Main Ingredients:

See below ingredients and instructions of the recipe

Cooking Preparation of the Recipe:

----------------------CACTUS PAD SALAD---------------------------
3 Oranges ...strips
6 lg Cactus pads ("nopales", 3 Red bell peppers
...trimmed (see Summer Melon 1/4 c Pumpkin seeds, lightly
...recipe) and cut into 3" ...toasted

------------------FIERY JALAPENO DRESSING-----------------------
6 tb Sunflower oil 1/4 ts Black pepper
3 tb Tarragon vinegar or other 1/2 ts Red chile powder
...herb-flavored vinegar 2 Green jalapeno peppers,
1/2 ts Salt ...seeded and finely chopped

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* On a warm summer day nothing is more appetizing than a light, *
* refreshing salad. In this one, the pleasing sweetness of oranges *
* balances the piquancy of the red peppers and the fiery flavor of *
* the jalapeno dressing. The pumpkin seeds add a nice crunch. *
*********************************************************************

Peel the oranges and cut into segments, removing the white pith.

Blanch the cactus pads in boiling salted water until they turn bright
green, 30 seconds to 1 minute. Rinse thoroughly until the gum washes
off the pads; drain well.

Roast, peel, and seed the bell peppers using one of the methods
below. Cut into 3-inch strips.

In a bowl toss together the oranges, cactus pad strips, red pepper
strips, and pumpkin seeds.

For the dressing, whisk together all the ingredients. Pour the
dressing over the salad, toss, and serve.

ROASTING METHODS:

The Oven Method: ~--------------- Preheat oven to 450 degrees F, place
peppers on a baking sheet, and bake 20-30 minutes. Turn peppers
frequently as they begin to brown until all sides are evenly
blistered and browned. Remove from the oven.

"Sweat" the peppers in a closed paper or plastic bag 5 to 10 minutes
until they are cool enough to handle. Peel each pepper from the tip
to the stem and discard the skins. If you are drying the peppers,
leave them whole at this point and continue with the drying process.
Otherwise, pull off the stems, remove the seeds and veins, and rinse
in water to remove stray seeds.

The Open-Flame Method: ~--------------------- Roast the whole fresh
peppers over a barbecue grill or a gas stove with the flame set at
medium-high. Turn the peppers with tongs every couple of minutes
until all parts are thoroughly charred.

Remove the peppers from the flame and soak them in ice water. Under
cold running water, run the charred skins off and discard.

This method is a better one to use than the oven method when you are
making stuffed peppers because the meat remains firm inside. If
using a pepper for stuffing or for cooking whole, leave on the stem
and make only one slit to remove the veins and seeds, stuff the
pepper, and reseal it.

The Frying Method: ~----------------- Put 1 inch vegetable oil in a
saucepan with sides high enough to protect you from spatters. Heat
until hot but not quite smoking, then gently drop in enough peppers
to cover the bottom of the pan. Turn with tongs as they begin to
blister. The skins will loosen as the peppers turn golden brown.
Remove from oil and drain on paper towels. When the peppers are cool
enough to handle, peel the skins from the stem to the tip and
discard. Slice the peppers lengthwise, remove the seeds, devein,
remove stems, and rinse.

Whichever method you use, the peppers can then be stored in plastic
bags in the refrigerator for 3 days, or frozen and kept for up to 6
months.

******************************************************************* *
Native American Cooking: Foods of the Southwest Indian Nations, * *
Lois Ellen Frank *
*******************************************************************
Submitted By JANIE YOUNG On 02-27-95

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