoky flavor and firms up the texture. When tossed with red tomatoes, onions, green chiles, cucumbers, and white Cotija cheese, they make a festive summer dish for picnics and al fresco dining.

Ingredients

1½ pounds fresh nopales cactus paddles, needles removed
¾ cup extra-virgin olive oil

Method

Heat a barbecue grill or broiler with the grill or pan positioned about 4 inches from the heat until hot.
In a bowl, toss the nopales with ¼ cup of the olive oil and ½