50 Best Plants on the Planet (17 page)

iron
6
%

¾
cup uncooked long-grain brown rice

2 corn tortillas

2 cups
½
-inch strips cleaned raw cactus leaves

3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

1 small red bell pepper, cored, seeded, finely diced

1 ear corn, kernels cut off cob (
¾
to 1 cup)

1 medium jalapeño, seeds and ribs discarded, minced

1
½
tablespoons cider vinegar

1 tablespoon chopped fresh cilantro

1 tablespoon chopped fresh Italian parsley

1 garlic clove, minced

Coarse salt (kosher or sea)

Freshly ground black pepper

6 romaine leaves

OPTIONAL GARNISH
¼
cup sliced radishes

1
.
Cook the rice according to the package directions. Spread it out on a rimmed baking sheet to cool.

2
.
Preheat the oven to
375
degrees F. Cut the tortillas into
¼
-inch strips. Place them on a rimmed baking sheet in a single layer. Bake on the middle oven rack until crisp and lightly browned,
10
to
11
minutes. Set aside to cool.

3
.
Preheat the grill to medium-high heat. In a large bowl, toss the cactus with
1
½
tablespoons of the oil. Spread the mixture in a grill basket or on a grill rack. Do not wash the bowl. Grill until the cactus is slightly charred and softened, about
5
minutes. Return them to the bowl.

4
.
Add the remaining
1
½
tablespoons oil, the bell pepper, corn, jalapeño, vinegar, cilantro, parsley, and garlic; stir to combine. Add the rice; toss. Season with salt and pepper; toss.

5
.
Spoon the salad into the romaine leaves. Top with the tortilla strips and the radishes, if desired.

Using a knife and fork to eat an open-faced sandwich doesn't diminish the joy, especially if two elements are in play. A sandwich with only one piece of bread requires bread that is really tasty to start; brushing it with a wee bit of olive oil and toasting gives it more flavor and appealing crunchiness. Second, the topping must be delicious and have interesting contrasting textures. These open-faced beauties fit the bill.

Yields
4
servings

NUTRITIONAL INFORMATION

(per serving)

calories
260

fat calories
150

total fat (g)
17

sat fat (g)
7

cholesterol (mg)
25

sodium (mg)
340

total carbohydrates (g)
18

fiber (g)
2

sugars (g)
4

protein (g)
10

vitamin A IUs
6
%

vitamin C
2
%

calcium
25
%

iron
6
%

2 cups
½
-inch strips cleaned raw cactus leaves

½
medium red onion, thinly sliced

2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

Coarse salt (kosher or sea)

Freshly ground black pepper

1
½
tablespoons seasoned rice vinegar

1 tablespoon chopped fresh cilantro

4 slices rustic whole-grain bread, about
⅜
inch thick

1 garlic clove, peeled

8 ounces pepper Jack cheese, thinly sliced

1
.
Preheat a grill to medium-high heat.

2
.
In a bowl, toss together the cactus, onion, and
1
½
tablespoons of the oil. Season with salt and pepper. Spread the mixture in a grill basket or on a grill pan. Do not wash the bowl. Grill until the vegetables are slightly charred and softened, about
5
minutes. Return them to the bowl and toss with the vinegar and cilantro.

3
.
Brush one side of each piece of bread with the remaining
½
tablespoon oil. Grill the bread, oiled-side down, until golden. Rub the browned sides with the garlic. Place the bread toasted-side up and top with the cactus-onion mixture and cheese. Place on the grill and close the lid. Grill just long enough to melt the cheese, about
1
minute; watch carefully because bread burns easily. Serve hot.

The prickly skinned fruit of the opuntia cactus are filled at their core with seeds. Those edible seeds vary in their rigidity; some are soft and only slightly crisp, while others are hard and too much of a challenge to chew. The skin and flesh can be either green or magenta, with a taste that is similar to watermelon—juicy with a floral scent.

As with their parent plants, cactus pears contain an array of plant chemicals that help the body ward off disease and dysfunction. In addition to antioxidants and fiber, the healthful chemicals are thought to help prevent cell death and cancer-cell development. The magenta-red variety, which has an abundance of anthocyanins and proanthocyanins, has a high ORAC (oxygen radical absorbance capacity) value.

