Sometimes when I’m having trouble coming up with something new and interesting, all it takes is a trip to a market that’s not in my usual repertoire of shops. On this particular occasion, I decided to trek out to Essex Market. It’s an indoor public market in the Lower East Side that houses an eclectic collection of shops including a butcher, a fishmonger, a cheesemonger, some Latin American grocers and a TV repair shop.
There, I spotted a these gorgeous green pads of Nopal, which I couldn’t resist. Still wondering what I was going to do with my newly acquired prickly veggies, I headed over to Saxelby Cheesemongers. The thing I like about this cheese shop is that they don’t have an overwhelming selection like some places in Manahattan, and yet they always seem to have something special and delicious.
I picked up a wedge of True Blue, and it wasn’t until I got out onto the street that it occurred to me that my two random purchases might work together. There, on the chewing gum strewn sidewalk, the idea of cactus canapés was born.
When brushed with olive oil and grilled, nopales make the perfect flat foil that can be cut to almost any shape and topped with various things. After having a bite with just the nopal and cheese, I realized it needed something to bridge the gap between the tartness of the nopal and the brine of the cheese, perhaps something a little sweet. In keeping with the cactus theme, I drizzled a bit of agave nectar on each piece, which did the trick.
Units
Ingredients
- 2 nopales
- olive oil
- salt
- Roquefort cheese (such as Ewe's Blue)
- Agave nectar
Instructions
- Clean the nopales of any remaining spines by placing each segment on a flat surface and running the back side of your knife from the top to the bottom. Be sure to get all around the edges as well. Once you've removed all the spines, wash them off and dry them.
- Brush the nopales with olive oil and sprinkle some salt on each one. Put them on a grill or under a broiler until cooked through and lightly browned.
- Slice each segment into bite size pieces and top with a piece of Roquefort and a drizzle of agave nectar.
Notes
lisaiscooking says
Very cool! I like this combination. And, I have plenty of prickly pear pieces that need pruning in my front yard. This dish came about at just the right time!
Christina@DeglazeMe says
Simple, elegant, and so very creative.
Natasha aka 5 Star Foodie says
Very unusual ingredient! Curious about how Nopales tastes. Sounds good with Roquefort.
chiara.u says
Mmmm I can’t imagine to eat something that I know only as an ornamental plant… I don’t have an idea of where I could buy it here in Italy… I suppose I must travel to New York also for this reason!!!!
(the party for 30 was a success!)
Bye 🙂
manggy says
There’s something about the simplicity of having only a handful of ingredients that makes me think the recipe has a Japanese feel, even though none of the ingredients have anything to do with it. Very zen 🙂 The minimal presentation is also quite beautiful 🙂
Jenni Field says
Love the thought process, Marc! Simple and lovely, and the addition of a bit of agave nectar, while seemingly obvious, really is genius.
And now you know where to go when your TV wigs out, too!
lisaiscooking says
Very cool! I like this combination. And, I have plenty of prickly pear pieces that need pruning in my front yard. This dish came about at just the right time!
Christina@DeglazeMe says
Simple, elegant, and so very creative.
Jenni Field says
Love the thought process, Marc! Simple and lovely, and the addition of a bit of agave nectar, while seemingly obvious, really is genius.
And now you know where to go when your TV wigs out, too!
the wicked noodle says
How inspiring! I’d love to take more risks in my cooking; your blog is definitely helping to move me in that direction. These look divine!
Leela says
Since I have never had nopales, I’m having a hard time imagining the flavor and texture. But I know that Roguefort and agave nectar go very well together. You’ve piqued my curiosity. I happen to be surrounded by nopales (and rattlesnakes too, for that matter) in my current location; finding the ingredients won’t be a problem.
This is so not fair. I’ve found myself on a gum-strewn sidewalk lots of times and never once been hit by any good ideas.
the wicked noodle says
How inspiring! I’d love to take more risks in my cooking; your blog is definitely helping to move me in that direction. These look divine!
Leela says
Since I have never had nopales, I’m having a hard time imagining the flavor and texture. But I know that Roguefort and agave nectar go very well together. You’ve piqued my curiosity. I happen to be surrounded by nopales (and rattlesnakes too, for that matter) in my current location; finding the ingredients won’t be a problem.
This is so not fair. I’ve found myself on a gum-strewn sidewalk lots of times and never once been hit by any good ideas.
Kim says
I’ve been looking for appetizers using Roquefort cheese and this is one of the most exotic ones I’ve seen. Very creative and I guess I better find out what agave nectar is (I live in such a bubble). You photos are so very inspiring.
Kim says
I’ve been looking for appetizers using Roquefort cheese and this is one of the most exotic ones I’ve seen. Very creative and I guess I better find out what agave nectar is (I live in such a bubble). You photos are so very inspiring.