To clean prickly pear cactus paddles, which bristle with thorns, grip them by their base and shave off the spines with a knife held flush against the paddles. (Protect your hands with paper towels or rubber gloves.) Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add 5 trimmed cleaned coarsely chopped medium cactus paddles (about 1 1⁄2 lbs.), reduce heat to medium, and boil until tender, about 20 minutes. Drain paddles and rinse; transfer to a bowl. Add 2 tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil, 2–3 tbsp. fresh lime juice, 1 thinly sliced small white onion, 1 finely chopped clove garlic, 1 stemmed seeded finely chopped jalapeño, and salt to taste; stir well. Transfer salad to a platter and top with 1 medium cored sliced tomato, 2⁄3 cup crumbled queso, and 1⁄4 cup chopped fresh cilantro. Refrigerate for 1 hour. Serves 4.