Nopalitos con Tomate Asado y Cilantro

• 3 nopales, paddles cleaned and diced into small squares
• 3 ripe tomatoes, charred on the comal
• 1 white onion, charred on the comal
• 2 cloves garlic, charred unpeeled
• 1 bunch cilantro, chopped
• 2 chile serrano, finely minced
• 2 tbsp lime juice
• sea salt, to taste
• 1 tsp dried oregano, Mexican
• queso fresco, crumbled, optional

1. 1

   Clean the nopales by trimming the spines and edges with a knife, then dice them into small squares — about the size of a corn kernel. Rinse them well.

2. 2

   Boil the diced nopales in salted water with a handful of the onion skins and a tomatillo husk if you have one; both help draw out the slime. Cook about 15 minutes until tender but still holding their shape, then drain and rinse under cold water. If they still feel slippery, rinse again — this step is what separates a salad people want seconds of from one they push around the plate.

3. 3

   While the nopales cook, char the tomatoes, the onion, and the garlic cloves directly on a hot comal or dry cast-iron pan. Turn them as each side blackens — you want real char, not a polite blush. The garlic goes fast and can turn bitter if it burns past the papery skin, so pull it off as soon as it softens.

4. 4

   Peel the garlic and peel the tomatoes if you like, though I often leave the skins on for a more rustic salsa. Chop the charred tomato, onion, and garlic finely — you want texture, not a purée.

5. 5

   Combine the rinsed nopales with the chopped charred tomato, onion, and garlic in a wide bowl. Add the minced serrano — start with one if you're unsure about the heat, you can always add more.

6. 6

   Stir in the lime juice, dried oregano crumbled between your fingers, and a good pinch of sea salt. Let it sit ten minutes so the nopales drink in the seasoning — this is not a step to rush, because the acid and salt need that time to reach the center of each piece.

7. 7

   Fold in most of the chopped cilantro right before serving, saving a little for the top. Taste and adjust salt and lime — the salsa should be bright and sharp enough that you want to scoop up every drop.

8. 8

   Serve at room temperature with crumbled queso fresco on top if you like, and warm tortillas on the side.

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