Joanie's Cactus Salad

Since I am from Finland, I am not used at all to eat cactuses, didn't even realise they where edible. Regardless the fact, that mexican restaurants have been there as long as I have, never seen any cactus on menu. But here I am now in Gran Canary, Spain, the southernmost spot in Europe, and cactuses are everywhere. Where did I first see a cactus recipe and realise one can eat them, I don't know, but they sure don't eat them here. Me, exited to have a go on everything different and new, and also lover of mexican food, had to have a try. Got some fresh pads from rocky hills. Against all prejudice from my DH and everybody else, this salad using fresh cactus was very tasty, all "doubting Thomases" loved it! Tasting little cactus bits before mixing it into salad, thought it had bit tough skin, so peeled half of them and added half in salad with the peel, just to see the difference. Not that much difference, suppose the dressing softens the skin a bit. There was though quite a lot of glutinuous liquid- you could call it slime- in the salad after the chilling time, but it could well be it was because of me peeling half the cactuses. All in all, I am still here to tell the tale, nobody got poisoned (here they think cactuses are poisonous, sure some of them, but they seem to think all of them) and everybody enjoyed a really exiting and exotic meal. Now we are looking for more cactus recipes... Updating since I've prepared this salad again, and it is worthy of all 5 stars and more, really wonderfull!!!