Nopales

There is no greater vegetable to grill in a carne asada than whole nopal paddles, which are the thin stalks of the same cactus that gives us tuna fruit (also called prickly pears). When cooked over a roaring fire, nopalitos take on a meaty texture, and the high heat cooks out most of the slime and increases their unique sour flavor. Plus, they are virtually impossible to overcook because they have so much moisture. Look for nopales that are thin and dark green. If in a time crunch, opt for buying pre-packaged nopal paddles that are sold already shaved of their prickly thorns.