Tuesday, October 23, 2012

What the Heck is Purslane and What Can I Do With It?




Purslane is a weed or it’s an herb or a leafy green, I guess it depends on who you are and if you have to pull it from your garden. Purslane has been touted as having very high Omega-3 fatty acids, higher than some fish oils even. Every vegetarian and vegan in your life should take note of this. Purslane is used mostly in Greek and Asian cuisine.  According to Wild Man Steve Brill, purslane was Ghandi's favorite food. It can be eaten raw or in stews, soups and other cooked dishes. 

Since this weeks basket also includes cucumbers and tomatoes, I thought perhaps this recipe from simplyrecipes.com might be a lovely one to post. 

Tomato, Cucumber, Purslane Salad



1 large cucumber, peeled, seeded, quartered lengthwise, and chopped
1 medium tomato, chopped
1 bunch or purslane, thick stems removed, leaves chopped (results about 1/2 cup)
1 minced, seeded jalapeño
2-3 Tbsp of fresh lemon juice
Salt to taste

Combine all ingredients and serve. 

I also found a very simple recipe on adventuressheart.com. 


Eggs and Purslane



Sauté purslane leaves and skinnier stems with garlic and butter or oil and scramble some eggs into your sautéed purslane. Voila! 

I am sure with a bit of research, you can all add some delicious recipes to this. If you have a favorite purslane recipe, please leave it in the comments.