Mexican Nopales and Egg Skillet

Ingredients

• 6 large eggs
• 1 lb nopales (cactus paddles), cleaned and diced, or green beans
• 3 tbsp neutral oil
• 1/2 yellow onion, finely diced
• 3 garlic cloves, minced
• 3 ripe tomatoes, diced
• 1 to 2 serrano chilies, minced
• 4 oz queso fresco, crumbled
• 8 corn tortillas, to serve
• 1 lime, cut into wedges
• 1/4 cup chopped cilantro
• Salt and black pepper

Steps

1. If using fresh nopales, scrape off any remaining spines and nodes with a knife and dice the paddles.
2. Boil the diced nopales in salted water for 10 to 12 minutes, until tender and the water has turned viscous, then drain and rinse well under cold running water.
3. That rinse matters. Nopales release a slippery liquid as they cook, and rinsing it away is the difference between a clean-tasting dish and a slimy one.
4. Heat 2 tablespoons of the oil in a wide skillet over medium-high heat and add the drained nopales. Cook for 6 to 8 minutes, without stirring much, until any remaining moisture has evaporated and the edges brown.
5. Add the onion and cook for 4 minutes, then the garlic and chilies for 30 seconds, then the tomatoes for 5 minutes, until they collapse and the pan looks jammy rather than wet.
6. Season well and lower the heat. Beat the eggs lightly with a pinch of salt, just until combined but still streaky.
7. Pour the eggs in and stir slowly with a spatula for 2 to 3 minutes, folding the setting curds through the vegetables, and take the pan off the heat while they still look glossy and slightly underdone.
8. Scatter the queso fresco and cilantro over and serve straight from the pan with warm tortillas and lime wedges.

Allergen note: Contains egg and dairy.

Use the listed quantities as a guide, adjust seasoning to taste, and cook proteins to a safe internal temperature.