When most people see this prickly desert plant, the last thing they think of is putting it in their mouth. But cactus, or nopales as they call it in the Southwest, makes a surprisingly delicious and ...

While many see versatile maiz as the foremost plant in Mexican cookery, cactus occupies a more symbolic role for many Mexicans. You can literally see this by examining the Mexican flag, which depicts ...

This week we cook up four nopal (cactus) recipes that go beyond the traditional Mexican and Tex-Mex dishes we love in South Texas. Paul Stephen is a food writer for the Express-News. He can be reached ...

Have you ever noticed a stack of fresh cactus paddles at your local market, but were unsure how to use them — or at least how to keep from getting stuck? The paddles of the prickly pear cactus are ...

These cute cactus cupcakes are a lot easier to handle than their prickly look-alikes. Chocolate cake is baked in terra-cotta pots and then topped with cookie crumb dirt and a fudgy, chocolate-filled ...

Cactus leaves (nopalitos in Spanish) are best when they are about 8 inches long; smaller leaves don’t provide enough flesh, and larger leaves are sometimes tough. Some purveyors cut the pieces smaller ...

Amelia Saltsman spends a lot more time at farmers markets than you do. Unless you’re a farmer, at any rate, in which case you probably know Saltsman and have maybe talked to her for her first book, ...

Cactus gives this smoothie a silky texture that seems deceptively rich and creamy. This is an ideal post-workout refresher. 1/2 cup cactus pads, needles removed and diced Instructions: Combine the ...

Chef Larry Delgado's winning plate of shrimp tacos with a South Texas Cactus Slaw. (Dinah Rogers/NOLA.com | TImes-Picayune) I'm rounding up more recipes from the past weekend's trio of events: The ...