50 Best Plants on the Planet (16 page)

4
.
Heat the oil in a large nonstick skillet on medium-high heat. Meanwhile, dip each tomato slice in the egg mixture, coating both sides, then in the cornmeal mixture, covering both sides. Fry the coated slices on both sides until nicely browned (you will probably need to work in two batches).

5
.
Divide the tomatoes between eight plates. Drain the raisins and add them to the slaw; toss and spoon it over the warm tomatoes. Serve immediately.

To speed up the cooking process, the cabbage quickly cooks in the boiling water that is then used to cook the pasta. This twofer technique means that only one Dutch oven–sized pan is needed to prepare the dish. Instead of the Parmesan garnish, you can sprinkle the mixture with some chopped fresh basil or mint.

Yields
6
servings

NUTRITIONAL INFORMATION

(per serving)

calories
330

fat calories
60

total fat (g)
7

sat fat (g)
1

cholesterol (mg)
9

sodium (mg)
310

total carbohydrates (g)
53

fiber (g)
14

sugars (g)
8

protein (g)
14

vitamin A IUs
15
%

vitamin C
70
%

calcium
15
%

iron
30
%

½
teaspoon salt

2
½
cups cored, coarsely chopped green cabbage

8 ounces dry whole-grain or multi-grain rotini

1
½
tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

2 large or 3 small leeks, trimmed, halved, washed, thinly sliced

1 large celery stalk with leaves, chopped

1 medium carrot, peeled, diced

2 sprigs fresh thyme

⅓
cup dry white wine

1
¼
cups fat-free low-sodium vegetable or chicken broth

Two 15-ounce cans cannellini beans, drained, not rinsed

Freshly ground black pepper

⅓
teaspoon dried red pepper flakes

GARNISH
grated Parmesan cheese

1
.
In a
4
- to
6
-quart pan or Dutch oven, bring water to boil on high heat. Add the salt and cabbage; cook until the cabbage is tender-crisp, about
3
to
4
minutes. Using a slotted spoon, transfer the cabbage to a bowl. Bring the water back to a boil. Add the pasta and boil until it is al dente (following the package directions), about
8
minutes. Drain.

2
.
Return the empty pan to medium heat; add the oil. Add the leeks, celery, carrot, and thyme. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables are tender, about
6
minutes. Add the wine and increase the heat to medium-high. Cook until most of the wine disappears.

3
.
Remove from the heat and cautiously add the broth (it may splatter at first), beans, and cabbage. Toss and return the pot to the heat; cook until everything is heated through, about
4
minutes. Remove thyme sprigs. Add the pasta and gently toss. Season with pepper and the pepper flakes. Spoon into shallow bowls and top with Parmesan.

Cooked cactus leaves have the appealing texture of blanched green beans. A green bean taste dominates, but with a little green bell pepper and lemon juice thrown into the mix. Before cooking, these fleshy paddles need to have their thorns removed. Some vendors sell them with their thorns stripped away, but have a careful look to make sure that the barb removal has been thorough before cooking them.

Cactus leaves contain a number of phenolic compounds in concentrations almost as rich as some berries. These natural antioxidant and anti-inflammatory chemicals demonstrate the ability to fight cancer and vascular disease.

NUTRITIONAL INFORMATION

(per
1
cup raw, sliced)

calories
20

fat calories
0

total fat (g)
0

sat fat (g)
0

cholesterol (mg)
0

sodium (mg)
25

total carbohydrates (g)
4

fiber (g)
3

sugars (g) less than
1

protein (g)
2

vitamin A IUs
10
%

vitamin C
25
%

calcium
20
%

iron
4
%

Phytochemicals in cactus were shown in placebo-controlled research to work up to five times better than the control in helping lower blood triglyceride levels and countering metabolic syndrome linked to cardiovascular disease.

A study at Tulane University showed that cactus can actually help reduce the symptoms of overindulgence in alcoholic beverages. While the idea is not to endorse drinking to excess, for the occasional overenthusiastic celebrant, compounds in cactus reduce the headache severity, nausea, and dry mouth typical of hangovers.

Cactus contains isorhamnetin and kaempferol, the flavonoid phytochemicals that exhibit strong anti-osteoporosis benefits, according to studies conducted at the Chengdu Institute of Biology in China. Kaempferol has exhibited pain-relief abilities, too.

Year-round

Avoid leaves that are limp or wrinkled; fresh leaves should be somewhat rigid. Look for leaves that are about
8
inches long; smaller leaves don't provide enough flesh, while larger leaves are sometimes tough. Whole leaves can be sealed in plastic wrap and refrigerated up to
1
week. Some markets sell
¼
- to
½
-inch-wide prepared strips in plastic bags; cooked or raw, they can be frozen, well sealed, up to
3
months.

