Sunday, July 18, 2010

So, You've Decided To Try Purslane

So, I go out this afternoon and pick about a pound of purslane this afternoon before logging onto the t00bz, and (in a spookalicious display of synchronicity, I see this comment on yesterday's post (did you purchase Tra already?), in which Jennifer mentioned that she'd just tried purslane (I'd mentioned purslane in a comment on her blog- wheels within wheels!). Well, the question posed was: What was your favorite way to prepare it?

My answer is... uh, I dunno. I usually just pick it, wash it off, and eat it out of hand. I finally have enough purslane on hand that I will try cooking it (besides the Mexican recipes in the linked post, I've found an interesting recipe for Turkish-style purslane salad (the comments on this post are hilarious- I'll do an attributed cut-and-paste at the end of the post). The lovely, gracious, and talented Aunt Snow (the artist formerly known as "g") suggested finding a Persian purslane salad recipe, and a Google search turned up this recipe. Of course, having lemons up the yinyang, I bought a couple of cans of tahini, so a tahini, lemon and garlic dressed purslane salad may be in my near future. Personally, I love the stuff so much, I'd substitute it for just about any green, or add it to mixed salads (if only I could refrain from wolfing sheeping it down long enough to get it into the kitchen).


So, on to the comment which had me laughing so hard- Cebtoo, in a reply to Greengirl's request for advice on how to grow purslane, writes:

To GREENGRL: Try to grow something else. Water once a week lightly. Everything else will die but your purslane will thrive with or without fertilizer, in sun or shade. Once you get some growing, break it up with a hoe. Spray it with broadleaf weed killer, it loves it. That's been my approach for years here in San Antonio and probably could grow 500 pounds or so in 100 square feet if I let it run wild.

Yeah, plant azaleas, plant zucchini, plant Stygian black lotus, plant a seed from a sepulchre- you'll get purslane. You see, you don't bring purslane into your life, purslane comes to you.

10 comments:

  1. That recipe sounds good. I'll have to give that one a try. I have to say, after the first taste, I'm thinking this will be better served raw. It's not screaming, "Cook me!"...

    As for the comment... it sounds right. I found out a couple of years ago that hoeing the damn stuff only encourages more growth. Picking it also encourages growth. Merely staring at it encourages growth. I'm kind of hoping that now that I know it's edible (and tasty), it will hold back and grow a little less... just out of spite.

    Also, thanks for the linky love.

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  2. I have to say, after the first taste, I'm thinking this will be better served raw. It's not screaming, "Cook me!"...

    To me, it's a textural thing- the plant seems too succulent, too "crisp" to cook. Who'd want to lose that texture?

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  3. this purlane, I do not know what this is. Matter of fact, this whole post is confusing to me.
    Oh, that's right
    I don't garden.
    I guess I may have learned something new here.

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  4. To me, it's a textural thing- the plant seems too succulent, too "crisp" to cook. Who'd want to lose that texture?

    I agree. While I like spinach or other cooked greens, this one just doesn't seem like it would be served well by cooking. Of course, I'm sure I'll find out I'm wrong and I'll be hooked on purslane porridge.

    Von- I'll bring some up to WI with me. You can have a nibble.

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  5. this purlane, I do not know what this is. Matter of fact, this whole post is confusing to me.

    Purslane is a weed that grows everywhere, and happens to be extremely delicious and, apparently, good for you.

    Oh, that's right
    I don't garden.


    See, that's the point... you don't have to garden, you just have to pick it, it's a weed. Purslane's the best thing to happen to lazy, but savvy, people.

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  6. I've just been looking at a recipe for pickled purslane.

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  7. lazy, but savvy.
    Yep,
    that's me, to a T.

    word verf: hambed. Awesome.

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  8. Paging Doctor Hortfreud...

    Nah, I got Julia Hortchild on the case.

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