By cooking the nopales—the flat paddles of the prickly pear cactus—at a controlled temperature in a sturdy self-sealing plastic bag (en bolso), we are able to infuse flavors slowly into the nopales and preserve a firmer texture and bright green color. The process is something like the restaurant technique sous vide (French for “under vacuum”), where food is vacuum packed, then cooked in a water bath to ensure even heat. You can’t squeeze out all the air from a self-sealing plastic bag as with true sous vide, but this home adaptation still works well. You can find fresh nopales with spines removed at Hispanic markets, chain supermarkets located in Hispanic communities, or some specialty produce stores. The briny tartness of the vegetable escabeche (pickled vegetables) is balanced by the creaminess of the queso fresco, a slightly salty Mexican cheese that is similar in taste and texture to feta.

　　

Ingredients

makes 8 tacos

　　2 green chiles, oil-roasted, peeled, cored, and seeded (page 154)

　　3 large fresh nopales (cactus paddles, about 7 1/2 ounces total), spines removed (page 150)

　　3 canned whole pickled jalapeño chiles, drained (liquid reserved), halved lengthwise (page 154)

　　1/2 cup reserved pickled jalapeño chile liquid

　　3 cloves garlic, sliced

　　2 tablespoons coriander seed, toasted (page 164) and crushed

　　10 sprigs cilantro

　　1 sprig tarragon

　　1 sprig thyme

　　1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt

　　2 tablespoons lemon-infused olive oil (page 162)

　　2 tablespoons vegetable oil

　　1 white onion, sliced

　　1/2 cup sugar

　　2 cups white balsamic vinegar or unseasoned rice wine vinegar

　　2 Fresno chiles, stemmed and thinly sliced

　　1 1/2 cups crumbled queso fresco (about 5 ounces), page 151

　　8 (5 1/2-inch) soft yellow corn tortillas (page 13), for serving

　　Garnish: Fresh flowering thyme or pickled sliced red chiles

　　

Step 1

Cut the prepared green chiles into 1/4-inch-thick strips (rajas); set aside.

　　

Step 2

To cook the nopales, fill a large pot halfway with water and heat it over medium heat until it reaches 165°F on an instant-read thermometer. Place the nopales, pickled jalapeños, 1/2 cup jalapeño liquid, garlic, coriander, cilantro, tarragon, thyme, salt, and olive oil in a large, heavy-duty (freezer-weight) self-sealing plastic bag. Squeeze out as much air as possible and then completely seal the bag. Place the bag in the hot water and cook for 25 minutes. When the nopales have finished cooking, let them sit in the brine in the bag for at least 1 hour, or overnight in the refrigerator.

　　

Step 3

When ready to assemble the filling, in a small skillet, heat the vegetable oil over medium heat and sauté the onion just until translucent (don’t let it color), 2 to 3 minutes; set aside.

　　

Step 4

To make the escabeche, in a small saucepan, add the sugar and vinegar and bring to a boil over medium-high heat, stirring to dissolve the sugar completely. Add the sautéed onion and the Fresno chiles to the boiling liquid and cook for 5 minutes. Remove from the heat and let marinate at room temperature for at least 20 minutes. In a colander, strain the pickled vegetables, discarding the brine, and transfer the vegetables to a serving bowl.

　　

Step 5

To finish the nopales, strain the contents of the plastic bag, reserving the nopales and discarding the brine. Slice the nopales crosswise into 1/4-inch-thick strips (rajas), and combine with the pickled vegetables. Sprinkle with cheese and serve immediately or keep warm in a pan until ready to serve.

　　

Step 6

To serve, lay the tortillas side by side, open face and overlapping on a platter. Divide the filling equally between the tortillas and top with salsa and garnish. Grab, fold, and eat right away. Or build your own taco: lay a tortilla, open face, in one hand. Spoon on some filling, top with salsa and garnish, and eat right away.

　　Tacos by Mark Miller with Benjamin Hargett and Jane Horn. Copyright © 2009 by Mark Miller with Benjamin Hargett and Jane Horn. Published by Ten Speed Press, an imprint of the Crown Publishing Group, a division of Random House, Inc.Mark Miller is the acclaimed chef-founder of Coyote Cafe in Santa Fe, New Mexico. He has started and owned thirteen different restaurants on three continents from 1979 to 2008. He is the author of ten books with nearly 1 million copies in print, including Tacos, The Great Chile Book, The Great Salsa Book, and Coyote Cafe. Mark currently works in International Culinary Consulting and lives in Santa Fe, New Mexico.Benjamin Hargett is a travel-loving chef who has cooked in Europe, the Carribean, Mexico, and the United States, where he worked with Mark Miller at the Coyote Café for many years.