Prickly Pear Cactus Recipes
NATALIE’S PRICKLY PEAR BBQ SAUCE
1 ¼ c. prickly pear nectar or juice
¾ c. frozen apple juice concentrate
½ c. diced green bell peppers
½ c. apple cider vinegar
½ c. red chile paste or 1t. red chile powder or less
2 T. fresh roasted green chiles
1 T. diced fresh jalapenos
1 envelope unflavored gelatin or 1/16 t. xanthan gum (health food store)
4 t. soy sauce & pinch of salt
Blend all ingredients & simmer 20 mins. until thick. Use on any type of meat or freeze for later.
PRICKLY PEAR BREAD
1 ½ c. unbleached flour
1 egg + 1 c. pecans chopped
1 ½ c. whole wheat flour
2 T. grated orange rind
3 t. baking powder
¾ c. p. pear fruit pieces
½ t. salt
¼ c. orange juice
1/8 t. mace
½ c. milk
¼ c. honey
½ t. vanilla
Mix dry ingredients. In separate bowl cream butter & honey. Beat in egg. Mix in rest of ingredients. Fold wet mixture into dry. Bake for 1 hour in 9 by 5 inch loaf pan at 350 F.
PRICKLY PEAR & APPLE BUTTER
2 apples (unpeeled and chopped)
1 large orange for ½ c. juice & 1T. grated peel
1 c. prickly pear fruit pieces
Simmer apples and o.j. in heavy bottomed saucepan for 20 mins. Blend until smooth and pulse with prickly pear pieces. Return to pot and stir in grated orange peel. Cook carefully to desired thickness. Transfer to freshly washed jars. Refrigerate.
PRICKLY PEAR PUNCH – 2 versions
1 12-ounce bottle prickly pear nectar or juice
1 6-ounce can frozen apple juice concentrate
1 33-ounce bottle carbonated water
- OR -
1 6-ounce can frozen orange juice concentrate
1 ½ c. prickly pear juice or nectar
1 ½ c. pineapple juice
¼ c. freshly squeezed lemon juice
1 28-ounce bottle ginger ale
In pitcher mix nectar and frozen juice. Chill. Place in punch bowl. Before serving add ice cold carbonated water. Mint and fruit ice ring optional.
Prickly Pear Margaritas
6 ounces tequila, 4 ounces Triple Sec, 4 ounces lime juice, 2 ounces prickly pear nectar, 1 ounce orange juice. Sweeten to taste with sugar or agave nectar. Blend with 4 cups ice.
PRICKLY PEAR SMOOTHIE (2 large glasses)
1 or 2 T. chia seeds
1 c. apple or orange juice
½ c. prickly pear juice or nectar
1 c. frozen berries or bananas
1 c. plain yogurt
2 t. honey
4 or 5 ice cubes
Soak chia in juice for ½ hour. Blend ingredients.
Prickly Pear Health Water
Pour prickly pear juice or nectar into ice cube tray and freeze. Pop a couple of magenta ice cubes into a glass of water or 2 to 4 t. nectar into a 16 oz. bottle of water. The chromium and vanadium help keep appetite suppressed while the potassium and minerals keep electrolytes balanced.
Prickly Pear Whip
1 envelope unflavored gelatin
¼ c. raw sugar
1 c. prickly pear nectar or juice
1 c. orange juice
2 T. lemon juice
1 c. plain yogurt
¼ c. chopped almonds.
Mix gelatin & raw sugar in bowl. Heat prickly pear juice to boil. Pour juice into gelatin mixture & stir till dissolved. Add citrus juice and chill. When partially thickened, stir in yogurt and nuts. Beat until frothy. Chill until firm. Serves 6.
CACTUS HONEY SHERBERT
3 medium very ripe peaches
½ c. honey
1 envelope unflavored gelatin
5 T. lemon juice
¼ c. cold water
½ c. whipping cream
2 ½ c. prickly pear puree or nectar
Plunge peaches into pot of boiling water for one minute. Transfer to bowl of cold water, slip off skins and slice. (1 ½ cups.) Sprinkle gelatin over water in small bowl. Combine 1 c. prickly pear puree with peach slices in medium saucepan and simmer 5 mins. Strain off 1 cup of liquid & cook this with honey until it dissolves. Add gelatin & lemon juice to honey and stir. Blend peaches and rest of juice. Combine w. gelatin/honey and cream if you have ice-cream maker. Chill. Pour into ice-cream maker. If no ice-cream maker, freeze mixture w/o cream until nearly hard. Break up and beat with electric mixer. Beat cream until stiff and fold in. Refreeze.
Prickly Pear Popsicles
2 c. prickly pear juice (or nectar)
2 T. lemon juice concentrate
1 c. water
½ c. sugar or agave nectar
Wash the pears and put in blender (stickers too) with one cup water. Blend, then strain through several layers of cheesecloth. Add lemon juice and sugar and freeze in plastic ice-pop makers.
Recipes Adapted from the following Cookbooks:
The Prickly Pear Cookbook by Carolyn Niethammer
Prickly Pear Cactus Medicine
From Furrow to Fire: Recipes from the Native Seeds/SEARCH Community
Fruits of the Desert by Sandal English
Baja Arizona Sustainable Agriculture, August 2007. For more information e-mail valerie.mccaffrey@bajaaz.org .
