If you're looking for something that's a bit out of the ordinary, but still very accessible and satisfying, give this delicious warm salad a try. It has a wonderful combination of flavors and textures: sweetly briny scallops, creamy red potatoes, crisp-tender nopale cactus strips, and a tangy lime cilantro dressing.
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 25 minutes
Total Time: 40 minutes
Yield: 4 Servings
Ingredients:
For the Dressing:
- 2 Tablespoons lime juice
- 2 Tablespoons mild olive oil
- 1 Tablespoon finely chopped cilantro
- 1 teaspoon sugar
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/8 teaspoon black pepper
- For the Salad:
- 1 lb small or medium red potatoes
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 4 cups finely shredded cabbage
- 1 Tablespoon olive oil
- 1/4 teaspoon cumin seeds
- 1 lb bay scallops
- 1/2 cup cooked nopale cactus, cut in 1/4 inch strips and then into 1 inch lengths (see Cook's Notes)
Preparation:
Make the dressing by whisking together the dressing ingredients in a small mixing bowl. Set aside.
Quarter the potatoes if small, or cut into eighths if medium-size. Place potatoes in a saucepan and cover with water, add 1/2 teaspoon salt, and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer until just tender (about 8 - 12 minutes; test with a fork to judge doneness.) When done, drain well and keep warm.
While the potatoes are cooking, saute the cabbage in a dry pan until just wilted. Season lightly with salt and pepper and keep warm.
Wipe the pan, add the oil and the cumin seeds and toast the seeds over medium heat until fragrant. Add the scallops and nopales and saute briefly just until the scallops are opaque.
Fold together the potatoes, scallop mixture, and the dressing. Make a 'nest' of 1/4 of the cabbage on each plate, spoon the salad into the nests, and serve immediately.
Cook's Notes: Prepared nopale cactus already cut into long strips (called nopalitos) can be found in jars in Latino markets and in the International or Mexican foods section of many supermarkets. It need only be cut to the desired length for your dish. Be sure to rinse the strips before use, as nopale is somewhat mucilaginous.
Makes 4 servings of Warm Scallop, Cactus, and Red Potato Salad