Nopales and Red Bell Pepper Saute with Quinoa
Recently I went to the new supermarket, Mi Tierra, (on High and above International) that people have been talking about, in Oakland’s “barrio”. It was close to Cinco de Mayo and the music was festive, the colors were bright, racks and racks of flayed chickens were being grilled out in front of the store, and I left there calling it “the happy store.” The butcher cases were full of organ meats, chicken feet, and many cuts of meat I didn’t recognize. There was a huge case of Mexican style cheeses, and two cases of prepared foods. I couldn’t figure out how to order but was content to just look at everything. And in the vegetable/fruit department, I found a bag of already prepared and diced nopales. The spiny cactus leaves would usually have to be shorn of spines and scrubbed with a green nylon scrubbing pad, then diced. I got a bag, probably a half pound for $1.79.
1 bag (half pound) prepared diced nopales (cactus)
1/2 large onion
3 cloves garlic
1 red bell pepper
oregano, salt, pepper
2/3 c. quinoa
rotisserie chicken
asparagus
yellow beets
I sauted onions till soft, added garlic, then bell pepper. When these were well along, I added the nopales. The red and green made it look very Christmasy. I sprinkled oregano, salt and pepper over the mixture, and let it cook on low for about 15 minutes, stirring occasionally while I prepared the quinoa.
I added boiling water to generously cover the quinoa in small sauce pan and kept an eye on it while it simmered, for 10-12 minutes. When it was close to being done, I drained the extra water, and then let it steam with the heat off and cover on for another 10 minutes.
Serve the nopales mixture over quinoa. The pleasing graininess and chewiness of the quinoa seems to go well with the slightly slippery texture of the nopales. I served a rotisserie chicken from Mi Tierra with the quinoa and nopales, and we had steamed asparagus and marinated yellow beets on the side.
Supermercado Y Carniceria MI Tierra: No 1
1470 High St
Oakland, CA 94601
(510) 536-6328
