Grilled Nopales en Chile Rojo
Updated June 16, 2021
- Total Time
- 55 minutes
- Rating
- Comments
- Read comments
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Ingredients
- 2½pounds nopales (6 to 8 large paddles)
- 7medium dried guajillo chiles, stemmed, seeded and rinsed
- 2medium beefsteak tomatoes, quartered
- 2garlic cloves, peeled
- Salt
- 1tablespoon neutral-flavored oil, plus more if needed
- ½teaspoon ground cumin
- ¼cup pepitas, toasted
- ¼cup cilantro leaves
- Sal de colima or flaky finishing salt, for serving
- 12corn tortillas, for serving
Nutritional analysis per serving (4 servings)
296 calories; 10 grams fat; 1 gram saturated fat; 0 grams trans fat; 4 grams monounsaturated fat; 4 grams polyunsaturated fat; 46 grams carbohydrates; 12 grams dietary fiber; 6 grams sugars; 11 grams protein; 1005 milligrams sodium
Note: The information shown is Edamam’s estimate based on available ingredients and preparation. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.
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Preparation
- Step 1
Most markets sell nopales already despined and cleaned. If the paddles still have their spines, remove them: Hold a paddle by its stem and run a sharp knife along the skin, moving it away from you to scrape off spines. Then flip it over and repeat. Trim off the outer edges to remove any small spines, then cut off the stem. Repeat with all of the paddles. Rinse off the nopales, checking for any remaining spines and removing them. Pat dry. If cooking outdoors, prepare a charcoal grill or heat a gas grill to medium-high.
- Step 2
Bring 2 cups water to a boil in a medium saucepan. Add the chiles, tomatoes, garlic and a pinch of salt. Cover partially, reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer until the chiles have rehydrated and the garlic and tomatoes have softened, 15 to 20 minutes.
- Step 3
While the chile mixture is simmering, grill the nopales. If cooking outdoors, place the nopales on the hot grate and grill, turning once, until pliable and slightly charred, about 10 minutes. If cooking indoors on a gas stove, turn the burners to medium-high heat and cook the nopales directly over the flame on the stove grates. Using heat-proof tongs and working in batches, place the nopales on the grates and move them around the flames until slightly charred, flipping once so they cook evenly, about 10 minutes. If using an electric stove, heat a comal or large pan over medium-high heat and lightly coat it with oil if you like. Cook, turning once, until evenly charred, about 10 minutes. Transfer to a cutting board to cool.
- Step 4
While the nopales cool, use a slotted spoon to transfer the rehydrated chiles, softened garlic and tomatoes to a blender or food processor with the cumin and 1 cup of the cooking water. Blend until completely smooth.
- Step 5
Slice the cooled nopales into ¼-inch-wide strips that are 2 to 3 inches long. Heat a medium skillet over medium heat. Heat 1 tablespoon oil, then add the sliced nopales and a couple pinches of salt. Stir every now and then until the nopales are tender, have released their slime and that slime has evaporated, about 5 minutes.
- Step 6
Reduce the heat to medium-low and pour in the chile mixture. Mix well, then simmer until the sauce has slightly thickened and the flavors have married, 10 to 15 minutes. Taste for seasoning and add more salt as needed (remembering that you’re garnishing with salt before serving).
- Step 7
While the nopales are simmering in the sauce, heat the tortillas on the grill or on the stove grates’ open flames until softened and lightly charred, about 1 minute per side. Stack and wrap them in a dish towel to keep them warm.
- Step 8
Remove the nopales from the heat and top with the toasted pepitas, cilantro leaves and flaky sal de colima. Serve with the charred tortillas.
Private Notes
Comments
I made this as written and it was a huge hit with a big wow factor for our guests. It will feel like you're buying way too many nomales, but they really reduce while cooking. We topped the tacos with queso fresco and diced avocado for a richer flavour. The leftover guajillo sauce was served with breakfast the next morning. Perfection!
Tip #2: sometimes nopales are too slimy. One way to tame the mucílage is to cut the pads into strips or small dice. Heat enough water to cover the nopales to a boil, add enough salt for it to taste like the sea (about 3 tbs per litre). Turn off the heat and add the strips or dice. Let sit for ten minutes, drain, and rinse well. If you use less (or no) salt you can also drink the thick mucilage solution. It’s a great source of soluble fibre and vitamins A, C, B complex, potassium and calcium.
I love nopales and can’t wait to try this recipe. There is an easier (less risky) way to remove the thorns from the paddles. If you have a gas range or a gas blowtorch, like those used for crime brûlée, sing the thorns thoroughly. They are very dry, so they’ll burn readily. Once they are all burnt, proceed with a sharp knife as directed by the recipe.
I was disappointed. This ended up being so acidic it was hard to eat. I tried adding fat to it, adding umami, more salt, etc. It tasted like acidic grass.
Roasted in oven, then broiled. Sauce is only fine.
This was a big hit at the taco party I brought them to! I used about 9 guajillo chiles, a couple chile de arbol, and a bit more garlic than called for in the sauce. I didn't bother deseeding any of the chiles because we like heat, but most of the seeds fell out into the cooking water anyway. I cooked the nopales on the flames of the gas burner until they were quite charred. That reduced the time needed in the second step to get rid of the mucilage. We will definitely be making this again.
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