The Prickly Pear Cookbook

by Niethammer, Carolyn J.

• ISBN13: 9781887896566
• ISBN10: 1887896562
• Format: Paperback
• Copyright: 2004-05-01
• Publisher: Rio Nuevo Pub

Summary

Like chocolate, corn, tomatoes, potatoes, and chile, prickly pear cacti are one of the true treasures of the Americas. As a food, prickly pear is delicious, nutritious, and increasingly believed to be medicinal. Native Americans have enjoyed it for thousands of years, but transplants now flourish worldwide, particularly around the Mediterranean.But how do you transform a live pincushion into a delicious smoothie, cool salad, or a pie as pink and airy as the desert dawn? In her unique, beautiful cookbook Carolyn Niethammer has collected 56 enticing international recipes for the succulent fruit and tender green pads (or "nopalitos") of the prickly pear. A wild-food expert and master cook, she guides readers all the way from cactus patch to casserole, from easy spine removal techniques to Prickly Pear Barbecue Shrimp with Roasted Corn and Black Bean Relish. Other highlights of this marvelous collection are such simple yet sensational delights as Easy Nopalito Salsa, Sabra Souffle, Chicken Yucatan, Prickly Pear Gelato, Prickly Pear Kuchen, and Prickly Pear Wine.

Table of Contents

Introduction	7	(18)
THE BASICS	25	(91)
Beverages	35	(8)
Appetizers	43	(10)
Salads and Dressings	53	(8)
Baked Goods, Preserves, and Sauces	61	(14)
Main Dishes and Side Dishes	75	(26)
Desserts	101	(15)
Sources	116	(1)
Index	117