Mexican cuisine · Soups & Stews

Cactus Paddle Soup

Light broth with tangy cactus paddles, tomato, onion and fiery chile de árbol, rounded off with cilantro.

Ingredients · for 4 servings

• 500 g nopales (cactus paddles, fresh or jarred)
• 4 tomatoes
• 1 white onion
• 4 garlic cloves
• 3 dried chile de árbol
• 1 l vegetable stock
• 1/2 bunch cilantro
• 1 tsp oregano
• 3 tbsp oil
• 1 lime
• Salt, pepper

Instructions

1. Remove the spines from fresh nopales, cut into 1 cm wide strips and boil in well-salted water for 8 min, then rinse in cold water until the slimy juice is completely gone (jarred nopales only need rinsing).
2. Char the tomatoes, halved onion and garlic cloves all over in a dry pan over high heat for 8–10 min, until the skins have dark spots.
3. Finely purée the charred vegetables with one chile de árbol and pass the sauce through a sieve.
4. Heat the oil in a pot and reduce the tomato sauce uncovered for 6 min, until it visibly darkens and thickens.
5. Pour in the stock, add the nopales, the crumbled oregano and the remaining two chilies, and simmer for 12 min, until the cactus strips are tender but still have some bite; season with salt and pepper.
6. Ladle into bowls, scatter generously with chopped cilantro and serve with lime wedges.