The flat-jointed paddles of the prickly pear are not leaves, but an adaptation of a stem from which the fruit grows. The cactus paddles, "Nopales," are also a commonly used ingredient in Mexican recipes, including salads and scrambled eggs.
The prickly pear fruit normally ripens and is ready for harvest during the late summer and early fall months. When gathering the fruit, wear leather or rubber gloves to avoid contact with the cactus needles. They are a nuisance, especially the tiny soft-appearing barbs of glochids on the fruit itself. The glochids are very difficult to remove if you get them in your skin. A long-handled tong can also be used to pick the fruit from the cactus. Once you have harvested the fruit, you will need to remove the glochids by passing the fruit through an open flame or shaking the fruit in a bag of hot coals. The glochids can also be removed by cutting them away with a knife or peeling off the skin. Once the fruit is removed from the cactus, it will rapidly lose nutritional value and may ferment, so try to consume or process soon after harvesting. After you have removed the glochids you can eat the fruit fresh, or prepare it in several ways. Prickly pear juice can be used to make jelly, conserve, marmalade or poured on salads. It can also be mixed with other juices to make smoothies, shakes and other refreshing beverages. Mixing the juice with 7-Up or ginger ale will give you a tasty drink similar to a Shirley Temple.