It’s tuna time!
That’s what the local southern Arizonans call the prickly pear fruit – because it kinda does have a tuna shape. See it?
Thank goodness they taste nothing alike. The prickly pear cactus fruit has a unique delicate tart flavor, a cross between strawberry-rose-floral. You can drink the juice straight (it is supposed to have many healthful benefits) or make it into jelly or syrup. The syrup is most often used in our local specialty margarita which is a beautiful hot pink color.
This year I opted for jelly. The prickly pear cactus grows everywhere down here in southern Arizona and it is easy to head out with a plastic bag and a pair of tongs. I spread out my foraging to take fruit from multiple cactus, leaving plenty for the birds, javelina and other critters. I use the tongs to gently twist the fruit off the cactus paddles – when ripe it comes off easily.
There are many methods for making jelly, varying from freezing the fruit first which releases the juice to placing the whole fruit in a blender to juice. I prefer to wash them well and put them in a large non reactive pot with a little water. Over medium heat the fruit will begin to swell at which point I stab them with a sharp knife. I simmer the fruit in the released juices until they are nice and soft and then strain them to remove the skin and seeds. Then I strain the juice through many layers of cheesecloth to catch any remaining spines.
That’s it. I then follow a basic jelly recipe from the Ball canning website. https://www.ballmasonjars.com/blog?cid=black-raspberry-jelly
Enjoy the jelly on toast, in thumbprint cookies or add to a bbq sauce for a special treat.
