Recipe - Fresh Prickly Pear Ice

3 One half pound Fresh prickly pears; (abt 18
med)
1 cup Water
1 cup Sugar
3 tablespoon Freshly squeezed lime juice

HERE'S an unusual recipe that uses the fruit of the nopal cactus. The
puree, before freezing, also makes a delicious sauce over ice cream or
puddled under a simple bread pudding.

Cut a 1/2inch slice off both ends of the prickly pears, then make a
1/2inch deep incision down one side, end to end. Carefully (there are
spines) peel off the rind, starting from your incision. If the prickly pear
is ripe, the rind will easily peel away. Roughly chop the peeled fruit.

Place the fruit in a blender or food processor. Add water, sugar and lime
juice and blend for several minutes, or until the sugar is dissolved.
Strain through a mediummesh sieve. Taste for sweetness, adding more sugar
or lime juice if necessary. Chill thoroughly.

Pour chilled mixture into canister of ice cream freezer and freeze
according to manufacturer's directions. When the ice comes out of the
machine, it may be rather soft; for a firmer texture, let it ``ripen'' in
your freezer for a couple of hours before serving.

Serves 6.

From ``Authentic Mexican'' by Rick Bayless with Deann Groen Bayless
(William Morrow, 1987)

Posted on the San Jose Mercury News Web Site. Copied with permission.

NOTES : Cal 212.5, Fat 1g, Carb 53g, Fib 7.2g, Pro 1.5g, Sod 12mg, CFF 4%.
Posted to Digest eatlf.v097.n228 by Reggie Dwork reggie@reggie.com on
Sep 10, 1997