Guacamole Salad with Cactus
Serves 4: 1/2 cup guacamole and 1 cup lettuce per serving
2 Tbsp fresh lime juice (about 2 medium limes)
1 tsp acceptable vegetable oil
1 clove garlic, minced
1/4 tsp chili powder
1/8 tsp ground cumin
1/8 tsp black pepper
Dash of cayenne
2 small cactus pads
1 medium avocado, peeled, seeded, and diced
2 Italian plum tomatoes, diced
1/2 small red onion, chopped
4 cups shredded iceberg lettuce (about 1/2 head)
In a small bowl, combine the lime juice, vegetable oil, garlic,
chili powder, cumin, black pepper, and cayenne. Set aside.
With a vegetable peeler, shave off any stickers or eyes on the
cactus pads, making sure no stickers remain. Use the peeler to
remove any fibrous or dry parts of the pads. Thoroughly rinse
cactus pads under cold water.
Place whole cactus pads in a pan that is fitted with a steamer
rack and filled with water (to just below the rack). Bring the
water to a simmer. Steam cactus pads, covered, over medium-low
heat for 3 to 5 minutes, or until they reach the desired
tenderness (tender-crisp is preferred for this recipe). Plunge
the pads into ice-cold water to set the color and stop the
cooking. With a sharp knife, cut the pads into matchstick-size
strips.
In a large mixing bowl, combine the cactus pads, avocado, tomatoes,
and red onion. Place shredded lettuce on four plates, divide the
avocado mixture among the plates, and top with the reserved
dressing.
Cook’s Tip: The common Hass avocado is ripe when the pebbly skin
is dark and the fruit yields to gentle pressure near the stem end.
To ripen them quickly, place avocados in a paper bag for 1 or 2 days.
Once ripened, they will keep in the refrigerator for up to 10 days.
It is important to remove the small stem before cutting the avocado
open so it doesnt get scooped out with the green flesh. Cutting
the avocado into quarters lengthwise makes it easy to remove the
pit. If the avocado is ripe, you can easily peel the skin from
the flesh.
Calories: 106
Protein: 2 g
Carbohydrates: 9 g
Total Fat: 8 g
Saturated Fat: 1 g
Polyunsaturated Fat: 2 g
Monounsaturated Fat: 4 g
Cholesterol: 0 mg
Sodium: 20 mg
From the American Heart Association Around The World Cookbook,
Copyright 1996 by the American Heart Association.