Salt-Cured Nopales with Plums and Feta
Summertime sadness. Baby, I did not love nopales.
Summertime sadness
I just wanted you to know
That baby, I did not love nopales
I had given up on finding anything reminiscent of love for boiled or grilled nopales. When boiled, nopales turn dull green and stay sour in a way that never thrilled me. When grilled, they *almost* reach their peak potential with the aid of smoke and charred flavor.
But all of this changed when I started curing nopales with salt.
They keep a beautiful bright green color and the sourness gets balanced by the generous salting. The method —explained in the recipe steps—is one that requires some planning ahead, but one that is completely unattended, and asks nothing of you other than low effort and high rewards.
After the nopales are cured, they go for a summertime treatment. They are combined with lightly pickled shallots, and macerated plums tossed in a tarragon vinaigrette. Sheep’s milk feta is crumbled for a rich and tangy bite that goes so nicely with creamy avocado. Fresh fennel or dill is scattered at the end because baby, nopales are the best.
Summertime tunes from my trip along the Oregon coast with my best girl, Kelly. Lots of Lana del Rey, Marlena Shaw, Lauryn Hill, The Marías, Imogen Heap, and Feist for a hot girl summer.
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