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Prickly
Pear (Tunas) Aguas
Frescas
These cool
drinks are made with water, fruit and a sweetener (typically sugar) and
are commonly served in Mexico by street vendors in
barrel shaped clear jars called a vitrolero
You will also find them in
many Mexican takeout restaurants. Aguas frescas are
the drink of choice in most Mexican cantinas.
Prickly Pear Fruit
(Tunas)
The prickly pear fruits
(fruit of the Opuntia cactus),
referred to as Tunas in Spanish are eaten in Mexico as well as the in the
Mediterranean In Italy they are called fichi d'india. The most common
varieties eaten are the yellow, white, and purple pears. The pears with the purple
interior are the sweetest. The fruit has numerous tiny spines and must be carefully
peeled before eating. They can be eaten chilled or room temperature. It is customary
in Italy to present the fruit in a bowl of cold water.
The prickly pear fruit is also
the base for prickly pear jams and jellies as well as Mexican "cactus candy".
whole prickly pear (tuna)
Serves
I N
G R E D I E N T S
4 prickly pear, peeled
1/4 cup sugar
Juice of 2 limes plus slices for garnish
1/4 teaspoon ground canela
I N
S T R U C T I O N S
Puree
pears in a blender. Pass through a fine sieve. Puree pear liquid,
sugar, lime juice, canela, and ice in a blender 1 minute. Pour into
glasses, garnish with lime slices.
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Peeling
a Prickly Pear Fruit
1.Place the fruit in a large bowl of chilled water.
This helps to wash away some of the spines (not all). Use the following procedure to
peel the fruit:
2.Fold 2 or 3 sheets of paper toweling together.
3.Handling the pear on it's ends, lift if from the
water and place the pear on the toweling
4.Keep the towels wrapped around most of the
pear. Use a small sharp knife and make a slice along one side of the length of the
pear cutting just through the skin.
5.Now use the toweling to protect your hands and peel
the skin from the pear.
To serve, slice the pear
horizontally into 1/4" thick slices and place on a plate. The purple pears
make a particularly beautiful presentation with their dark seeds and purple flesh.
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