How to Use Wild Purslane

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When spring turns to summer, gardeners all over the world are swinging their hoes to chop the purslane out of their garden. Purslane is a weed that can be used on the supper table. In “Walden,” Henry David Thoreau describes living a simple life and eating purslane. You can change purslane from a nasty little prolific weed to a gourmet dish for your table if you know how to use wild purslane. Read on to learn how to use wild purslane.

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Instructions

Difficulty: Easy

Things You’ll Need:

Butter sauce
Boiling water
Salt
Salad greens
Broth or sorrel soup
Pickling recipe and ingredients

Step1

Recognize purslane. There are few plants that are so easily recognized. The mature plant grows up to 6 inches high and has leaves that look much like jade.

Step2

Use Thoreau’s recipe. You can boil and salt the young shoots for a side dish at the supper table. If your life isn’t meant to be as simple as Thoreau’s you can add a bit of butter sauce to enhance the flavor.

Step3

Toss some into a salad. It has an acidic flavor with no bitterness or pungency usually associated with that. Chop a bit of the baby leaves up and mix it with other greens. Check the reference section for a gourmet salad using purslane.

Step4

Add it to a broth. When added to soup broth it seasons it with a special tang. If you like to make sorrel soup it is an excellent addition. Simply chop a few fresh leaves and toss them in your broth.

Step5

Know that purslane is full of vitamins. New hybridized purslane doesn’t have the full flavor and the jury is still out on whether the hybridized purslane has all the vitamin C, E, beta-carotene or protein that the wild purslane contains. If you use wild purslane know that it is a great source of Omega-3 fatty acids.

Step6

Pop some purslane into your mouth. You can eat it out of the garden as you attempt to remove it. Of course if you have a garden hose available it is always best to wash it. If chemicals are used in your garden, it is imperative.

Step7

Pickle it. Use your favorite vegetable-pickling recipe to make a unique pickled delight. Purslane can be enjoyed as a new condiment.

Step8

Understand that purslane has been eaten since antiquity. Many tribes around the globe have been using wild purslane as a main source of food for centuries.

Tips & Warnings

Use wild purslane in this old recipe. Boil it with a bit of onion and drain it when fully cooked. Top with a bit of white sauce and jack cheese and you have an heirloom favorite.

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Comments

momofour said

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on 8/16/2008 Thanks for the info. I had no idea you could eat it. Excellent tips!

sa1157 said

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on 7/27/2008 Purslane is yummy out of the garden! Thanks for the other ideas & for spreading the word. With the economy the way it is, it's good to know you've got gourmet greens in your backyard =) Another use i've heard if you've got a large quantity - put it in a paper bag for a couple days (the dying plant will produce as many seeds as it can before it kicks) and then smack the plants against something, collecting the tiny seeds. They can be used like poppy seeds and are nutritious.