Prickly Pear Grill Sauce Recipes

DOVES WITH PRICKLY PEAR BBQ SAUCE

Steps:

• Coat the doves in olive oil and salt well. Set aside at room temperature while you make the sauce.
• If you are using fresh prickly pears (also called tunas in Latin shops), remove the spines and chop. My friend Elise has good instructions on how to prepare prickly pears. If you prefer using syrup, you can buy it online or make your own prickly pear syrup.
• Heat the lard or oil in a medium, heavy pot over medium-high heat and add the grated onion. Cook this, stirring often, until the onion just barely begins to brown. Add the chiltepin or other chiles and then the tequila or mescal, the prickly pear juice, a little salt and the agave syrup, if using. If you are using prickly pear syrup, follow this sequence: Add the chiles, then the tequila and let this boil down by half. Then add the prickly pear syrup and a little salt.
• Turn the heat to low and let this simmer until the flavors meld, about 15 to 20 minutes. Add lime juice to taste, then buzz the sauce in a blender to puree the onion. Taste the sauce for salt and seasonings, then put it back on the stove and let it cook down to a glaze.
• Get your grill blazing hot. Arrange the doves, breast side up, on the grill and paint the doves with the sauce. Cook for 3 to 5 minutes with the grill lid open. Turn them on their sides and paint them again. Grill for a minute or two, just to get some caramelization on the skin and sauce. Flip and do the same with the other side. Finally, grill the doves on the breast side for 1 minute, just to brown. Take them off the grill, paint them one more time with the sauce and serve.

PRICKLY PEAR GRILL SAUCE

Steps:

• Add all ingredients except pear puree, lemon and salt and pepper to a small sauce pan and simmer over medium heat for 10-15 minutes or until vegetables are soft.
• Remove from heat and let rest 10 minutes.
• Puree in food processor and return to sauce pan.
• Add puree and simmer 5 minutes.
• Add squirt of lemon and salt & pepper to taste.

PORK TENDERLOIN WITH PRICKLY PEAR TEQUILA BBQ SAUCE

Steps:

• Preheat an outdoor grill to medium heat.
• Brush the pork tenderloins with oil. Season generously with salt and pepper.
• Use a clean cloth or rolled paper towels soaked with oil to season the grill. Grill the tenderloins, turning as necessary to mark them well on all sides. Use a basting brush to coat the tenderloins with sauce. Turn the tenderloins about every 2 minutes and reapply sauce to ensure even caramelization. Cook until an instant-read thermometer inserted in the center registers 145 degrees F (for medium doneness) to 160 degrees F (for well done).
• Remove the tenderloins to a wire rack or plate to rest. Rest in a warm place for at least 5 to 7 minutes. Bring leftover sauce to a simmer and cook for 5 minutes. Slice and serve with sauce for dipping or drizzling.
• Coat the whole red onions with canola oil and roast until inside layers are very soft, about 1 hour. Peel the onions and discard outer layers if blackened. Place in blender with prickly pear cactus puree and blend at high speed until completely smooth. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
• Heat 1 tablespoon of butter in a saucepan over medium heat. Saute minced onions until lightly caramelized, about 5 minutes. Add coriander, cumin, pepper flakes, serrano, garlic, and lime zest. Cook until fragrant, about 2 minutes.
• Add Worcestershire, tequila, cider vinegar and lime juice. Cook over medium-high heat until reduced by half.
• Stir in onion/cactus fruit puree, water and salt, to taste, and bring to a simmer.
• Remove from heat and swirl in the remaining butter. The sauce may be blended to achieve a smoother consistency or left as it is.

GRILLED DUCK BREAST WITH PRICKLY PEAR BBQ SAUCE

Steps:

• Combine BBQ sauce ingredients; simmer for one hour. Cover and place in refrigerator until cold, about 2 hours. Reserve 1 cup of BBQ sauce for basting.
• Pour remaining BBQ sauce over duck breasts. Marinate covered in the refrigerator for 1/2 hour. Turn breasts over; marinate for 1/2 hour more. Remove breasts; discard marinade.
• Preheat grill. On a well oiled grill, cook duck, skin side down, 7 minutes. Flip breast over, cook 3 minutes. While grilling, baste with reserved sauce. If needed, finish cooking in a 350°F oven to bring internal temperature to 155°F.
• Let duck breast rest 2 minutes. Slice duck breast across the grain. Fan slices on plate. Serve with cilantro garlic potato puree and green chile black beans. Garnish with parsley and habaneros.

CRIMSON PRICKLY PEAR SAUCE

Steps:

• Cut a 1/2-inch slice off both ends of the prickly pears, then make a 1/2-inch deep incision down the side of each one. Carefully (remember there are little stickers) peel off the rind, starting from your incision: The rind is thick, and, if the fruit is ripe, will peel easily away from the central core. Roughly chop the peeled prickly pears, puree in a food processor or blender, then press through a fine strainer into a bowl. There should be about 3 cups.
• In a medium-size (2- to 3-quart) saucepan, combine 2 cups of the puree with 1/3 cup sugar, and simmer rapidly over medium to medium-high heat, stirring frequently, until reduce to 1 cup. Cool.
• Combine the cooked mixture with the remaining1 cup of uncooked puree in a small bowl. Taste and season with lime juice, orange liqueur and additional sugar if needed.
• Advance Preparation:
• Covered and refrigerated, the sauce will keep about a week. The finished sauce (as well as the prickly-pear pulp) also can be frozen.