Nopalicious: 90 Recipes for Cooking with Nopales

Nopal cactus, also known as nopales or prickly pear, has been a staple food in Mexican and Latin American cuisine for centuries. With its unique taste and texture, nopales can be used in a variety of dishes, from tacos and salads to soups and stews. Nopalicious: 90 Recipes for Cooking with Nopales is a cookbook filled with delicious recipes that showcase this versatile ingredient.

Nopalicious is the brainchild of Chef Enrique Olvera, one of Mexico's most renowned chefs and the owner of Pujol, a highly acclaimed restaurant in Mexico City. Chef Olvera has travelled extensively throughout Mexico and Latin America, learning about local cuisines and traditions. One ingredient that has always fascinated him is nopales, and he believes that it is an ingredient that is often overlooked but has a lot of potential.

This cookbook is a celebration of nopales and its many uses. It includes 90 recipes that have been carefully selected and curated by Chef Olvera. Each recipe has been tested and perfected to ensure that it is easy to follow and yields delicious results.

The book begins with an introduction to nopales, including its history, nutritional benefits, and how to select and prepare it. Chef Olvera also shares his tips for cooking with nopales and how to incorporate it into your everyday meals.

The recipes in Nopalicious are divided into chapters based on the type of dish, including soups, salads, tacos, stews, and more. Each recipe is accompanied by a beautiful photograph that showcases the dish's vibrant colors and textures.

Some of the recipes in Nopalicious include the classic Mexican dish chiles rellenos, which is filled with a mixture of nopales and cheese, and the refreshing cactus salad with avocado and tomatoes. The cookbook also includes more innovative dishes such as the vegetarian nopales ceviche and the spicy chicken tinga with nopales.

Nopalicious is not just a cookbook for those who are familiar with Mexican cuisine. Chef Olvera has made sure that the recipes are approachable and easy to follow for any home cook, regardless of their skill level. The recipes are also adaptable for those with dietary restrictions. Many of the recipes are vegetarian or can easily be made so by substituting the meat with plant-based alternatives.

Throughout the cookbook, Chef Olvera highlights different regional variations of dishes that use nopales. This serves to showcase the diversity of Mexican cuisine and how it varies from region to region.

In addition to the recipes, Nopalicious also includes a glossary of Mexican ingredients and cooking terms. This is helpful for anyone who is new to Mexican cuisine and wants to learn more about the ingredients and techniques used in the recipes.

Overall, Nopalicious: 90 Recipes for Cooking with Nopales is a must-have cookbook for anyone who loves Mexican cuisine or wants to experiment with new ingredients. Chef Olvera's passion for nopales shines through in every recipe, and his dedication to showcasing its versatility and flavor is evident in the diverse range of dishes featured in the book.