To remove barbs, wear gloves to protect your hands. Trim off the edge around the perimeter of the leaf. Cut or scrape off the thorns from both sides, or peel the leaves with a swivel-bladed vegetable peeler. Rinse the paddles thoroughly with cold water to remove the sticky fluid and loose thorns. Use them right away or pat dry, cover with plastic wrap, and refrigerate up to
2
days.

Simmering strips of cactus leaf creates a slimy substance. Grill or roast them to mitigate the slime factor. Roast strips in a
375
-degree-F oven on a rimmed baking sheet for about
18
minutes, or until limp and tender. Or to grill, brush whole leaves with canola oil. Sprinkle with coarse salt and grill them over medium coals until limp, turning frequently, for
4
to
9
minutes (grilling times vary depending on size of leaf and degree of heat). Or cut trimmed, oiled, and salted leaves into
½
- to
¾
-inch-wide strips and grill them on a grill pan atop the stove or in a grill basket or grill rack (sometimes called a “grill screen”) on the barbecue grill. Perforated grill baskets and grill racks are specifically designed to grill atop the grate. Cook until grill marks form and the strips are limp, about
5
minutes.

In a large saucepan, simmer
1
cup undrained fresh salsa on medium heat for
3
minutes. Drain and rinse two
15
-ounce cans black beans; add to the salsa. Add
2
½
cups vegetable broth and
¼
teaspoon ground cumin; simmer, covered, for
15
minutes. Purée half the soup; add the puréed mixture back to the pan. Stir in
½
cup coarsely chopped grilled cactus leaf strips; reheat. Serve hot, topping each serving with a dollop of plain Greek-style yogurt and a spoonful of drained fresh salsa. Sprinkle with chopped cilantro, if desired.

Toss grilled strips of cactus leaf into taco salad or use them as part of the vegetable filling in vegetarian enchiladas.

Chop grilled strips of cactus leaf and use them as a filling in omelets along with sliced green onions and crumbled queso fresco or goat cheese.

Grilled strips of cactus leaves add a subtle edge of smokiness to this vegetable skillet dish. To turn it into an entrée, add a can of drained and rinsed pinto beans before adding the cabbage and corn. Or cook one or two strips of turkey or pork bacon until crisp; drain on a paper towel and crumble a little atop each serving.

Yields
8
side-dish servings

NUTRITIONAL INFORMATION

(per serving)

calories
100

fat calories
45

total fat (g)
5

sat fat (g)
1

cholesterol (mg)
15

sodium (mg)
260

total carbohydrates (g)
12

fiber (g)
2

sugars (g)
2

protein (g)
3

vitamin A IUs
6
%

vitamin C
15
%

calcium
8
%

iron
4
%

2 cups
½
-inch strips cleaned raw cactus leaves

3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

Coarse salt (kosher or sea)

Freshly ground black pepper

1
½
tablespoons seasoned rice vinegar

1 tablespoon chopped fresh cilantro

8 ounces skin-on Yukon Gold or Baby Dutch Yellow potatoes, cut into
¼
-inch dice

1 small sweet onion, such as Maui, coarsely chopped

1
½
cups shredded green cabbage

2 ears corn, kernels cut off cobs (about 1
¼
cups)

¼
cup crumbled queso fresco or grated pepper Jack cheese

1
.
Preheat a grill to medium-high heat.

2
.
In a bowl, toss together the cactus with
1
½
tablespoons of the oil. Season with salt and pepper. Spread the mixture in a grill basket. Do not wash the bowl. Grill until the vegetables are slightly charred and softened, about
5
minutes. Return them to the bowl and toss with the vinegar and cilantro. Place them on a platter and cover with aluminum foil.

3
.
Heat the remaining
1
½
tablespoons oil in a large, deep skillet on medium-high heat. Add the potatoes and onion; cook, stirring occasionally, until the potatoes are tender and nicely browned, about
5
minutes. Season with salt and pepper. Add the cabbage and corn. Cook until the cabbage is tender-crisp and limp,
3
to
4
minutes. Uncover the cactus leaves and spoon the potato-cabbage mixture on top. Top with the cheese and serve hot.

Instead of potato salad, show off this side dish at an outdoor gathering, picnic, or potluck. Be sure to add the crisp little tortilla chips and radish slices just before serving.

Yields
6
servings

NUTRITIONAL INFORMATION

(per serving)

calories
200

fat calories
70

total fat (g)
8

sat fat (g)
1

cholesterol (mg)
0

sodium (mg)
45

total carbohydrates (g)
29

fiber (g)
2

sugars (g)
2

protein (g)
4

vitamin A IUs
20
%

vitamin C
30
%

calcium
2
%