Nopal Timbale Recipes

PASTINA TIMBALE

Steps:

• Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil over high heat. Brush 8 (12-ounce) ramekins or 1 large oven-safe bowl with butter and set aside.
• Heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil in a saucepan and saute sausage until browned.
• Meanwhile, combine 2 tablespoons of the oil and the minced garlic in a medium skillet over medium heat. Cook until the garlic is light brown, about 2 minutes, stirring occasionally.
• Add the bread crumbs to the skillet and stir them every minute for 3 to 5 minutes until the crumbs are lightly toasted. Season with salt and pepper. Add 1/4 cup of the parsley and 1/4 cup of the Parmesan. Cook for 30 seconds.
• Pour the bread crumb mixture into the prepared ramekins or bowl and press around the sides to line with the bread crumb mixture, using your fingers to evenly distribute it along the bottom and up the sides.
• While the Pastina Timbale Sauce is simmering, cook the pastina in the boiling salted water until just shy of al dente, about 9 minutes. Drain the pastina in a colander.
• Reheat the sauce, if needed, and add the drained pastina and then the browned sausage. Add the remaining 1/4 cup of parsley, and remaining 3/4 cup Parmesan. Season with salt and pepper, to taste. Stir to combine. Transfer the pastina mixture to the lined ramekins (1 1/4 cups per ramekin) or large bowl. Allow to cool for 10 minutes.
• Invert the molded pastina timbale onto warmed individual serving plates, and serve.
• Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.
• In a bowl, toss tomatoes and whole jalapeno chiles with 1 tablespoon of the olive oil; season with salt and pepper, to taste. Place tomato mixture on a cookie sheet and roast in oven for 15 or 20 minutes or until slightly browned. Remove from heat and finely chop the tomatoes. Transfer tomato pulp and any juices from the cutting board to a bowl. Chop the chiles and taste to determine their heat.
• Heat the remaining 2 tablespoons olive oil in a large saute pan over medium heat until hot. Add the onion, season with salt, and saute until softened, about 2 minutes. Add the garlic and oregano and stir. Add the chiles and simmer for another minute, only adding as much jalapeno as you want for spice. Add the tomatoes and their juice and bring to a boil over high heat. Lower the heat to medium and simmer until thickened, about 10 minutes. Add the vinegar and stir in the Gorgonzola. Stir in the roasted peppers and the parsley. Season, to taste, with salt and pepper. Keep warm until ready to serve.

SPINACH TIMBALE

Steps:

• Pre heat oven to 180 C (350 F).
• Melt the butter in a pan, saute the onion and cook until soft but not brown.
• Add the spinach and cook for a further 5 minutes until soft, stirring once or twice.
• Add the milk and cream and heat gently without boiling.
• Beat the eggs in a bowl, take the spinach mixture off the heat and add the eggs, cheese, breadcrumbs, nutmeg, salt and pepper.
• Transfer the mixture to a greased 1.1 litre (2 pint) ring mould (Bundt tin) and cover the mould with foil.
• Place the ring mould in a roasting dish that is half filled with hot water.
• Bake at 180 C (350 F) for 1 1/4 hours until it is firm to the touch and a knife inserted in the middle comes out clean.
• Turn the Timbale out onto a flat serving dish and garnish with slices of tomato.

TIMBALES

Steps:

• Heat oil in deep-fryer or heavy deep skillet to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C).
• In a medium bowl, whisk together the evaporated milk, sugar, salt, water and egg. Gradually mix in the flour.
• Dip a rosette iron into the batter, then into the hot oil. Fry until golden, and drain on paper towels. Dust with confectioners' sugar before completely cool.

NOPALITOS CON PAPAS

Steps:

• Heat the vegetable oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the potatoes, cover, and cook, stirring occasionally until they begin to soften, about 10 minutes. Stir in the nopalitos, onion, tomato, and jalapeno. Season to taste with salt, and continue cooking and stirring until the onion has softened and turned translucent, and the potatoes are tender, about 10 minutes more.

TECHNIQUE OF PREPARING NOPALES

Steps:

• Lay the nopal paddle on a flat surface. With a sharp knife, trim the base of the paddle.
• Trim around the outside edge of the paddle with the tip of the knife.
• Carefully slice the thorny nods from the trimmed nopal paddle.
• Clean nopal cactus paddle in water.
• Cut the cleaned cactus paddle into 1/2-inch slices, widthwise, or diagonally across the paddle.

SAUTEED NOPALES

Steps:

• If cactus paddles still have thorns, grasp with a gloved hand or pair of tongs and shave with a sharp knife (be sure to peel just the thorns). Rinse under cold water.
• To cut nopales, hold paddle in your hand and shave off 2-inch-long slivers with a knife, turning paddle every few cuts so that pieces remain uniform.
• Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add nopales and half of the chopped onions. Boil briskly for 10 to 15 minutes or until tender. Drain and rinse in 2 changes of cold water.
• In a large saute pan over medium heat, cook remaining onion with the garlic in the oil until soft, about 5 minutes. Add nopales, tomatoes, and chiles, season with salt, and cook for about 10 minutes. Sprinkle in cilantro and remove from heat. Serve hot or at room temperature.