Ona's 3 Bean Nopales Cactus Salad

An old family recipe handed down from a wonderful family friend, this salad is light in calories, tastes great, and with a Southwestern influence.

When you have the time, substitute fresh seasonal vegetables for the canned vegetables. Simply blanch in salted boiling water for two minutes until slightly tender, then rinse under cold water and drain well. For additional color and flavor, try adding grilled corn kernels or grill the nopales with lemon juice, garlic and olive oil.

Vegetarian Side Dish Salad • Yields 12 Cups • Prep Time: 15 min.

Ingredients

Salad:

• 1 pound nopales, cleaned, seeded and sliced thin
• 4 cloves garlic, whole
• 1 large red onion, peeled
• 1 large red bell pepper, seeded, sliced thin
• 1 - 12 oz. can wax beans
• 2 - 12 oz. can kidney beans
• 1 - 12 oz. can green beans
• 1 - 12 oz. can garbanzo beans

Salad Dressing:

• 1/3 cup olive oil
• 1/2 cup vinegar
• 1/4 cup sugar

Preparation:

1. Simmer the sliced nopales in salted, boiling water with garlic and red onion for 15 minutes. Add a pinch of baking soda to extract the sticky liquid from the nopales. Rinse well to cool, then slice garlic and red onion.
2. Drain and rinse the beans; mix with the sliced peppers, sliced red onions and sliced nopales.
3. In a small bowl, whisk together the dressing. Taste and adjust the level of vinegar/sugar. Pour over vegetables, toss together, then chill, preferably overnight. Stir occasionally to distribute the flavors.