Cactus Fruit (Tuna) Sorbet

Kroger had some gigantic tunas for sale that already had all the fine barbs removed (so you can handle them with bare hands), so I picked up a couple. While I was tempted to just plow through them raw, I've been on a sorbet-making kick, and Ross has been on a sorbet-eating kick. So I figured I'd make another frozen treat to enjoy after our Tuesday risotto (for some reason, we eat risotto ever Tuesday). This is much more labor-intensive process than the other sorbets I've posted lately, because the cactus pears require more work to eradicate the seeds. However, once you strain them, there's always a good amount of pulp leftover that's still attached to the seeds., which I really am loathe to see go to waste. I deal with this by incorporating it into the syrup, giving the finished sorbet the flavor of both cooked and raw pears. It's a nice, refreshing treat that uses less sugar than my normal base does, because the fruits are already so sweet. Hope you enjoy!

8-9 ounces, after peeling, prickly pear cactus fruits
juice of 2 limes
2/3 cup sugar
2 cups water
1-2 tablespoons agave nectar

Put the peeled fruits in a fine mesh strainer, and with a pestle, push the fruit and juice through the sieve. Set the seeds and and pulp that didn't go through the strainer aside (this should be between 3.4 - 4 ounces) in one container, and the juice and pulp that did go through (4.6 - 5 ounces) in another. Add the agave and lime juice to the pear juice. Boil your sorbet base (the sugar and the water), and as soon as the sugar is dissolved, add the seeds and unstrained pulp (rinse out this container) to the mix, bringing it back up to a boil. Boil for 5-7 minutes, then remove from heat and strain back into the container. Cool for 20 minutes, then add the lime and cactus mixture. Put it in the refrigerator until cold, then process for 15-20 minutes in your ice cream maker. Transfer to another container and freeze until ready to eat. Serves 2-4.

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