Nopal Cactus Salad - Rick Bayless

Ingredients

• 1 pound (about 8 small pieces) small nopal cactus paddles
• A couple tablespoons of vegetable or olive oil (divided use)
• Salt
• 1 small (4-ounce) white onion, cut into ¼-inch slices
• 6 ounces (1 medium-small round, about 2 plum) tomatoes, cored and cut into ¼-inch pieces
• Hot green chiles to taste (usually 1 to 2 serranos or a small to large jalapeño), stemmed, seeds and veins cut out if you wish, finely chopped
• About 1/3 cup chopped cilantro
• A tablespoon or two of fresh lime juice
• A few tablespoons of crumbled Mexican queso fresco (or other fresh cheese like mild feta or goat cheese) or grated Mexican queso añejo or other garnishing cheese like Parmesan or Romano