NUTRITIONAL INFORMATION

(per
1
cup raw red cactus pear, chopped)

calories
61

fat calories
6

total fat (g)
1

sat fat (g)
0

cholesterol (mg)
0

sodium (mg)
7

total carbohydrates (g)
14

fiber (g)
5

sugars (g) less than
1

protein (g)
1

vitamin A IUs
1
%

vitamin C
35
%

calcium
8
%

iron
2
%

The types of anthocyanins in cactus pears help improve immunity. They also improve the function of the infection-fighting white blood cells.

The anti-inflammatory factors in cactus pears have demonstrated promise for being effective against the type of inflammation response now associated with obesity. And they are a good source of vitamin C.

Year-round

The fruit should give to gentle pressure but shouldn't be mushy. If it is too firm, ripen at room temperature for a few days. Ripe fruit, dry and unwashed, can be refrigerated up to
6
days.

Wear gloves to protect your hands from barbs. To peel, cut off both ends; using a small knife, make shallow lengthwise cuts about
3
inches apart. Starting at one end, grasp the peel between a gloved thumb and knife, pull off the skin, and discard it. The seeds may be soft enough to eat, but often they are hard and the fruit needs to be strained. If you know in advance that you will be straining the fruit, you don't need to peel it; cut it in half from top to bottom and scoop out the flesh with a spoon (discard peel). To make strained purée, coarsely chop the peeled fruit. Place a medium-mesh strainer over a bowl and press the chopped fruit through the strainer using the back of a large spoon (discard seeds and residue left in the strainer). The purée can be frozen.

Most often consumed raw, cactus pears are delicious in a cooked dessert sauce. Combine
2
cups strained purée and
¼
cup agave syrup in a small saucepan. Cook on medium heat, stirring frequently, until the mixture reduces to
1
cup. Let cool. Stir together
¾
cup raw strained purée,
1
tablespoon fresh lime juice, and
¼
teaspoon ground cinnamon. Spoon the sauce over oatmeal or chill it and serve atop frozen yogurt or ice cream.

Peel and quarter
4
to
5
cactus pears. Put them in a blender with
2
cups water and
½
cup agave syrup; whirl until smooth. Pour through a sieve into a large pitcher, pressing down the pulp in the sieve. Discard the seeds and residue. Stir in water to taste, about
4
to
6
cups. Taste and adjust as needed, adding more agave syrup or a little fresh lime juice to suit your taste. Serve over ice.

Combine
½
cup strained purée,
¼
cup extra-virgin olive oil, and
3
tablespoons balsamic vinegar, and season with garlic salt; whisk to combine. Spoon over grilled shrimp, sliced grilled pork tenderloin, or grilled peaches or nectarines.

In a blender, combine
4
ounces tequila blanco,
2
ounces orange liqueur,
3
ounces strained cactus purée (magenta variety preferred),
1
ounce fresh lime juice, and
1
cup ice. Cover and whirl until slushy. Garnish with a lime slice.

In very moderate amounts, tequila, lime juice, and agave syrup give this fruit salad luscious appeal. If possible, make it
3
or
4
hours in advance, then cover and refrigerate. The chilling time will give the fruit a chance to absorb the cocktail-style flavors.

Yields
12
servings

NUTRITIONAL INFORMATION

(per serving)

calories
60

fat calories
0

total fat (g)
0

sat fat (g)
0

cholesterol (mg)
0

sodium (mg)
10

total carbohydrates (g)
15

fiber (g)
2

sugars (g)
12

protein (g)
1

vitamin A IUs
30
%

vitamin C
60
%

calcium
2
%

iron
2
%

½
cantaloupe or casaba melon, cubed or scooped into balls (about 3 cups)

½
pineapple, peeled, cored, cubed (about 2
½
cups)

 1
½
cups cubed seedless watermelon

1 mango, peeled, seeded, cubed (about 1
¼
cups)

2 cactus pears, peeled, halved lengthwise, cut crosswise into
½
-inch slices (if large, hard seeds are present, remove them with the tip of a small knife)

8 strawberries, halved if small, quartered if large

2 tablespoons agave syrup

1 tablespoon tequila

1 lime, zested and juiced

1 tablespoon minced fresh mint

OPTIONAL GARNISH
coarse sea salt, such as fleur de sel