What is the easiest way to clean Prickly Pears

Babrew


Joined: 15/09/2010
Posts: 486

Message Posted:
30/07/2011 14:30

think they are called Babutsa in Turkish. Those dangerous spiky things that look like a cactus.

babydoll


Joined: 27/07/2011
Posts: 140

Message Posted:
30/07/2011 15:02

http://simplyrecipes.com/recipes/how_to_cut_and_prepare_prickly_pears/

looks simple enough use gloves thoe

waddo


Joined: 29/11/2008
Posts: 1966

Message Posted:
30/07/2011 15:03

Only pick them early in the morning or late in the evening - use an old tin can on the end of a stick, do not pick them with your hands. Drop them into a bucket (metal is best) of clean water, make sure they have room to roll around each other and give the bucket a good twizzle around so the prickly pears rub against each other. That will remove most of the spines but not all of them!!!!



Tip them out of the bucket and dispose of the water elsewhere than down your sink or where you may sit down later in life - painful if you pick the wrong spot to dump the water! Still do not touch them with your hands - in or out of gloves!!!



Take a bit of stiffish cardboard and pick them up with that, cut them down the long sides and peel back the outer coating then - and only then - can you touch the inside with the bare hand.



Keep the cleaned inner part of the prickly pear in the fridge till cold and then eat, make sure that all spines remain in the cardboard and even then - BE CAREFU

yorgozlu



Joined: 16/06/2009
Posts: 4437

Message Posted:
30/07/2011 17:12

blimey waddo,soon we'll be mistaking you to a Cypriot.

Babrew


Joined: 15/09/2010
Posts: 486

Message Posted:
31/07/2011 13:20

Thanks Waddo great advice. I wonder if the longer you keep them in the water the softer the spines get and more will come off. I plan to sell that at my local fruit market so after picking them out with stiff cardboard I guess thats the end of my job. I just need to put them in a polysterene base and cover with clingfilm. No idea where to get hold of the polystyrene packs though. Again thank you.

yorgozlu



Joined: 16/06/2009
Posts: 4437

Message Posted:
31/07/2011 13:31

Babrew;

Do not leave them in water for long as they will obsorb it and it'll ruin the taste.They are not hard to come off,do as waddo said.

Babrew


Joined: 15/09/2010
Posts: 486

Message Posted:
31/07/2011 17:39

tamam. Do you know where Id get polystyrene packs?

Babrew


Joined: 15/09/2010
Posts: 486

Message Posted:
23/08/2011 07:20

right then the time has come, I dont have a tin can right now but tried to knock them off with a broom and and also twist them with 2 metal spoons but they dont seem to want to come off easily. Does it mean they are not ready to pick Some are yellow some are going a reddy colour. If you could just cut them off with a knife it would be so much easier.

Deniz1


Joined: 28/07/2009
Posts: 3829

Message Posted:
23/08/2011 08:20

What a performance is it worth it? You can get them ready done in Lemar.

BoTanica


Joined: 22/12/2009
Posts: 714

Message Posted:
23/08/2011 10:07

I use a long knife and catch them in a bowl. I then stand them upright, stick a fork in the top to secure and using a sharp knife slice off all the skin - I don't bother with water etc. This is the way I saw them being prepared in Corfu many years ago.

dippersgirl



Joined: 04/05/2010
Posts: 795

Message Posted:
23/08/2011 10:23

I've done it. I did pick them by hand(with industrial gloves on and wearing an old longsleeved shirt, both thrown away now). They are pleasant to eat but I'm not sure the taste is worth all the effort!!! I still have a bucket full and more growing. this year must be a good year, never had so many. Going to make wine out of the rest

smooth


Joined: 04/07/2009
Posts: 156

Message Posted:
23/08/2011 13:07

Well done dippersgirl, I tried them once a long time ago and had to burn the really fine needles off with a gas lighter! And like you said I wondered if it was all worth the effort - concluded it was not! Interested to hear why you are now going to the effort of making wine with them?? Yuk!

Deniz1


Joined: 28/07/2009
Posts: 3829

Message Posted:
23/08/2011 17:44

They dont taste of anything much do they?

DutchCrusader



Joined: 19/05/2008
Posts: 11281

Message Posted:
23/08/2011 19:52

It's very easy. 1 : You need a knife to cut 'em from the cactus plant. 2 : A bucket to collect the 'prickley pears' (pp's). 3 : To the kitchen you go. 4 : Wash them in the bucket. 5 : Now you need a fork and a sharp kitchen knife. 6 : Put the fork in the outside of the 'pp' and 6 : cut the 'pp' in half or in fours. 7 : Now you take a spoon and remove from the 'pp' what you want to eat. 8 : Enjoy the fruit (and don't eat too much nor eat them every day - or constipation will be the result. If so: a spoon full of olive oil or a hand full of figs will bring you back to 'normal'). - DC (International Prickley pears chef ).

DutchCrusader



Joined: 19/05/2008
Posts: 11281

Message Posted:
23/08/2011 19:55

I apologise for the mistake in spelling Prickley = I understand it should be Prickly.

Babrew


Joined: 15/09/2010
Posts: 486

Message Posted:
23/08/2011 20:18

yes I have a sharp knife, all Im doing is cutting, washing, putting in a polystyrene plate covering with clingfilm and selling to my local outlet.



thanks been very informative. And no personally dont think they taste that brilliant.