Prickly Pears

For those of you who have never been to the southwest, the desert is a cornucopia of culinary surprises. My first thought in moving to this area of the world was how barren the landscape appeared. I thought that the only vegetation that could grow were tumbleweeds, completely useless shrubs. I was wrong. The desert is full of edible vegetation (very good to know should you ever need to survive in this environment). Cacti are particularly delectable. One of my personal favorites is the Prickly Pear cactus. The Prickly Pear has many uses, from being a delicious food source (not to mention nutritional- it is high in fiber and vitamin C) to medicinal purposes (it can be used to treat diabetes, stomach ailments and a myriad of other calamaties). But for now, we'll focus on this wonderful cactus as a food source. Native to the southwest, the Prickly Pear cactus can be grilled, diced, used in salads, made into salsa, prepared as a side dish and other uses. The berries or "pears" can be prepared and made into juices, jellies, jams, syrups, and candies. Just how does one go about this? If you don't live in the area, many of the prickly pear food products can be found at online giftshops.
You'll need a good thick pair of gloves to harvest the cactus and a good recipe to follow.
Remember, that both the pad and the pear of the cactus are used in cooking , so be sure that you know whether you want to prepare a main dish, side dish, or dessert when choosing a recipe. Give it a try and if all else fails, you can always buy from the online giftshops.