The spineless cacti in the front yard were enjoying the weather and a fairly wet Spring in Central Texas. The tops of the pads had sprouted tens of tender young pads, or "nopalitos" in Spanish. Perhaps you've eaten at a Mexican restaurant where nopalitos were on the menu. I'd describe them as similar in texture to well-cooked green beans, but with flavors that depend upon what other things were in the pan, such as onions, tomatoes, and/or chiles.
This afternoon, when I opened the door to my house after a ring. a couple of guys who had been working most of the week on the groundwork for the foundation of the house under construction across the street were standing there. One was evidently the translator for the other who was interested in the nopalitos that were growing near the mailbox in my front yard.
Yes, he was welcome to take the nopalitos he was interested in, the larger pads among the fresh green ones covered with fleshy, immature spines. They would be freshly picked and much better than the grocery stores offered. He told me that that las tiendas did not have such good nopalitos and I told him "buen provecho".
Speaking of green beans...
I've come up with a new recipie for them...
Get a good mess of tender green beans. Cleaned, and snapped.
Hot fry, in olive oil, with lots of salt.
They can be served along side scrambled eggs, or with fresh mexican corn bread.
I wonder how your "nopalitos" would fare, in this environment.
I don't like, or eat green beans... But fresh, young, and fried, they are pretty good!
