I picked up some purslane at the farmer’s market this weekend. Perhaps you are now saying to yourself, “what on earth is purslane?” Purslane is a succulent that is found most commonly in Mexican, Greek, and Middle Eastern cooking. It is a low-growing, creeping plant with small paddle-shaped green leaves and a thick reddish stem. It kind of looks like a jade plant but with much thinner leaves. Purslane is often used raw in salads, but it can be cooked as well. The leaves are tender and have a refreshing lemony flavor. The stems are edible too but are best when they are young and slender.

For all you gardeners out there, it is worth pointing out that purslane takes very little effort to grow. If you have a sunny spot in your garden, plant some purslane, and it will practically take care of itself. But, you might just want to check and see if you already have some growing first. Purslane is listed as one of the top ten most troublesome and pervasive weeds worldwide. People have been pulling it out of their gardens for years without ever knowing what a wonderful vegetable it can be. Purslane is slowly starting to shed its bad reputation, however. Word is getting out that purslane is rich in vitamins and antioxidants and also contains more of the potentially heart-protecting omega 3 fatty acids than any other leafy green vegetable.

My mom bought some purslane last week at her farmer’s market and used it to make Grilled Zucchini Salad with Purslane and Tomato so I decided to follow suit. I washed the purslane in several changes of water, and then I picked off the leaves and dried them in my salad spinner. Next, I grilled some zucchini and tomatoes on my little grill pan (which is producing better, more authentic-looking grill marks every time I use it!) The recipe doesn’t call for grilling the tomatoes, but I wanted to take some of the raw edge off. Once the grilled vegetables were cool, I tossed them together with the purslane in a lemon-shallot-parsley vinaigrette. The tart flavor of the purslane went really nicely with the smoky zucchini and sweet tomatoes. This was a really delicious change of pace from a standard lettuce salad. And, there is something mildly thrilling about eating a succulent!

9 Comments »

  1. It’s spreading! Mom told me about the salad so I had to get some purslane at my farmer’s market. I forgot to get tomatoes but it was still great!

    Comment by Katie — July 31, 2007 @ 6:23 pm

  2. Elliemany, itd is suprising that I came cross you today. Last week I put purslane on my list as one of the five items I will be growing within four weeks.
    I am starting a little farm, for sure you’ll laugh, it not the common farm we see as we drive the road.
    It’s much different and maybe you get to see it soon.
    While growing up we used to hunt wild food and this purslane we alway did find some. One of my farvorite
    place to look for purslane, around abanded properties in the area. And, down by the end of the field all along the ditches where water stood longer.
    Well, I guess I were a farmer then too, cause I used to dig up some of purslane as well as other different types of wild food and set it out in different spot where noe grew.
    And, for sure the next year we had some growing in those areas. I made sure we had plenty to hunt.

    Comment by Irene Merchant — June 17, 2009 @ 8:45 am

  3. Elliemany, it is suprising that I came cross you ad today. Last week I put purslane on my list as one of the five items I will be growing within four weeks.
    I am starting a little farm, for sure you’ll laugh, its not the commom farm we usuall see.
    It’s much different and maybe you’ll get to see it soon.
    While growing up we used to hunt wild food and this purslane we alway did find some. One of my farvorite
    place to look for purslane, around abanded properties in the area. And, down by the end of the field all along the ditches where water stood longer.
    Well, I guess I were a farmer then too, cause I used to dig up some of purslane as well as other different types of wild food and set it out in different spot where none grew.
    And, for sure the next year we had some growing in those areas. I made sure we had plenty to hunt.once purslane grow in the area you can’t get rid of it.

    Comment by Irene Merchant — June 17, 2009 @ 8:49 am

  4. It’s the summertime now, let eat and drink something different today; there’s no reason we should be standing in the kitchen when it is 115 degrees outside.
    At least thats what it is here in the Califonia Desert where I am at.
    Purslane and the grill will be the topic to beat this summertime heat.
    We’re drinking our purslane this year. Here’s the recipe.
    2cups lb. of fresh purslane, washed.
    1 one gallon container
    1 cup on fresh fruit (mixed)
    2.5 cups sugar *opt add your favorite rum.?
    3/4 gal. of water.
    Bucket of snow ice, a few straws and 5 or 6 nice
    glasses for your friends and self.
    Blend and puree, strain purstane,put the sugar
    pursalne and water into the gallon container and
    shake well.
    Fill glasses with in, smash one or two pcs. of
    fruit and place it on top of the snow ice pour
    drink over it and served with a straw.
    Irene Merchant.

