Xoconostles en Almíbar del Bajío

Ingredients

Equipment Needed

• •Small sharp paring knife
• •Wide heavy saucepan or 10-inch clay cazuela
• •Wooden spoon
• •Clean glass jars with lids

Instructions

1. 1

   Clean the fruit

   Rinse the xoconostles well and rub off any tiny spines with a clean kitchen towel. Do this carefully. The cactus protects itself even after it reaches your kitchen. Trim the ends, then make a shallow slit from top to bottom and peel away the thick skin with a small knife.

2. 2

   Remove the seeds

   Cut each peeled xoconostle in half lengthwise. Scoop out the seed cluster with a spoon, keeping the firm flesh intact. Drop the cleaned fruit into a bowl of cool water as you work so it does not dry out. The flesh should feel dense, not mushy. Mushy xoconostle belongs in salsa or the compost, not in almibar.

   Wear thin kitchen gloves if the fruit still has stubborn spines. One spine in your finger will teach you better than I can.
3. 3

   Build the syrup

   In a wide heavy saucepan or clay cazuela, combine 4 cups water, piloncillo, canela, cloves, orange peel, and salt. Bring to a gentle simmer over medium heat, stirring until the piloncillo dissolves. The syrup should smell like canela and dark sugar, not like burned candy.

4. 4

   Cook the xoconostles

   Drain the cleaned xoconostles and slide them into the syrup. Lower the heat so the liquid barely trembles. Cook uncovered for 45 to 60 minutes, turning the fruit now and then, until the pieces turn amber at the edges and a knife enters without resistance. Do not boil hard. A hard boil tears the fruit apart and gives you cactus jam. That is another recipe.

5. 5

   Finish the almibar

   When the fruit is tender but still holding its shape, stir in the lime juice. Simmer 5 minutes more. The syrup should coat the back of a spoon in a thin glossy layer. If it is watery, lift out the fruit and reduce the syrup another 10 minutes, then return the fruit to the pot. The acidity must stay alive under the sweetness.

6. 6

   Jar and rest

   Pack the xoconostles into clean jars and pour the hot syrup over them, making sure the fruit is covered. Let cool, then refrigerate at least overnight before serving. The second day is better. The syrup enters the fruit slowly, the way preserves are supposed to work. Saber cocinar es saber vivir.

7. 7

   Serve the preserve

   Serve the xoconostles chilled or at room temperature in a shallow clay dish, with queso ranchero or requeson on the side and pan de feria to catch the syrup. Do not bury it under cream. Do not add chile powder. This preserve is about sour cactus fruit and piloncillo. Así se hace y punto.

Chef Tips

• •Buy xoconostles that feel heavy and firm, with skin that is not wrinkled. At a good mercado in Guanajuato, Queretaro, or Hidalgo, the vendor will know whether the fruit is better for mole de olla or for dulce. Preguntale a las señoras del mercado.
• •Do not replace piloncillo with white sugar unless you have no choice. White sugar sweetens. Piloncillo gives mineral depth and the dark flavor that belongs in this preserve. A substitution is a compromise, not an upgrade.
• •Mexican canela is softer and more fragrant than the hard cassia sticks sold as cinnamon in many supermarkets. If the stick smells flat, the syrup will taste flat.
• •The preserve should stay tart. Xoconostle is not sweet tuna. If someone tells you to cook it until it tastes like candy, smile politely and keep your pot away from them.

Advance Preparation

• •Make the xoconostles at least one day ahead. The fruit needs overnight rest in the syrup for the flavor to settle.
• •Refrigerated and fully covered with syrup, the preserve keeps for 3 weeks.
• •For longer storage, process filled jars in a boiling water bath for 10 minutes, using proper canning jars and lids. Do not improvise with random jars. Food safety is not decoration.

Frequently Asked Questions

Nutrition Information

1 serving (about 130g)