Prickly Pears

The new house we moved into has a wonderful backyard with a large cactus tree that grows prickly pears. We randomly decided to try one out, and they turned out absolutely delicious.
A prickly pear is the red bulbous fruit that grows on a cactus and is most commonly found in Mexico or the Western US. It is extremely juicy and flavorful and reminded us of a less sour guava. 
 One must use caution in picking a prickly pear so as not to get "pricked" by their very sharp  spines. The best way to pick prickly pear is with a strong pair of metal salad/barbecue tongs with the tips wrapped in duct tape. (Wrapping the tips prevents the tongs from piercing the skin).
Our first try we made a prickly pear cocktail with mint, honey, prickly pear juice and fresca. It was really refreshing and to jazz it up for a party, I would suggest adding a shot of tequila and maybe some orange juice. Our second go around, we decided to make a prickly pear vinaigrette with a prickly pear salad.

Here are the recipes:

Prickly Pear Vinaigrette
Combine all ingredients together:
Juice from the prickly pear
Lemon juice
Salt and Pepper
Honey
White wine vinegar
Olive oil

Prickly Pear Salad
Combine all ingredients together:
Cut Corn
Mixed greens
Red onions
Chunks of prickly pear
Cheese crumbles (whichever are your favorite)

 Toss both together and enjoy!

Another suggestion for prickly pears is the famous Prickly Pear Margarita. Here is a good recipe for one from Emeril Lagasse on the Food Network.