    Purslane

    Take you nice frying pan and set it right on the grill outside. Add the following:
    1 cup fresh purslane ( chopped, wash,)
    4 eggs ( whipped with 1/4 cup of cottage cheese)
    White onion(yellow) onion size of a hen egg.
    (chopped up) 1 tablespoon of grated American yellow cheese salt and blace pepper to taste
    I/2 cup corn (strained) Now, stir fried purslane, oinions and corn until you notice purslane and corn has little brown edges.
    Now, I assume you’re use pam for you pan right?
    *** Now make your omelet.
    Mix it all together beside the American cheese.
    When your omelet is done sprinkle American cheese

    Comment by Irene Merchant — June 30, 2009 @ 8:10 pm

  5. I notice purslane seem to grow well with my lemon grass. Irene Merchant

    Comment by Irene Merchant — June 30, 2009 @ 8:32 pm

  6. I had noticed the plant growing in my garden, and it looked kind of nice – sort of succulent and jadey. I really hate bare dirt, so I’m rather lazy about the weeds if my regular plantings don’t need the space; when they do grow to need it, I just till the weedies under to add more humus to my heavy clay soils.
    I had no idea what the little plant was and the squash had not spread out to that area yet. I just left it there – it grew very well!
    So when my daughter came to visit, she exclaimed..”Oh! you have purslane!” I’d heard of it, but not to identify. I even knew it was an old, old wild edible and very good for you as well. When she reached down, plucked it and popped it in her mouth – I was a bit concerned – but she said it was the right stuff for sure and now that I’ve looked it up, I’m delighted to see it has aquired its rightful place alonside the basil, thyme and sage. :)

    Comment by eli — July 24, 2009 @ 5:27 pm

  7. Irenes Corner and Irenesgarden.webs.com grow purslane. If you’r looking for some you can get it fresh.
    Purslane Loaf
    Irenes garden recipe for purslane.
    Once it ready to be cooked, I chop it up a little, beat up eggs, chop onion and my farvorite cheese grated. 1/8 reaspoon of nutmeg, 1/2 teaspoon of salt, 1 tablespoon of sugar.
    1 cup Purslane
    4 eggs, 1/4 cup onion, 1/2 cheese, 2cups of self raising flour, 2cup of seltzer water.
    if you like black pepper, add a couple of shakes.
    1/2 cup of crisco. Add it all in one mixing bowl except cheese. whip for 2 mintures on low until it is mixed well.
    Place into a loaf pan well greased, (2).
    In the center of the loaf make a dent all the way from one end to the other by pressing down about 1 inch, let the cheese into the dent of the doe add a drop of vegetable cooking oil or olive oil here and there .
    * my friend took the cheese and coated it with olive oil into a bowl and then added it onto the dow.
    Place into a heated oven and bake at 400 degrees for 25 mins.
    Let it cool before slicing the loaf.
    Depends of the size of your baking pan as to how many pans you ‘ll have, approx:.
    I like this bread for meat sandwiches ; especially cold slice beef or pork.
    Enjoy your purslane loaf. Irene Merchant

    Comment by Irene Merchant — July 29, 2009 @ 10:40 pm

  8. This is how I prepared a quick fix salad on Thanksgiven Day.
    I took 2lbs. of purslane from the freezer and
    deforested it over night.
    I cup of fresh chop bell peppers,red onions 1/2 cup.
    1/2 lb. ground beef and sauteed for until beef well done and drained the juice well.
    Then I added 1 teaspoon of olive oil,1 teaspoon of truffle oil,2 cups of yellow can string***
    beans(can)drain well. 1 1/2 cup cottage cheese.
    Toss it all into a large bowl.Serve within 30 minutes.
    My holiday dinner……GREAT.

    Although I didn’t have the stuffing with the bird
    This happen to be a quick fix dinner which I didn’t prepare for ahead of time. I had to throw things together this time around. I am proud how well things turned out after all.

    Comment by Irene Merchant — December 2, 2013 @ 9:39 pm

  9. My Thanksgiven bird. I truffle it well insides and out the night before. Next morning I rubbed it well
    with curry power.(salt and black pepper).
    That when I placed it into the smoker and let it smoke slowly for six hours. Never letting the heat get over 300 degrees.
    And when I took it out of the smoker I craved it and served it to my guess with the the purslane salad and and mash potatoes and gravy.

    Comment by Irene Merchant — December 2, 2013 @ 9:49 pm

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